On January 3, 1931, Pons, unknown in the U.S., made an unheralded Met debut as Lucia in Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor", and on that occasion the spelling of her first name was changed to "Lily". Her performance received tremendous acclaim. She became a star and inherited most of Galli-Curci's important coloratura roles. Her career after this point was primarily in the United States. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1940. From 1938 to 1958, she was married to conductor Andre Kostelanetz. In 1955, they built a home in Palm Springs, California.