Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)
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Music Reviews of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)
Music Review: What "bel canto" is all about!
Rating: 5 Stars
This recording is just one of a whole arsenal made during the late 1960s and early 1970s that present Beverly Sills at her considerable best. Unfortunately, these wonderful performances were made under the defunct ABC label with production values so inferior they were quickly pulled from the catalogue. It is good news that these brilliantly remastered recordings are being reissued. Sills' "Lucia" is what most collectors have been waiting for because it's not only one of her best performances, it stands as one of the best overall recordings of "Lucia" in the catalogue.Sills first sang "Lucia" in the spring of 1970 and this recording was made later that same year. By the diva's own admission, it took her a few years to get this part under her belt but it's amazing to hear how much she brings to the role after relatively little exposure. From her first entrance, Sills conveys the heroine's fragility. In the cavatina, "Regnava nel silenzio" Sills projects Lucia's sense of dread as she describes her encounter with the ghost of the murdered girl. At the line "L'ombra monstrarsi, a me!" she utilizes a breathless quality, hurrying to the end of the musical line, the terror in the text clearly mirrored in her excited delivery. In that same cavatina, Lucia describes how the ghost beckoned to her. In the line, "Chiamarmi a se parea" Sills replaces the usual embellishments with a chromatic scale that sounds like a wail, reflective of the specter she is describing. These are just two examples of the myriad of touches Sills brings to her interpretation.
Dramatics aside, this recording is some of the loveliest singing Sills ever committed to disc. To fully appreciate her style, you must consider Sills in the context of her time. In the years since this recording, research has led to an appreciation of authentic interpretations of operas. Old-fashioned bravado has given way to a conscientious effort to reflect the style of a musical era. This is reflected in the way modern interpreters approach operas of the early-nineteenth century where, for too long, the practical considerations of a singer, or impresario, ran roughshod over the composition, leading to distortions in the composers' intentions. This new level of responsibility has led to such recordings as the "Lucia" on Sony with soprano Andrea Rost using period instruments and going back to the original score. While not discounting its achievements, listening to that recording is a rather dry, academic exercise. Sills, however, was the product of a time when singers were encouraged to project their own personalities into a role, straying from precise musical interpretation if it served the drama. Therefore, a singer could interpolate "verismo" techniques into a "bel canto" opera if they felt it better conveyed the emotion they were expressing. Sills was guilty of speaking lines instead of singing them but it's forgivable because she always delivered technically strong, dramatic performances. In this recording, she may ignore the written line and take the high E flat Donizetti intended for the tenor at the end of the love duet but she produces such a ravishing sound, you forgive her. Sills' voice is strong, focused and rich with opulent technique. Her mad scene is everything you could wish for; her notes are secure, her runs breathtaking, and she employs some of the loveliest pianissimos to be heard outside of a Monserrat Caballe recording!
This recording is fortunate to include tenor Carlo Bergonzi as Edgardo. Somewhat overlooked today, Bergonzi ranks as one of the finest singers of the twentieth century. His career began in the 1950s but was soon overshadowed by the twin meteors of Domingo and Pavarotti during the mid-sixties. But I believe that Bergonzi's voice was the loveliest of the three. Pavarotti may have commanded the vocal stratosphere and Domingo may have thrilled with sheer power, but neither could summon the pristine, elegant sound of the young Bergonzi. He is an ardent, vocally resplendent hero for Sills' vulnerable heroine. He is dramatic in the sextet scene and heartbreaking in the opera's finale. He commands our attention with a charm unknown to the "grand-standing" efforts of the recent "Three Tenors" circus.
The other characters are just as opulently cast. Baritone Piero Cappuccilli was always a sensitive singer and his interpretation of Enrico has more depth than usual. This Enrico feels remorse even as he presses Lucia into a loveless marriage. As Raimondo, Justino Diaz's rich bass voice brings a commanding presence to his scenes. The remaining roles are all well sung. The conductor, Thomas Schippers, whose life was cut tragically short, delivers a well-paced performance, utilizing the florid "bel canto" style without ever losing dramatic tension. Much has been made over the fact that this recording uses the glass harmonica in the mad scene. Although Donizetti was initially attracted to this unusual instrument, he abandoned the idea, re-writing the passage for flute soloist. There were two reasons for this decision; first, there were few artists available to play this instrument and, second, its sound was inaudible in a theater. Ever practical, Donizetti decided against an instrument that could be effective only as a novelty. It's fascinating to hear the glass harmonica but it should not be regarded as representative of Donizetti's final intensions.
So is this the best "Lucia" available? The Callas recordings are wonderful tributes to her art but they all have cuts and uneven supporting casts. Joan Sutherland's best recording is her first but it also has cuts and she remains uninvolved dramatically. Anna Moffo's version on RCA comes close but, regrettably, it has been pulled from the catalogue. There is a long list of other recordings with distinguished casts but they all have notable flaws that negate absolute endorsement. Sills' interpretation, therefore, comes as a welcome addition to the roster of "Lucia" recordings. Above all it remains a dramatic, beautifully sung performance. And isn't that what "bel canto" is all about?
Music Review: The Art Of Singing Drama
Rating: 5 Stars
Donizetti's "Lucia Di Lammermoor" has been a popular opera for years. The tragic story of thwarted love (a la Romeo and Juliet) based on the Walter Scott novel became a smash hit in the 19th century. This is the very best of "bel canto drama", a winning combination of beautiful melody and powerful drama. For a number of years, Lucia was regarded as romantic fluff, with light orchestration and no substance to the drama. It was long considered merely a showcase for the soprano singing Lucia and many sweet-voiced divas have sung the role throughout it's history - Jenny Lind in the 19th century and Lily Pons in the World War II Era. It was not until the 60's and 70's that this tragic opera was revived and emerged as a powerful work of art. Finally, Donizetti's musical score was so much more. At the hands of composers like Herbert Van Karajan and Sir Thomas Schippers on this recording, the score to Lucia became vibrant and dramatic. The conductors and their respective orchestras treated the opera with lyric and dynamic integration so that it sounded like a Wagner opera.The leading Lucia of the immediate post World War II Era- the 50's, was Maria Callas. She is still considered the best Lucia by many, but it's always a matter of taste. Maria Callas was a sensational actress, who immersed herself into every role she tackled. It is said that Maria Callas' version of Lucia's Mad Scene was so authentic that it looked like she had really gone insane at the end of the opera. After Callas, Joan Sutherland and Beverly Sills successfully performed Lucias in their careers. Unfortunately, the press or these singers' fans created a fake feud between them, claiming that Sutherland and Sills were rivals. This is not true. Again, it's a matter of taste. If you are a hardcore fan of Joan Sutherland, then stick to what you enjoy best. Her voice is rich, larger-than-life, beautiful and exciting. But do not fan the flames of hatred and bash Beverly Sills. If you like Beverly Sills, do not bash Joan Sutherland. Beverly Sills was equal to Joan Sutherland and although both singers were naturally not the same (occupying different bodies after all) they were still fantastic in their own individual way.
Beverly Sills sang Lucia for her debut in London's Covent Garden in 1970. She gave an incredible performance. Her Lucia was subtle, dynamic and she blended bel canto singing - with its legato, flowing lines and vivid coloratura, with credible acting technique. This was always Beverly's strengths. She could really act and she gave a hundred percent to all her performances, emphasizing acting and connection with the audience. From the moment she enters the stage as Lucia, she convinces us that all is not well when she raves about a ghost she has seen by a fountain that spurted blood. This is the haunting aria "Regnava Nel Silenzio". This is followed by an impressive coloratura showpiece, "Quando rapito en estasi" in which she describes her love for her family's sworn enemy Edgardo. In her self-sacrifice she is noble (the duet with her brother Enrico "Cedi, Cedi") and in the famous Sextet her voice rises high and clear with beautiful expression. The rest of the cast and chorus are excellent. Carlo Bergonzi sings the love-struck and heartbroken Edgardo and the magnificent baritone Piero Cappuccilli sings the scheming Enrico. Beverly's finest hour comes during the Mad Scene. Following the original plans Donizetti had in mind for this scene, the glass harmonica is featured. The glass harmonica adds an appropriately eerie and bloodcurdling effect. Beverly sings the Mad Scene with true acting prowess, real sadness, lyric elegance and spiraling coloratura. Many sopranos fail to understand that although Lucia has gone crazy, she has not lost her dignity. A lot of the Mad Scene is beautiful but melancholy. Some sopranos have even gone overboard with the hysteria by doing such things as falling over backwards on stage. There is no need for that much hysteria- only when she sees the ghost and raves "Il fantasma! Il fantasma!" should sound slightly hysterical. Beverly Sills does this well. Finally, her "Spargi D'Amaro Pianto" is dazzling to hear.
There is no reason why you should not buy this recording. It's a lovely addition to the other Lucias you may already own. This recording is so good because all its singers have put so much effort into it- from Carlo Bergonzi's Edgardo (listen to his sad suicide aria which ends the opera) and Piero Cappuccilli's baritone villanous ways. Again, Thomas Schippers conducts an impressive score with his London Symphony Orchestra, making this a very powerful and dramatic opera.
Music Review: The Best Studio Recording Of Lucia Di Lammermoor
Rating: 5 Stars
Arguably the best. Tune in to this recording and you'll see why. Beverly Sills in fine singing voice, the great Carlo Bergonzi is generally regarded as the finest interpretor of Edgardo and a superb cast, orchestra as well as tribute to Thomas Schippers a formidable conductor who tragically died of cancer in the late 70's. There have been many outstanding Lucia studio recordings dating back to the LP Era long before digitally remastering and cd recordings. Lucia is the most famous opera of the Donizetti repertoire. It is a great vehicle for the soprano singing Lucia and tenor singing Edgardo. Over the years, many remarkable singers have come across Lucia Di Lammermoor - Lily Pons, Maria Callas, Roberta Peters, Joan Sutherland, Edita Gruberova, Anna Moffo, Cheryl Studer and many others dating back to the early phonograph/victrola days of the early 1900s among them Adelina Patti, Dame Nellie Melba, Louisa Tetrazzini and Amelita Galli-Curci. It is almost a rite of passage. During its day, Donizetti's Lucia became so popular that Donizetti had to rewrite the opera in French to cater to the French opera lovers in Paris. Donizetti's music is a colorful array of emotions and melodrama perfomed in the typical romantic flair that the Romantic Era was so famous for, The tragic story is drawn from the Walter Scott novel supposedly inspired by actual events. A young woman, with a penchant for romance, falls in love with her family's enemy a la Romeo and Juliet. The Ashtons and the Ravenswoods have long feuded over property and social position in the bleak Gothic moors and misty woods of Scotland. Lucia, the quintessential tragic heroine, is forced to marry a man she does not love (Arturo) in accordance to her brother Enrico's wishes. Enrico has plotted and schemed by forging letters and managed to seperate Lucia and Edgardo. During Lucia's wedding to Arturo, she loses her mind and stabs him. Edgardo commits suicide at the opera's finale. It's tragic drama at its best.On this recording, Thomas Schippers and the London Symphony Orchestra produce a high calibre score in much the same dramatic vein that Herbert Van Karajan pulled in the classic recording with Maria Callas. Plus, it provides a chilling, frightening effect in the Mad Scene with the use of the glass harmonica in addition to the orthodox flute that accompanies the scene. There is also a "storm" effect, both musically and with the studio sound of thunder and lightning in a latter scene in which Edgardo broods melancholically in his castle the night of Lucia's wedding. Dramatically and vocally this studio recording is the finest. Beverly Sills proves that you don't have to be a large voiced Maria Callas or Joan Sutherland clone to sing the role of Lucia. Beverly's light but well-schooled and well-trained voice becomes aptly dramatic and convincing in all the range of emotions Lucia turns on - haunting and raving in "Regnava Nel Silenzio" and full of ecstasy in the coloratura showpiece "Quando Rapito", tearful, sorrowful and resigned in her duet with Enrico "Soffrivi Nel Pianto". Note also that during the recitatives and dialogue exchanged between Sills and baritone Piero Cappuccilli- specifically in the lines "Al'otro uomo e giurado mia fe" "To another man I have already pledged my love" she inflects pure drama when she pushes her voice to a chest register. Piero Cappuccilli's finest moment is in this duet and in the preceding Vengeance Aria. As for Justino Diaz, his baritone vocals are equally as masterful as today's Samuel Ramey. Justino Diaz voice is rich and full and blends gorgeously with Beverly Sills in their duet "Cedi Cedi"- a duet which Sills tops off with a high F.
The Mad Scene is incredible. It is not unrestrained, nor hysterical, but deeply moving in its pathos and unbearable sorrow. We feel pity for Lucia's condition and Sills does not overact. Carlo Bergonzi is a superb Edgardo, joining the ranks of Enrico Caruso who was personally fond of the role and dubbed it his best. Carlo Bergonzi has a masculine, ringing, earthy and dramatic voice that is perfect for the role of the tragic hero Edgardo. Only Placido Domingo sings it as good. The moving finale, in which Edgardo has learned that Lucia has died and true to her love for him, he commits suicide by stabbing himself, determined to join Lucia in the afterlife. His poignant "Tu che a Dio " is lyric, emotional and the sad effect enhanced by the repetition and dominant use of the strings. There is nothing left to say but go out and buy this recording.
Music Review: A Masterpiece Of Opera: Undoubtedly The Greatest Recording
Rating: 5 Stars
Why Lucia Di Lammermoor is great opera:Historic: Gaetano Donizetti's most famous opera, Lucia Di Lammermoor, stands as a monument on to itself. Donizetti composed numerous operas, many of them great, and he was the most prolific composer in the early 19th century. He composed operas within weeks, besides symphonies and orchestral pieces that are not well known and newly discovered treasures. Donizetti was inspired by Sir Walter Scott's novel "The Bride Of Lammermoor." The works of Sir Walter Scott (Ivanhoe, Rob Roy) were the most popular rage at the time in Europe. The Bride Of Lammermoor was based on a true account of a murder that took place in Scotland in 1669. The Viscount Fair was the most prominent man in the countryside society of property-owning lords. His daughter Janet Dalrymple was forced into a marrige of convenience (to further the Viscount's status and his need for money) with the wealthy David Dunbar. But Janet was already engaged to a man she truly loved- Rutherford. They said she killed David Dunbar and went insane, dying out of the grief for not being wed to the man she loved. This intense melodrama was perfectly suitable for opera.
About The Recording: Beverly Sills is the greatest Lucia. Her voice is crystal, lyric, her coloratura perfectly expressive of madness and ecstasy. Everyone in this recording is in top vocal shape and great actors. It was 1970. Lucia was Beverly's debut in London's Covent Garden. Carlo Bergonzi's tenor role of Edgardo is the best, compared to many to Enrico Caruso, his voice dramatic, romantic and rich. Piero Cappucilli's baritone role of the scheming and ambitious Enrico is unforgettable. Even Justino Diaz' Normanno, also a tenor, is incredible. His tenor voice is introduced to us after the tragic overture, when the hunters belt out a chorus. The music to Lucia has been influential to such composers as Verdi. It is expressive of human emotion, in particular tragic love. Lucia's theme is introduced as an extended passage for harp. She then enters with her handmaiden Alisa (mezzo soprano Patricia Kern).
Beverly's rendition of "Regnava nel Silenzio" is outstanding. She relates in funereal tone her encounter with a ghost by the fountain. Towards the end of the aria, she uses pulsating vibrato. Her mental stability is already breaking at this point and the following "Quando Riposi in Estasi" is a coloratura jewel full of richness. Lucia's duet with Enrico is exquisite, it's a rather lengthy but flowing duet that ends in a powerfully high pitch from Beverly. Her greastest moment of course is towards the end. She has killed Arturo on their wedding night and before the guests, rants and raves about ghosts, altars and a marriage that never took place to her beloved Edgardo. The Mad Scene is the most famous in all of opera. Donizetti, however, had used the Mad Scene technique in his first hit- Anna Bolena (Anne Boylen). At the end of the opera, Anne Boylen goes mad, hallucinates about a marriage. It's structure is not as well done as Lucia's Mad Scene, but it must have clearly inspired Donizetti to expand it- it does seem strikingly similar- there is use of flute, stormy orchestral effects and a mournful, funeral type chorus. The Mad Scene on here features the glass harmonica Donizetti tried to use but due the instrument's rarity in Europe was never able to use. The glass harmonica heightens the eerie and chilling effect for the Mad Scene. It begins to play as soon as Lucia sadly cries "Il dulce suono" and continues through the elegant length of the Mad Scene "Ardon Incensi". The coloratura trills and roulades in unison with the fast pace of the flute is still used here.
Finally, Lucia has great chorus and ensemble numbers. The Sextet is the most beloved and most frequently performed ensemble piece. It feature six voices, it is a moment of profound distress. Edgardo has entered the castle and discovered Lucia signing the wedding contract to Arturo. Although it's one main melody, all six singers express diverse emotions. The sextet seems to have two parts, for the scene ends in a turbulent ensemble after the immense tension of the scene- Lucia faints, Edgardo accuses her of betrayal and damns the Ashton family. Edgardo's greatest moment comes towards the end of the opera. Depressed, in pain, he comes to the tomb of his ancestors. There, before a crowd of guests, he discovers that Lucia did love him after all and he cannot live without her- so he stabs himself.
Tragic opera with a capital T. And this is the recording to get.
Music Review: This the best recording of "Lucia" on the market
Rating: 5 Stars
This recording of Donizetti's masterpiece "Lucia di Lammermoor" deserves all the praise that has been heaped upon it. All the cast members are great and they are led by a world-class conductor. The London Symphony Orchestra plays magnificently for Thomas Schippers. He was a great conductor. He keeps the score moving along, but also gives the more lyrical moments time to unfold. He conducts this opera for all it's worth. His reading is much more exciting than Karajan's overhyped live recording from Berlin with Callas and di Stefano. The German seems downright tame and his reading downright sleepy when compared with Schippers' propulsive and dynamic conducting. The chorus does a very creditable job. They contribute excellently to this recording. Next, we have Carlo Bergonzi. He is always stylish and never crude. He is involved dramatically, but never to the point of inappropriate verismo acting like one gets with Callas' frequent tenor partner. Bergonzi has a beautiful voice and sings very well. His diction is great. Some of the high notes in his double-aria finale strain him a bit, but he still sings marvelously. Next, we have Piero Cappuccilli. He is an exciting and dramatically involved Enrico. He often is dramatically detached, but not here. He is driven to new heights by singing with Beverly Sills. His singing is excellent and so is his diction. Hearing his commanding baritone is great. Next, we have Justino Díaz as Raimondo. He is convincing as Lucia's hypocritical adviser. He sings marvelously and has great diction. That deep, dark bass voice of his is a pleasure to listen to. Last but not least, we have Beverly Sills. She is what makes this set worth having. Her presence raises this set to the status of one of the all-time great opera recordings. This recording is up there with Beecham's "La Bohème" and Callas' "Tosca". Sills gives a dramatically gripping account of the fragile, mentally unstable heroine. She is a marvel of technical precision combined with extraordinary acting ability. Her voice doesn't have many colors to it, but she uses it very intelligently and gets as much out of it as she can. Her voice truly sounds haunting in this role. Her account to Alisa concerning the murdered Ravenswood girl is glorious. Her performance of the Fountain Aria is beyond reproach. It is both dramatically involved and very well sung. From the very first note of the aria, she establishes Lucia's mental instability. Her coloratura is spectacular. Throughout her arias and cabalettas, her trills, runs, and staccati are excellent. Some of her staccati are smudged, but they are done in that way for dramatic effect. In the cabaletta "Quando rapito in estasi", she uses unearthly tones to convey Lucia's loony ecstasy. It is very effective. No one else employs those tones. Her three duets with the male singers are very well done. She uses a wide range of emotions in those duets. The male singers support her nicely. Her Mad Scene is the best I have heard. Everything is there: the drama, the singing, the coloratura. It is amazing. She outdoes everyone who has sung and recorded this scene. She sings as well as Sutherland and surpasses Callas' overhyped dramatic interpretation. Callas just doesn't convince me of Lucia's madness. Sills does. The soprano-flute duet is breathtaking in its virtuosity. She even manages to make it a very valid part of the Mad Scene. She is one with the fluteplayer. They never lose each other. Her trills, including the one high trill before the first high E-flat, are marvelous. Her runs are perfection. The pianissimo high note is unearthly. The high E-flat is truly haunting. In the repeat of the cabaletta "Spargi d'amaro pianto", she really goes bonkers. She is that good. The last high E-flat, as well as some other high notes earlier in the opera, is a bit pinched, but she still hits it. Keep in mind that Sills made this recording slightly after her prime. You also get to hear the unearthly sounds of the glass armonica. That instrument really adds a spooky element to the Mad Scene's overall effect. I honestly can say that I have never heard a more perfect unison of technical singing and drama than Sills' rendition of Lucia's Mad Scene. This recording is truly marvelous and a must-have for all fans of great bel canto singing.