art ian ' ▁work , ▁with ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Port ia ▁written ▁specifically ▁with ▁the ▁sop rano ▁Mary ▁Garden ▁in ▁mind . ▁▁ ▁The ▁opera ▁was ▁first ▁performed ▁at ▁the ▁Paris ▁Op éra , ▁ ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁March ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁It ▁was ▁rev ived ▁at ▁the ▁Op éra ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁and ▁again ▁on ▁ 1 9   F ebru ary ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁at ▁the ▁Op éra - Com ique ▁under ▁Manuel ▁Ros ent hal . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁premi ere ▁was ▁by ▁the ▁Port land ▁Opera ▁on ▁ 4   Nov ember ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁under ▁French ▁conduct or ▁Marc ▁Tra ut mann . ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁the ▁opera ▁received ▁its ▁German ▁premi ere ▁at ▁the ▁Theater ▁B iele feld ▁in ▁a ▁production ▁by ▁Klaus ▁Hem mer le ▁conducted ▁by ▁P aw el ▁Pop law ski . ▁ ▁Princi pal ▁roles ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁The ▁story ▁follows ▁Shakespeare ' s ▁play , ▁The ▁Mer chant ▁of ▁Ven ice , ▁but ▁with ▁some ▁trans pos itions ▁of ▁the ▁text . ▁The ▁com ic ▁figure ▁of ▁Lan cel ot ▁G ob bo ▁is ▁absent . ▁ ▁Record ings ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁role ▁cre ators ▁have ▁left ▁record ings ▁of ▁a rias : ▁( H ahn : ▁Record ings ▁ 1 9 0 8 - 3 5 ▁with ▁Mart ial ▁Sing her , ▁Andre