The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Premiere \Pre*mi[`e]re"\, a. fem. [F., prop. fem. of premier
   first. See Premier, a.]
   First; chief; as, a premi[`e]re danseuse. -- n. fem.; pl.
   -mi[`e]res (F. pre*my[^a]r").
   (a) The leading woman of a group, esp. in a theatrical cast.
   (b) A first performance, as of a play; a first night.
       [Webster 1913 Suppl.]