Lucia di Lammermoor

Conductor: Mikhail Tatarnikov 

Scottish Opera Production

World premiere: 26 September 1835, Teatro San Carlo, Naples
Premiere of this production: 14 January 2009, Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg

Running time 3 hours 
The Performance has two intermissions  

Each great work of art has its own particular fate, whether that be to remain for decades in the shadows, left behind by more successful rivals, and only come to prominence after the death of its creators, or to prove more suited to the tastes of the era and immediately find favour with the general public, bringing the authors fame and fortune while they are still among the living.
Gaetano Donizetti's opera Lucia di Lammermoor, based on Sir Walter Scott's extremely poplar novel, belongs to the latter group. There is probably no other musical work that can boast a more successful "career". The first production of the opera entranced audiences and prompted a wave of positive notices from the professionals. The opera then became one of the most often performed works in the repertoire, and equally successful "in pieces" as a regular feature on society concert programmes.
Yet more proof of the work's success can be found in the literature of the period: Arias and fragments from Lucia are played, sung, and even heard from organ-grinders in the works of Turgenev, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Flaubert, and many other 19th century writers. To take one example, in one episode in Gustav Flaubert's renowned novel Madame Bovary, when the heroine immerses herself in the fraught emotions of love: "Emma was transported back into the sphere of the literature of her youth, into the kingdom of Walter Scott. She was enthralled, as if she could hear the cry of the bagpipes flying to her from the heath through the fog... She tried to follow the development of the plot, but the storm of sounds scattered the fragments of her thoughts. Emma was seized by the music. All her being sounded in concord with the thrilling melodies... She recognized the intoxication and the heartache - she herself was almost dying from them. The voice of the singer seemed like the echo if her own thoughts, and in all that captivating invention some part of her life was reflected...".
To take another reference, this time from contemporary culture, in one scene in Luc Besson's film The Fifth Element, the opera singer Plavalaguna sings Lucia's aria Il dolce suono from Act III of the opera. The aria forms part of an exotic alien music show and, while following Donizetti's score exactly at the start, it then turns into a pop tune by Éric Serra. The unusual effect was reinforced using computer technology, which gave the voice of singer Inva Mula technique and range far in excess of actual human abilities. Soon after singing the aria, Plavalaguna dies, just like Donizetti's heroine.
So, what then is the secret of this opera, which has attracted such varied audiences for over two centuries? There is no simple answer. At first glance, Lucia di Lammermoor is just a typical opera of its time. Donizetti, who composed over seventy musical dramas, was writing at the peak period of the development of Italian opera. The careers of Bellini and Rossini, both of whom had combined virtuosity and melodic beauty with efforts to create vivid dramatic plots, had already come to an end. Soon would come the era dominated by the great Verdi, who managed to establish a new ideal of opera as an organic musical and dramatic performance.
Donizetti's opera is probably closer to the preceding period than to what followed. Filled form start to finish with extraordinary virtuosity and retaining its elegance and lyricism even at the most dramatic moments, the opera can face accusations of being overly concert-like, and the musical structure can be seen as not entirely in harmony with the dramatic development.
These quibbles, however, ignore the eternal paradoxes of genius, thanks to which this bloody romantic melodrama loses none of its cogency in the flow of the charming melodies. The orchestra manages to be rich and colourful without attracting undue attention, and the conscious striving for virtuosity does not interfere with the development of the plot. In fact, it works to strengthen the overall impression.
Donizetti himself, fully aware of the strengths of his work, did not deny its links to other composers' operas. Donizetti's masterpiece was regularly compared to the operas of his friend and closest forebear Vincenzo Bellini. One of Donizetti's acquaintances once remarked on the similarities between the two composers' work with the words: "How sad that Bellini is dead! Lucia would have suited his temperament admirably - all that passion and grief!". Donizetti replied: "I also try, with my modest talent, not to fall face first in the mud". A few days after the incredibly successful premiere, Donizetti met the man again and stopped him to say: "you are, I hope, content with my Lucia? Have I damaged the reputation of my friend Bellini? I summoned his wonderful soul, and that inspired me to create Lucia!"

Act One (Prologue)

The gardens of Ravenswood Castle.
The castle´s retainers, led by Norman, captain of the guard, are searching the area. Lord Henry Ashton, the owner of the castle, appears. He is burdened with the knowledge that recent events have considerably worsened his position, while the influence of the hated Ravenswood family or, more accurately, the last of the line, Edgar Ravenswood, has begun to increase. Lord Ashton´s only hope is to engineer a successful marriage for his sister Lucia, but she has refused every proposal. Lucia´s tutor, Raimond, tries to calm Henry by telling him that the girl is still grieving over the death of her mother and is unable to think of love. Norman demurs, saying that Lucia has long been in love with the man who saved her from a rampaging bull. They have met every day since, and Norman suspects that the stranger is Edgar Ravenswood. Henry is incensed. This news is the harshest blow that fate could deal him. The castle retainers return. They have seen the mysterious stranger, and it is indeed Edgar. Lord Ashton bitterly swears to be avenged.

In the park.
Accompanied by her maid Alisa, Lucia is on her way to meet Edgar. Alisa is afraid that Lord Ashton will see them. Lucia is also nervous, but for a completely different reason: They are standing at the spot where one of the Ravenswoods once killed the woman he loved. The ghost of the murdered woman has recently appeared to her, beckoning Lucia to follow her. When the ghost disappeared, the water in the fountain turned red with blood. Alisa fears that this is a premonition, and begs Lucia to forget her dangerous love. But Lucia cannot stop loving Edgar – when she is near him she forgets all her fears and suffering. Edgar appears. He apologizes for being late, but he has been meeting with his confederates. It has been decided that Edgar must leave immediately for France to seek support for the struggle for a new Scotland. Before his departure, he wants to talk with Ashton. Edgar intends to offer him a truce and to ask for Lucia´s hand. Lucia persuades her lover that this would be fruitless. Henry killed his father and seized their family castle. What more could appease his hatred? Edgar swore his undying hatred of the Ashtons on the grave of his murdered father, but then he met Lucia and his heart was filled with a completely different feeling. He has not forgotten his oath, however. Lucia begs him for the sake of their love to forget all his oaths. Then Edgar, swearing his eternal love and fidelity before God, places his ring on her finger. Lucia, also calling on the heavens as witness to her love, gives him her ring. It is time for Edgar to leave. Lucia begs him to remember her always, and to write.

Act Two

Scene One
A room in Lord Ashton´s castle.
Henry awaits Lucia anxiously. He has invited guests to the wedding ceremony, and the groom, Lord Arthur Bucklaw, will be arriving shortly. Lucia, however, has not given her consent. Norman reassures him: All the letters that Edgar has written during his long absence have been seized and replaced with artful forgeries in which Edgar confesses that he has fallen in love with another woman. As his sister enters, Henry sends Norman to meet Arthur and escort him into the castle. Henry chastises Lucia for being so melancholy on the day of her wedding. She replies that his cruelty is the cause of her grief. Henry tries to persuade his sister to forget her illicit love and to find happiness with her eminent husband. She refuse, at which point Edgar hands her the forged letter. Lucia is shattered: All her tears, her hopes, and her yearning have been wasted on an unfaithful man. The noise of festivities can be heard. Henry explains to his sister that only she can save him. Raimond comes to Lucia. He has also been convinced of Edgar´s betrayal and persuades his charge to submit to her fate. If she is not destined to be happy in love, she can at least sacrifice herself and save her family. Lucia agrees.

A hall in the castle.
The retainers and guests enthusiastically greet Lord Bucklaw. Arthur assures Henry of his friendship and promises his support. He wishes to see his bride. Henry warns that Lucia is still dejected after the death of her mother. Arthur tries to find out about Edgar, but their conversation is interrupted by the appearance of Lucia, led in by Alisa and Raimond. Eager to avoid delays, Henry hands her the marriage contract. Lucia signs it, saying "My sentence is signed". At that moment, Edgar, who has heard about the wedding, bursts into the hall. On seeing him, Lucia faints. Edgar realises that he still loves Lucia, and Henry feels the weight of his conscience. When she comes to, Lucia cannot understand why death has not taken her. Recovering themselves, Henry and Arthur draw their swords and demand that Edgar leave. Edgar, however, is ready to fight them. Raimond interceded, begging them in the name of God not to spill blood. Edgar announces that Lucia has sworn fidelity to him. Raimon shows him the marriage contract. Edgar asks Lucia if that is her signature. Lucia tries to say something to him, but then resignedly hands back his ring. Edgar curses her. The guests menace him. Lucia prays for his salvation, and for death to come and relieve her of her suffering.

Scene Two
A hall in the castle.
The guests continue to celebrate the wedding. Raimond breaks up the festivities with terrible news: hearing a scream, he ran to the newlyweds´ chambers and found Arthur dead from a stab wound. Lucia, standing over his body, asked with a smile: "Where is my husband?". Just as Raimond finishes his tale, the crazed Lucia appears in the hall. She thinks that she is once more in the park, on the way to meet her beloved. Then she sees a church, where she is married to Edgar. Henry runs to her. When he hears of the death of Arthur, he throws himself on his sister, but is horrified to find that she thinks him to be Edgar and begs his forgiveness for following the orders of her cruel brother and signing the marriage contract. In her delusions, she sees Arthur, then Edgar, and she begs to be allowed to die, so that she can be reunited with her beloved in heaven. Henry places Lucia in the care of Raimond. As he exits, Raimond blames Norman for the intrigues that have led to this tragedy.
Edgar wanders among the graves of his forefathers below the castle walls, and dreams of joining them as he cannot live without Lucia. Soon he will die, and she will stroll past his grave with her husband, and she will not even remember the one who died for her. The grieving guests begin to leave the castle, and Edgar learns of Lucia´s madness. She calls out to him in her delirium. Edgar rushes into the castle, but is stopped by Raimond. Lucia is no longer among the living. Edgar addresses her soul as it leaves this world, and promises to follow her. If the wickedness of men has divided them on earth, then the mercy of God will reunite them in heaven. Edgar stabs himself, and Raimond and the guests can only pray for the salvation of his soul.