We have plaster and lathe walls in our house. I think no matter what you do, there will be cracking and dust. Every project we've done, even drilling holes for anchors, has caused plaster to chip and come off the wall. It's frustrating.
Here's a how-to on cutting a doorway in plaster and lathe from This Old House (we've found them to be an INVALUABLE resource on how-tos for our walls):
Cutting a Doorway in a Plaster Wall | Drywall & Plaster | This Old House