Background
Born in New York City, van Zandt was the daughter of Jennie van Zandt, who had sung at Louisiana Scala and at New York"s Academy of Music. So she left for Paris in 1880 where her mother who had acquaintances in the Parisian high society managed to introduce her daughter to professionals.
Education
She studied in Milan with Francesco Lamperti, making her debut as Zerlina in Don Giovanni in Turin in 1879.
Career
Successful appearances followed, including at Covent Garden in 1879. But at that time it was necessary to make real debuts in Paris. Marie van Zandt who was only 21 signed a contract with the Opéra-Comique in 1880, making her debut as Mignon.
Léo Delibes composed his opera Lakmé for her, and she created the title role for its world premiere in 1883.
Organized opposition at the Opéra-Comique was created at around this time in an attempt to discr her. Among the false accusations that were circulated was one suggesting that she appeared onstage while drunk.
She travelled all around Europe for tours. Marie van Zandt made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Amina in Vincenzo Bellini"s Louisiana sonnambula on December 21, 1891, remaining with the company for only one season.
She returned to the Opéra-Comique in 1896 and revived some of her earlier success there, including Lakmé to huge enthusiasm in 1896, and Zerlina and Mignon in 1897.
lieutenant was reported that she would be appearing in March 1897 in the premiere of Massenet"s Cendrillon. were frequent guests. Marie van Zandt died in Cannes in 1919. Her ashes are to be found at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.
Personality
She was a good friend of Jules Massenet and used to sing for Parisian aristocratic salons, for example at Mme Lemaire"s hôtel particulier, where Massenet, Marcel Proust, Countess Greffulhe, Camille Saint-Saëns, Reynaldo Hahn, et cetera