An American Original
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Mark Swed states in his review of the San Francisco Opera’s production of “Arshak II” (“Just a Beginning,” Sept. 10) that the first American opera written for the American stage is James Hewitt’s 1794 “Tammary, or the Indian Chief.” This may be true if he says “United States” instead of “America.”
Craig H. Russell, in his notes accompanying the CD “Mexican Baroque,” performed by Chanticleer, states that Manuel de Zumaya, born in Mexico of mixed European and Native American ancestry, wrote an opera called “Partenope” in 1711. According to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, this opera was performed at the vice-regal palace, Mexico City, on May 1, 1711. “Partenope” by the American-born Zumaya certainly predates “Tammary” by the English-born Hewitt and is certainly the first opera written in the Western Hemisphere and, thus, America. Unfortunately, Grove states that the music is lost.
How one wishes that Placido Domingo would or could unearth this tantalizing work for the Los Angeles Opera.
RICKARD ROUDEBUSH
Sherman Oaks
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