This opera contained one of the most difficult bel canto roles that challenged soprano greats such as Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland because it calls for great vocal control of range, flexibility, and dynamics as well as containing a wide range of emotions: conflict of personal and public life, romantic life, maternal love, friendship, jealousy, murderous intent, and resignation. Know for long flowing melodic lines and female heroines, his masterwork was Norma (1831) with famed librettist Felice Romani. Vincenzo Bellini (1801 -1835) was admired by Wagner and Verdi and a prolific composer despite living only thirty-four years. Another staging of La bohème, it starred Jean Fenn as Mimì and Luciano Rampaso as Rodolfo.Based on the play Norma by Alexandre Soumet.įamed bel canto opera soars with fine vocals and wonderful melodies. The final opera performance by the company was held on November 22, 1974. Many notable singers performed leading roles with the company including Luigi Alva, Carlo Bergonzi, Grace Bumbry, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Elisabeth Carron, Richard Cassilly, Franco Corelli, Phyllis Curtin, Plácido Domingo, Simon Estes, Eileen Farrell, Mirella Freni, Nicolai Gedda, Peter Glossop, Marilyn Horne, Alfredo Kraus, James King, Albert Lance, Leon Lishner, Catherine Malfitano, Robert Merrill, Sherrill Milnes, Anna Moffo, Birgit Nilsson, Luciano Pavarotti, Roberta Peters, Leontyne Price, Louis Quilico, Samuel Ramey, Judith Raskin, Regina Resnik, Seymour Schwartzman, Renata Scotto, Cesare Siepi, Beverly Sills, Eleanor Steber, John Stewart, Joan Sutherland, Renata Tebaldi, Richard Tucker, Theodor Uppman, Cesare Valletti, Shirley Verrett, Camilla Williams, and Frances Yeend to name just a few. The company notably presented the United States premiere of Renzo Rossellini's Uno sguardo dal ponte on Octowith Nicola Rossi-Lemeni as Eddie Carbone and Gloria Lane as Beatrice. Although the company performed works from a variety of composers and musical periods, for the most part the company concentrated on Italian grand opera and verismo opera particularly operas by Giuseppe Verdi and Puccini.

The production starred Elaine Malbin as Mimì and John Alexander as Rodolfo.

The company's first production, Giacomo Puccini's La bohème, was held on Februat the Academy of Music. In 1980, the company artistically reorganized to form the Opera Company of Philadelphia.

The work, The Hero, premiered on June 1, 1976. For the bicentennial year 1976, the company commissioned famed opera composer Gian Carlo Menotti to create a new opera. With the combined resources of both companies, the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company began producing higher quality productions with name artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, Roberta Peters, Montserrat Montserrat Caballé, and others. In 1975 the company merged with the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company but retained its original name. The company produced between four and six of their own operas every year in addition to sponsoring numerous traveling productions from the New York City Opera. Other notable Artistic Directors include Julius Rudel and Anton Guadagno (1966–1972). The company was led by a number of Artistic Directors during its history, beginning with Aurelio Fabiani. The Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company was an American opera company located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that was active between 19.

Norma lyric opera