sign in sign up
<<
Home , Anna Bolena, Christine Rice, Cincinnati Opera, David Parry (conductor), Gabriella di Vergy, Gaetano Fraschini

CHAN 3083 Book Cover.qxd 21/5/07 5:49 pm Page 1

CHAN 3083(2) CHANDOS O PERA IN ENGLISH CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 2

Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848) Lucia of Lammermoor Tragic drama in three acts

Lebrecht Collection Lebrecht by Salvatore Cammarano after ’s novel The Bride of Lammermoor English translation by

Lucia ...... Enrico Ashton, Laird of Lammermoor, Lucia’s brother...... Lord Arturo Bucklaw, Lucia’s bridegroom...... Peter Wedd Edgardo, Lord of Ravenswood...... Paul Charles Clarke tenor Raimondo Bidebent, a Calvinist chaplain...... Peter Rose Alisa, Lucia’s companion ...... Christine Rice mezzo-soprano Normanno, huntsman, a retainer of Enrico...... Stephen Chaundy tenor Geoffrey Mitchell Choir Simon Over assistant conductor

Gaetano Donizetti David Parry

3 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 4

COMPACT DISC ONE Time Page Time Page Part One: The Parting No. 4: Scena and Duet 11 ‘Here is Edgardo…’ 2:52 [p. 102] Scene 1 A garden at Ravenswood Castle Alisa, Edgardo, Lucia No. 1: Prelude and Introductory Chorus 12 ‘Pray remember that my father’ 3:18 [p. 103] 1 Prelude 2:47 [p. 98] 13 ‘Let us swear to love for ever’ 2:23 [p. 104] 2 ‘Through the park and the woods that surround it’ 2:03 [p. 98] Edgardo, Lucia Normanno, Chorus 14 ‘Imagine when the breezes sigh’ 4:51 [p. 104] Lucia, Edgardo Scene 2 No. 2: Scena and Cavatina 3 ‘You seem unhappy’ 2:55 [p. 98] Part Two, Act I: The Marriage Contract Normanno, Enrico, Raimondo 4 ‘Trembling, I feel the horror’ 2:15 [p. 99] Scene 1 Enrico’s room in Ravenswood Castle Enrico, Normanno, Raimondo No. 5: Scena 15 ‘Lucia is coming to you soon’ 3:13 [p. 105] Scene 3 Normanno, Enrico 5 ‘Your suspicions are confirmed now’ 2:09 [p. 100] Chorus, Normanno, Enrico, Raimondo Scene 2 6 ‘All in vain do you try’ 3:36 [p. 100] No. 6: Duet Enrico, Chorus, Raimondo 16 ‘Come here to me, Lucia’ 1:12 [p. 105] Enrico Scene 4 The Park 17 ‘In my eyes, as I approach you’ 4:41 [p. 106] No. 3: Scena and Cavatina 18 ‘In secret I suffered the loneliness’ 3:56 [p. 106] 7 [Introduction] 2:34 [p. 101] 19 ‘What is that?’ 1:29 [p. 106] 8 ‘He is not here yet!…’ 1:47 [p. 101] Lucia, Enrico 9 ‘In deepest night a silence reigned’ 4:27 [p. 102] 20 ‘Your refusal will destroy me’ 3:19 [p. 107] 10 ‘When, in the burning ecstasy’ 4:52 [p. 102] Enrico, Lucia Lucia, Alisa

4 5 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 6

Time Page Time Page Scene 3 Part Two, Act II No. 7: Scena and Aria Scene 1 Wolf’s Crag tower 21 ‘At last!’ 1:55 [p. 108] No. 9: Scena and Duet Lucia, Raimondo 7 ‘Violent and cruel is the night’ 2:18 [p. 115] 22 ‘Ah! Listen, listen to friendly guidance’ 2:17 [p. 109] Edgardo, Enrico 23 ‘In making such a sacrifice’ 3:33 [p. 109] Raimondo, Lucia Scene 2 TT 68:35 8 ‘Ashton!’ 5:52 [p. 115] 9 ‘I long for the moment when daylight is dawning’ 2:45 [p. 117] COMPACT DISC TWO Edgardo, Enrico Scene 4 A hall prepared for Arturo’s reception No. 8a: Finale II Scene 3 The Castle hall 1 ‘We welcome you to celebrate’ 3:40 [p. 110] No. 10a: Chorus Chorus, Arturo 10 ‘So great the happiness that we are voicing’ 1:46 [p. 117] Chorus No. 8b: Scena and 2 ‘Where is Lucia?’ 1:44 [p. 110] Scene 4 Arturo, Enrico, Chorus No. 10b: Gran Scena with Chorus 3 ‘Our mother’s death still grieves her…’ 2:13 [p. 111] 11 ‘Stop at once your celebrations’ – Enrico, Lucia, Arturo, Raimondo, Alisa, Chorus ‘From the chamber’ 3:00 [p. 117] 4 ‘What restrains me at such a moment?’ 3:29 [p. 111] Raimondo, Chorus Edgardo, Enrico, Lucia, Raimondo, Alisa, Arturo 12 ‘What you have told us is past believing!’ 3:02 [p. 118] Chorus, Raimondo No. 8c: Continuation and Stretta of Finale II 5 ‘Wretched man, do as we tell you’ 3:22 [p. 112] Scene 5 Arturo, Enrico, Edgardo, Raimondo, Lucia, Chorus No. 10c: Scena and Aria 6 ‘Go, you villain, detested and hated!’ 2:21 [p. 114] 13 ‘Oh God in heaven!’ 3:16 [p. 118] Arturo, Enrico, Chorus, Raimondo, Lucia, Edgardo, Alisa Chorus, Lucia

6 7 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 8

Time Page Elizabeth Futral in the title role of Dallas ’s production of 14 ‘Alas! I see the spectre between us’ 3:59 [p. 118] Lucia 15 ‘They bring the incense’ 6:33 [p. 118] Lucia, Raimondo, Normanno, Chorus

Scene 6 16 ‘Here is Enrico’ 3:03 [p. 119] Raimondo, Enrico, Chorus, Lucia 17 ‘Scatter your tears of anguish’ 4:40 [p. 120] Lucia, Enrico, Raimondo, Chorus

Scene 7 Ravenswood tombs No. 12: Aria Finale 18 ‘My ancestors lie here buried’ 4:13 [p. 120] 19 ‘A lonely grave will shelter me’ 3:25 [p. 120] Edgardo

Scene 8 20 ‘Such misfortune!’ 4:13 [p. 121] Chorus, Edgardo, Raimondo 21 ‘Rest in peace, for I shall follow’ 4:46 [p. 122] Edgardo, Raimondo, Chorus TT 73:52 © 2001 George Landis/Dallas© 2001 George Opera

8 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 10

Roberto Devereux – back to life. In , approached. In Donizetti’s final, fevered years Donizetti: Lucia of Lammermoor Janet Baker sang Mary Stuart (available in a of activity, before madness clouded his mind, live recording on Chandos, CHAN 3017(2)). he was inspired – as if he knew that he had Lucia of Lammermoor holds a special place The second half of twentieth century And the composer once thought beneath little time left – to pour out one wonderful among Donizetti’s works, both in operatic brought a new surge of international acclaim serious consideration has been the subject of opera after another in every genre: comic, history and in people’s affections. While for Lucia, impelled in the first place by two learned musicological monographs and high semiseria, tragic, heroic. And the more we hear Donizetti’s other serious were neglected, famous . , first in Mexico championship. Philip Gossett, invited to of Donizetti, the more evident it becomes that largely forgotten, Lucia was still performed. At City in 1952, sang Lucia in thirteen cities, in inaugurate Oxford’s ‘Studies in Musical Lucia of Lammermoor is probably the most Covent Garden, where it was introduced in five countries, and she recorded it twice. And Genesis and Structure’ series with a scrutiny of consistent of his serious operas, the score with 1847, with Fanny Tacchinardi-Persiani in the , first at Covent Garden in the sketches for Beethoven’s Pastoral the smallest admixture of shoddy. The general role she had created in twelve years 1957, sang Lucia in thirty cities, in ten Symphony, chose instead to write a book public was right, as so often it is, when it earlier, it appeared almost every season for six countries, and also recorded it twice. The about . decided that Lucia should live on while Imelda decades, with Patti (1861–79), serious Donizetti was rediscovered. As a conducted Lucia. Careful ‘critical editions’ of de’ Lambertazzi, , Gabriella (1872–7), (1880–84), schoolboy, I read in Gerald Abraham’s the scores are being published. In 1997, di Vergy and , Pia de’ Tolomei, Melba (1888–1907), and finally Tetrazzini textbook A Hundred Years of (1938) that bicentennial observance of the composer’s and many other operas were forgotten. (1907–9) prominent among the heroines. In ‘at best one can hope to hear nothing more birth brought, amid much else, a revival of his Lucia was composed at an important point New York, Lucia was the second opera ever than occasional concert excerpts from huge, grand Dom Sébastien in (his in Donizetti’s career. Three times during that performed by the ( was Donizetti or a sporadic half-dead “revival” for birthplace) and in (in the theatre, long career and Bellini’s short one, a new the first), with Sembrich, in 1883. Seven the benefit of some star singer.’ (In 1925, after inaugurated by Gluck, that was Wagner’s opera was commissioned from each composer ‘German years’ followed. Lucia returned in 1892, a long absence, Lucia returned to Covent Italian entry-point). to be presented by the same company. In with Patti, and thereafter it has seldom been long Garden (with ), and was So we hear more and know more of 1829, when a group of noblemen engaged a absent. Melba, Tetrazzini, , Galli- dropped after a single performance, as Donizetti than our grandparents did. He has team of stars for a season at the Teatro Curci figure early in the Met’s role call, which ridiculous old rubbish.) But I’ve grown up to been called a Shakespeare of the lyric stage. Carcano, in , Donizetti composed for continues with Toti dal Monte, , hear half of Donizetti’s seventy operas in Amid the greatness, the passionate, specific them his Anna Bolena and Bellini began an , , , performance, and many of them in vivid, delineation of individual plight, there are . But after the success of Donizetti’s Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, . thrilling revivals. At , Callas sang in sometimes passages of ‘formula’: capitulation tragedy Bellini flinched from direct There were new productions in 1942 (with Anna Bolena and . In New York, to a prima-donna display of conventional competition and switched to a semiseria Pons), 1964 (with Sutherland), 1992 (with June Beverly Sills brought Donizetti’s ‘Tudor effects, recourse to effective routine as, in these subject, . was the Anderson), and 1998 (with ). trilogy’ – Anna Bolena, , and rapidly written scores, the deadline heroine, Giovan Battista Rubini the tenor, and

10 11 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 12

Felice Romani the librettist of both operas. first performance, at the San Carlo, in Naples, Pepoli, his librettist – not quite in so many she imagines in hallucination her marriage to And both composers, each in a different genre, and became outstandingly, internationally, and words, but more or less – to forget tidiness the man she loves. Each is prepared triumphed. Then in 1832, at La Scala, Bellini’s lastingly successful. To say that Donizetti ‘had and probability of plot: all that mattered was by a narrative for the bass, Giorgio’s ‘Cinta di was followed by Donizetti’s Ugo, conte the last word’ in the competition would be to singing that would stir listeners’ hearts; fiori’ in , Raimondo’s ‘Dalle stanze’ di Parigi. Giuditta Pasta, , the give an unfair impression of the rivalry Ashbrook calls this his ‘abstract’ and (‘From the chamber’) in Lucia. Beyond that, tenor , and the bass between the two composers. Lucia can also be ‘emblematic’ approach. On the other hand, there are turns of melody which suggest that Vincenzo Negrini sang in both, and the regarded as Donizetti’s tribute to Bellini, and Donizetti – more of a Wagnerian, dare one I puritani was fresh in Donizetti’s ear when he librettist of both was again Romani. This time specifically to I puritani. That ‘rivalry’ had say? – composed (in Ashbrook’s phrase) ‘a composed Lucia; also, the use of horns to the success was Bellini’s: Norma had thirty- been one-sided: Bellini fretted and gloated, tragedy with its outcome implicit from the evoke the picturesque setting. Bellini’s source, four performances, Ugo only four. but Donizetti was a man of generous spirit. beginning’, theatrically as well as musically in fact, was not pure Scott but Ancelot and Bellini was again the ‘winner’ in 1835, Soon after his arrival in , to begin integrate, with characters more specific. Lucia Saintine’s Scott-derived play Têtes Rondes et when in Paris his I puritani was followed by rehearsals for , he wrote (to is not just a ‘tribute’. In some ways it is also a Cavaliers (1833), in which incidents from Donizetti’s Marino Faliero – the cast for both Romani): ‘Bellini’s success has been very great; critical ‘recomposition’, lovingly appreciative. Old Mortality are jumbled with others from operas being Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini, and the opera keeps on being done, although we’ve As if Donizetti thought: ‘Bellini did it his own The Heart of Mid-Lothian and Peveril of the Lablache. In a long, gloating letter to his already had five performances, and it will go wonderful way, and this is my way, not Peak. (Other Ancelot-derived operas are uncle, Bellini described the triumph of his on that way to the end of the season… I don’t necessarily better, but different’ – with a closer Donizetti’s and Maria work and the ‘semifiasco’ of Donizetti’s. In deserve the success of I puritani, but I hope focus on individual characters in specific Padilla, and Chabrier’s Roi malgré lui.) When May that year, when both operas crossed to not to displease.’ plights. While he composed I puritani Bellini Bellini’s opera first appeared it was called London, the critic Henry F. Chorley wrote, I puritani and Lucia have much in shifted numbers about for musical effect. I puritani di Scozia, although it is set far from ‘On such occasions there is always a success common. Saying that, I restate what used to None of Donizetti’s numbers could be moved Scotland – in Plymouth, on the south coast of and a failure – the public will not endure two be received opinion, though William without breaking the thread of the developing England, about as distant from the Scottish favourites… Marino Faliero languished… On Ashbrook in his fine Donizetti and his Operas drama. border as one can get. Bellini chose the title, the other hand, from first to last note, I (1982) has challenged it. He calls the What the two operas have in common is, in he said, simply ‘perchè è celebre pei Puritani di puritani was found enchanting.’ resemblances between the two works general, the Walter Scott background (since Valter-Scott’. (An 1817 French translation of What has that to do with Lucia of ‘superficial’. But we are in no essential Rossini’s Donna del lago in 1819, the exotic Old Mortality had appeared as Les Puritains Lammermoor? Well, the story doesn’t end disagreement. The differences between the romance of Scotland had captured European d’Écosse). Lucia di Lammermoor, despite there. In September 1835 Bellini died, aged operas that Ashbrook describes are apparent. imagination); and specifically an extended differences from The Bride of Lammermoor, only thirty-three. And three days after his The two composers approached similar matter mad scene for the heroine – not placed as the sticks closer to a Scott source. (In The Bride of death, Donizetti’s Lucia of Lammermoor had its in very different ways. Bellini told Carlo traditional finale, but earlier – during which Lammermoor, Bucklaw survives Lucy’s

12 13 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 14

murderous attack. In the opera, Arturo is gave to Scott’s Bride of Lammermoor its Balocchi (Rossini’s collaborator on Paris Scottish romance, captured for the lyric stage described by Raimondo as trucidato, ‘definitive’ operatic form. (Mitchell also gives operas), assures us that this small infraction of by Rossini’s Donna del lago, was sweeping murdered; but the old English translation of an account of Bruden fra Lammermoor the rules does not harm the unity of action. . So was Weber’s Der Freischütz (1821), Raimondo’s narrative suggests that there was (Copenhagen, 1832), a opera with music by There’s a similar infraction of classical unities a German composer’s determinedly nationalist still some life left in him: ‘There she stood, a Ivar Frederik Bredal and a libretto by Hans in Donizetti’s Lucia: for Cammarano’s nice answer to at once Scottish exoticism and weapon grasping, Even his who lay there Christian Andersen. It uses three Scotch tunes, terminological distinctions, see the first Rossinian skill. gasping’. Other changes are the conflation of ‘Charlie is my darling’, ‘My lodging is on the paragraph of the synopsis on page 18. Annals of Lucia tend to concentrate on the Sir William Ashton, the formidable Lady cold ground’, and ‘Auld Robin Gray’.) Lucia of Lammermoor was one of prima donna, but Donizetti dedicated the Ashton, and their sons Sholto and Henry in In those earlier operas we find precedents for Cammarano’s earliest , his first big score jointly to the soprano and the tenor of the single figure of Enrico. The manner of the the refashioning of the novel to the success in a career that was to continue with his first performance, Fanny Tacchinardi- hero’s death is also different: not by his own convenienze of the lyric stage. It is rather several more librettos for Donizetti, several for Persiani and . The prominence hand, but swallowed up in a quicksand as he surprising to find that of Scott’s 315 pages (in Mercadante and Pacini, and for Verdi given to the tenor – the finale a showpiece for rides toward his duel with Colonel Ashton.) the Dryburgh Edition of the Waverley novels) , , and him, not the soprano – was something new. Donizetti’s Lucia of Lammermoor was not the just a few near the end, chapters twenty-three finally (Cammarano died in 1842, before it Two of Duprez’s famous successors in the role, first opera to be derived from the novel. In to twenty-five, hold the matter of more than was complete) . The year before (Verdi’s favourite tenor) Paris there had been Le Caleb (1827, a half the opera: the betrothal ceremony, Lucia (according to John Black’s Cammarano and Napoleone Moriani, were dubbed the pasticcio with music from Adam, Boieldieu, Edgardo’s irruption, the sextet, the biography), it seems that Cammarano wrote tenore della maledizione and the tenore della Méhul, and Rossini) and Carafa’s Le nozze di tenor–baritone encounter and challenge some new scenes for a Naples revival of bella morte, Fraschini for the declamatory force Lammermoor (Théâtre-Italien 1829); and in (which takes place after Lucia’s death in the Rossini’s , the first Walter with which he cursed Lucia when he thought Luigi Rieschi’s La fidanzata di novel), the wedding celebration, Lucia’s attack Scott opera (1819), the work that brought to her faithless, Moriani for the poignancy that Lammermoor (, 1831; reset by Giuseppe on her imposed bridegroom, her mad scene the lyric stages of Europe a new, fresh he brought to final scene. (Fraschini was Bornaccini, , 1833) and Alberto (built from just a single line in Scott, ‘So, you – high drama in picturesque Verdi’s first Zamoro (, 1845), Corrado Mazzucato’s La fidanzata di Lammermoor have ta’en up your bonny bridegroom?’, which northern settings, vividly evoked by (, 1848), Arrigo (La battaglia di (Padua, 1834; Milan, at the Carcano, later she speaks in her madness ‘with a kind of instrumental inventions, amid the banks and Legnano, 1849), (1850), and Riccardo that year). grinning exultation’); her death, and then braes of Bonnie Scotland. In 1834 (, 1859), and was Jerome Mitchell in his study The Walter Edgardo’s. Rieschi’s and Mazzucato’s operas Cammarano also wrote an Ines de Castro considered for Radamès in 1870.) Duprez Scott Operas suggests that Donizetti’s librettist, observe the unities of time and place. Two libretto for , the composer- himself was by all accounts a master of both Salvatore Cammarano, probably knew the months pass between Acts I and II of Carafa’s husband of the soprano who some months force and poignancy. He combined French earlier Italian librettos on the subject when he opera, but its librettist, the experienced Luigi later was to create Lucia. By then, Scott and grace and elegance with a power to carry his

14 15 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 16

full-voiced, ringing high notes to heights that the tell us much about Marcella and wanted to show off sustained high notes at the Edgar. (Henri Laurent’s led Rossini, we’re told, to examine his china Sembrich’s prowess in the title role, less about the close of numbers, Donizetti’s keys, even in Quentin Durward and – rehearsed though not when Duprez first visited and sang to him. the tenor. (He was , and had the printed scores, were lowered so that those performed – Francesco Schirra’s Kenilworth (Another version has the composer asking him been Italy’s first , and London’s and added high notes could then be top E flats, not sustained the Walter Scott ‘theme’.) Two years to leave his ut di petto, his high C from the New York’s first Don José.) The text of Lucia over-ambitious Queen of Night Fs in altissimo. earlier, Reeves had made his La Scala debut as chest, in the vestibule along with his coat.) In as commonly performed reflected the change (But Mado Robin in her recording of the Mad Edgardo. (The Lucia, listed in the Scala annals his memoirs, Duprez claims that it was his of emphasis. The Wolf ’s Crag scene that opens Scene rises a fourth higher still, to B flat in as ‘Hayez’, was the Irish soprano Catherine idea that in the reprise statement of Edgardo’s Act II of Part II, with its fiery tenor–baritone altissimo!) ‘Regnava’ was dropped by a step, and Hayes.) And in 1847 Reeves was the Edgar of death scene the melody should be assigned to duet, was usually omitted. The bass aria ‘Ah! the duet with Enrico and the Mad Scene were an important Lucia-in-English: the first the while the tenor utters broken, heart- cedi, ah cedi’ (‘Ah! Listen to friendly dropped by two steps. In our ‘scholarly’ age, production of Jullien’s ambitious English broken phrases. (Duprez with his Italian- guidance’) was often omitted. The tempo di there have been restorative performances of Opera company at Drury Lane. Its musical acquired prowess returned to Paris in 1837 mezzo of the Mad Scene – Enrico’s entry, his Lucia that have probably gone too far: director was Berlioz. The Sunday Times hailed and displaced the reigning Opéra tenor, conversation with Raimondo, and the ‘unscholarly’, literal-minded, come scritto Reeves as ‘the best tenor unquestionably on the , from public favour, belting terzettino – was more often than not omitted: performances prohibiting any departure from English stage’, and ended its review: highs C’s from the chest in a role, Arnold in the prima donna proceeded from ‘Alfin son the plain notes on the page. Donizetti himself We have now at Drury Lane a genuine National Rossini’s Tell, that Nourrit had created. tua’ (‘At last you hold me’) – with its extended counted on interpreters able to add their own Opera which only requires support to render it Nourrit withdrew to Naples, studied with in dialogue with the , (not part of dashes of individual invention and variation. immediately successful. Will the aristocratic Donizetti, beefed up his voice (to its Donizetti’s original score) – directly to ‘Spargi But, in general, the move has been toward better patronage hitherto bestowed upon the Italian detriment, his wife thought), had Donizetti’s d’amaro pianto’ (‘Scatter your tears of proportioned, more honest – and more perhaps lyric drama now condescend to support its own Poliuto composed for him, and committed anguish’) . Sometimes the show even ended stirring – representations of Donizetti’s artists? We shall see. At all events, they can no suicide when Naples censorship banned then, with the Mad Scene: no bella morte, no masterpiece. longer plead the superiority of the foreign. performance of the opera. Duprez created the tenor finale. Lucia came to London in 1838, at Her Jullien’s and Berlioz’s company also played role in Paris, at the Opéra, in 1840.) Persiani herself initiated the introduction of Majesty’s with Persiani and Rubini. It had its Balfe’s new Maid of Honour, Linda di Great – Caruso, Gigli – continued to ‘Ah perchè non ho del vento’, borrowed from first performances in English at the Princess’s Chamounix, and Figaro, and then collapsed in sing Edgardo, but over the years Lucia of Donizetti’s Rosmonda d’Inghilterra, as a showier Theatre in 1843, and it was performed in financial disorder. Many decades were to pass Lammermoor, as my first paragraphs suggest, substitute for Lucia’s beautiful and characterizing English at Covent Garden in 1848 (as were before England acquired at last its stable became increasingly a ‘soprano’ opera. entrance aria, ‘Regnava nel silenzio’ (‘In deepest La donna del lago, La sonnambula, and Norma), . W.J. Henderson’s review in the New York Times night a silence reigned’). Moreover, as lighter during Alfred Bunn’s Season of English Opera. of the Met premiere and Henry Krehbiel’s in sopranos began to take over the role Henriette Nissen was the Lucy, and the great © 2002 Andrew Porter

16 17 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 18

Synopsis Early English translations of the opera gave us refusal to marry Arturo. Normanno tells him unusual hour. Before dawn, he must leave for An opera in two, three, even four acts? In early Lucy, Alice, Edgar, etc., but here I have why: one day Lucia was charged by a bull, and France on his country’s business. First he will librettos and scores, Lucia of Lammermoor is followed David Parry’s use of the Italian names, rescued by a man with whom she then fell in extend to Enrico the hand of friendship and described as a dramma tragico in 2 parti and is and also his numbering of the ‘movements’. love, and has been meeting him secretly. ask for Lucia’s hand. No, says Lucia. 12 A big unevenly divided in Cammarano’s libretto: as The specific political background of the Perhaps he is Edgardo. 4 Enrico breaks into three-movement duet begins larghetto as ‘Part One, The Parting, a single act’; and then, drama is spelled out in Walter Scott’s Bride of his cavatina ‘Trembling, I feel the horror’: Edgardo recalls the vow of vengeance upon after the passage of time, ‘Part Two, Act I, The Lammermoor, but Cammarano moved the better that Lucia should be struck dead than Enrico that he swore at his father’s tomb (‘Pray Marriage Contract’, ending with the Quartet action from the eighteenth to the seventeenth thus shame his house. 5 The chorus returns: remember that my father was destroyed by (or Sextet, as it’s come to be called) and its century, and for operatic purposes it is enough the stranger has been sighted, and he was Ashton’s lying’). 13 Lucia falls to her knees and stretta; ‘Part Two, Act II’. comprising the to know that Edgardo and Enrico are on indeed Edgardo. Raimondo urges calm, 6 but begs him to think of love, and allegro vivace tenor–baritone duet, the Mad Scene, and opposed sides, and implacable foes; that in his Enrico swears vengeance on they renew their vows (‘Let us swear to love for Edgar’s death scene. But in the autograph (I’m Enrico has dispossessed Edgardo of his both of them, his sister and her lover. ever’). They exchange rings. (In a footnote to the lucky owner of one of 300 facsimiles ancestral home, Ravenswood Castle, and now the libretto Cammarano explains that by published in 1941) Donizetti indicates a three- lives there, while Edgardo skulks in the ruined The park; a fountain once covered with elaborate Scottish custom this has well-nigh sacramental part division: Acts I, II, and III. Other scores tower of Wolf’s Crag; and that Enrico, for Gothic tracery is now lying in ruins; twilight significance; in Walter Scott, they break a gold divide the opera into a Prologue followed by some reason now in political disfavour, hopes 3. Scena and Cavatina (Lucia). 7 – 8 Lucia coin and each keep half, but ‘an exchange of two acts, while the score of the 1839 Paris to better his fortune by marrying his sister to enters, with Alisa, who reproves her rashness rings is more suitable to the stage’.) 14 In a version divide it into four acts. In America, Lord Arturo. Now read on: in keeping this tryst with Edgardo, and lilting moderato (‘Imagine when the breezes Lucia is generally billed as an ‘opera in three asks why she keeps looking at the fountain. sigh’) they picture the painful time they must acts’, but at Covent Garden as an ‘opera in four COMPACT DISC ONE 9 Lucia explains: here a jealous Ravenswood spend apart. ‘Edgardo leaves, and Lucia returns acts’. In the synopsis below I follow (as does once slew his beloved, and that here (cavatina: to the castle’ is the instruction of the printed David Parry’s translation) the division Part Part One: The Parting ‘In deepest night’) the spectre of the dead scores and librettos, but in the autograph One, in a single act, and Part Two in two acts. A garden at Ravenswood Castle woman once appeared to her, and the waters Donizetti wrote ‘She falls in a swoon’. In Italian, the characters are listed as: Lord 1. Prelude and Introductory Chorus. of the fountain turned to blood. 10 But she Enrico Asthon; Miss Lucia, his sister; Sir 1 – 2 Normanno and his men are in pursuit can forget all fear when Edgardo is beside her Part Two, Act I: The Marriage Contract Edgardo di Ravenswood; Lord Arturo Buklaw; of a stranger who has been seen in the castle (cabaletta: ‘When in the burning ecstasy’). Enrico’s room in Ravenswood Castle Raimondo Bidebent, Lucia’s tutor and grounds. Edgardo approaches, and Alisa retires. 5. Scena (Enrico and Normanno). 15 Months confidant; Alisa, Lucia’s handmaid; and 2. Scena and Cavatina (Enrico). 3 Enrico 4. Scena and Duet (Finale I). 11 Edgardo have passed. The guests are already assembling Normanno, head of the Ravenswood troops. enters, brooding on the reason for his sister’s explains why he has asked to meet her at this for Lucia’s marriage to Arturo. But what,

18 19 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 20

Enrico asks, if she persists in refusing him? Arturo raises an awkward question: he’s heard fearsomely black. Lightning, thunder, howling But such players are not common; the part is Normanno is reassuring: ’ letters rumours about her and Edgardo… But then winds, crashing rain crossed out, and then more practically if less have all been intercepted; and he has forged a Lucia appears, supported by Raimondo. She 9. Hurricane, Scena, and Duet (Edgardo, poignantly pencilled onto the flute staff. The letter to the effect that Edgardo now loves signs the marriage contract, calling it her death Enrico). 7 The storm outside matches the mad scene is a careful span of new melodies another. warrant. And Edgardo bursts into the hall! storm in Edgardo’s soul. 8 Enrico arrives. also embodying the reminiscences that drift 6. Duet (Lucia and Enrico). 16 Lucia enters, This scena is composed with Donizetti’s Edgardo declares that his presence profanes the through Lucia’s troubled mind: from the duet pale, ‘and showing the first signs of mental wonderful command of dramatic melody over place. Enrico says that Lucia has been led to beside the fountain, from the scene with her disturbance’. 17 – 18 Enrico produces the a dramatic orchestral figure. 4 The tension is the marriage bed, and that he has come seeking brother. 15 The first ‘movement’ (‘Oh day of forged letter. Although her heart is breaking, sustained in the famous quartet, launched vengeance. At dawn, they will meet and fight rapture’ as Lucia imagines a wedding with 19 – 20 and although offstage music proclaims simultaneously by Edgardo and Enrico. Then in the Ravenswood graveyard. 9 In the Edgardo) begins almost imperceptibly, the arrival of Arturo as bridegroom, she refuses Lucia and Raimondo join; then the chorus, cabaletta (largely in thirds, over march-rhythm growing from the phrase, originally on to marry him, and longs only for death. and with them, in independent lines, Alisa accompaniment) each swears to kill the other. armonica, that accompanies the recitative 7. Scena and Aria (Raimondo). and Arturo (which is why the piece is often before it. 16 Enrico enters; in a little 21 – 22 Raimondo urges Lucia to consent, referred to as the sextet). The castle hall, as in the previous act exchange often omitted, he is stricken with and save the . At length she does so; 8c. Continuation and Stretta of Finale II. 10a. Chorus. 10 Wedding celebrations still in remorse as Raimondo explains what has 23 in the cabaletta Raimondo praises her 5 Enrico, Arturo and Edgardo draw their progress are suddenly cut short by… happened, and Lucia relives the horror of sacrifice. swords. Raimondo intervenes, and shows 10b. Gran Scena with Chorus (Raimondo)… Edgardo’s curse. 17 The finale, ‘Scatter Edgardo the nuptial contract. Edgardo 11 – 12 the arrival of Raimondo with terrible your tears of anguish’, continues the key COMPACT DISC TWO compels Lucia to admit that she has signed it, news. Maestoso, he tells the company that (originally F, but E flat in modern scores) and, returns the ring that she gave him, takes from Lucia, in madness, has stabbed and slain her more or less, the motion (larghetto 6/8, A hall prepared for Arturo’s reception her his own ring and tramples it underfoot. husband. moderato 3/4) with a new melody, and trills 8a. Chorus and Cavatina (Arturo). 1 The He bursts into ‘Cursed be the moment when I 10c. Scena and Aria (Lucia). 13 – 14 Lucia and runs not emptily virtuosic but expressive company welcomes Arturo in joyful chorus, saw you’. 6 Fierce unison and octave lines enters. In Donizetti’s autograph, she is of Lucia’s plight. and he promises that the Enrico’s star will build to a sextet with chorus. accompanied by an armonica – the musical shine again. glasses, an instrument for which Mozart Outside the Castle; Ravenswood tombs. Night 8b. Scena and Quartet (Finale II). 2 But Part Two, Act II composed, and one whose sweetly plangent, 12. Aria finale (Edgardo). 18 – 19 Edgardo where is Lucia?, Arturo asks. 3 Enrico tells A room in Wolf’s Crag tower. A bare table and ringing yet gentle tones were sometimes invokes the shades of the ancestors he will him that if she appears sad and strange, it is an old chair are the only furniture. Night. The associated with madness. It seems that there join, and reproaches the woman who was, he because she is still mourning her mother. place is dimly lit by a feeble lantern. The sky is was an armonica virtuoso in Naples in 1835. believes, faithless. 20 But a mourning chorus

20 21 CHAN 3083BOOK.qxd21/5/075:52pmPage22

Christian Steiner Lousiana, Born inNorth Carolina andraisedin outbreak ofnew, despairingforce attheclose. dying manaddsbroken phrases,andan has beenaltered to by acello,ortwocellos(intheautograph, Edgardo stabshimself. The melodyisresumed arrested onalouddiminishedchord, and Afterthefirstverse of‘Rest in peace, forIshallfollow’ abridgepassageis join her. In thefinalmovement, Edgardo sayshewill meets Raimondo,sayingsheisalready dead. tolls.Edgardo toher, wishestorush he Lucia isdying,callinghisname. The funeral approaches from thecastle,andhelearnsthat 21 Elizabeth Futral u soli due © 2002Andrew Porter career andhermany began hersinging was here thatshe Center inChicago. It the Lyric Opera went ontostudyat Zeani, and degree studyingwith earned hermasters Universities. She and Indiana ), towhichthe studied atSamford solo 22 Gianetta andAdina ( roles forChicago Lyric Opera includeboth title role in Rossini Opera Festival inPesaro, singingthe City Opera, andin1996sheappeared atthe production ofDelibes’ major coloraturasopranos. She isnow establishedasoneoftheworld’s Barbarina andSusanna ( City Opera; Susanna, andNanetta ( sortilèges Streetcar namedDesire Philharmonic underSir ColinDavis. withtheNew performances in concert York dem Serail ; Konstanze ( the titlerole in the Bayerische Staatsoper underZubin Mehta; role in (Catherine inMeyerbeer’s yeat shealsoappeared atthe Wexford Festival production oftheoperafor175years. In that ( named Desire premiere ofSir AndréPrevin’s 1998 shecreated therole ofStella intheworld Giulio Cesare In 1994shesanginanacclaimed Recordings include Other operaticroles includeCleopatra The Ballad ofBaby Doe , ’s ) withHouston and Matilde di Shabran . ) forLosAngelesOpera; thetitle Lucia diLammermoor L’elisir d’amore , Ravel’s L’Etoile dunord Lakmé Hydrogen Jukebox Le nozze diFigaroLe nozze Die Entführung aus L’Etoile dunord at theNew York A Streetcar L’Enfant etles , inthefirst with New York ), and Falstaff , with A , and ). In ). ) at Rossini’s Sharpless ( Balstrodeperformed ( Orchestra, whichwasalsorecorded. He has Sir Georg Solti andtheChicagoSymphony Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, andwith Beckmesser ( Garden andtheGlyndebourne Festival. regularly attheRoyal Opera House, Covent Achievement inOpera. He hasalsoworked for . Paris. He hasalsosungBalstrode attheOpéra La Scala,Milan andlaterattheChâtelet, world premiere of New York andcreated thetitlerole inthe ( Der Rosenkavalier His appearancesabroad have included Die Meistersinger and Pacini’s ) attheMetropolitan Opera, Outis Outstanding Olivier Award for was nominatedforan Falstaff, forwhichhe roles including wide variety ofmajor where a heperformed National Opera, Baritone withEnglish Opie For manyyears by Luciano Berio at Carlo diBorgogna ) andFaninal ) inBayreuth, was aPrincipal ), Alan 23 Japan andattheEdinburgh Festival; High Opera andSeattle Opera; Fenton ( and The Barber ofSeville Moores Foundation and Cressida and the and Peace won a ofLucretiaThe Rape New York. , Dallas, Washington andCarnegieHall, Cologne, Israel, Madrid, ,Hong Kong, careerconcert hastakenhimtoSydney, Ernani fortheNetherlands Reisopera. His Opera, Falstaff forNorske Opera Oslo, and National deParis andforthe Vienna State His manyrecordings forChandosinclude Ernani Grammy Gramophone , Holst’s . , and,forChandos/Peter Award), The WanderingScholar , , Mary StuartMary Award-winning Peter Grimes La bohème ( include theDuke Competition. Roles Kathleen Ferrier the winnerof1989 Neil Mackie, andwas College ofMusic with studied attheRoyal born inLiverpool and Paul CharlesClarke Billy Budd ) forScottish , , Il trovatore Pagliacci (which , Falstaff War Troilus , , ) in was CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 24

Priest of Neptune (Idomeneo), Rodolfo Born in Canterbury, Staatsoper, the Deutsche Staatsoper, the when in Monte Carlo he created the role of (La bohème), Alfredo () and the title Peter Rose read music Hamburg State Opera, in Amsterdam, and at Lord Geoffrey in the world premiere of Lowell role in Faust for ; at the University of the Istanbul and Bregenz Festivals. Liebermann’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. Alfredo and Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore) for East Anglia and Concert engagements include Beethoven 9 From 1997 to 1999 he was principal tenor at Scottish Opera; Rodolfo and Dmitri (Boris studied with Ellis with Giulini; Mozart’s with Daniel the Tiroler Landestheater, Innsbruck where Godunov) for ; Froh (Das Keeler at the Guildhall Barenboim and Zubin Mehta; Mahler 8 with roles included Count Almaviva (Il barbiere di Rheingold ), Cassio (Otello), Tybalt (Roméo et School of Music and Tilson Thomas at the Albert Hall; Verdi’s Siviglia), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Camille Juliette) and Alfredo for The Royal Opera. Drama. In 1985 he Requiem at the Barbican; La Damnation de Rossillon (Die lustige Witwe), Tamino (Die Internationally his roles have included Anatol won the Kathleen Faust with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Zauberflöte), Tony (West Side Story) and Conte (Vanessa), Rodolfo and Alfredo for Seattle Ferrier Memorial and Sir Georg Solti; Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Belfiore (Il viaggio a Reims). Since Autumn Opera; Alfredo in ; Jenik Scholarship and in 1986 the Glyndebourne sortilèges and L’Heure espagnole with the 1999 he has been a member of the ensemble (The Bartered Bride) and Romeo (Roméo John Christie Award. He made his operatic Cleveland Orchestra under Boulez; and at the Vienna Volksoper, where he has et Juliette) for the Metropolitan Opera, debut in 1986 as the Commendatore with Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the New York appeared as Flute (A Midsummer Night’s New York; Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) Glyndebourne Festival Opera in Hong Philharmonic under Masur. Recordings Dream), Fenton and Bardolfo (Falstaff ), for Houston Grand Opera; Macduff () Kong. He was principal bass with Welsh include Le nozze di Figaro, The Seven Deadly Ernesto (), Remendado () for Monte Carlo, and the title role in Faust for National Opera between 1986 and 1989, and Sins, Salome, Un ballo in maschera, and, for and both Belmonte and Pedrillo (Die the Minnesota and made his debut as Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation, , Entführung aus dem Serail). companies. Rochefort (Anna Bolena) with Dame Joan Ernani, and . On the concert platform Stephen Chaundy Concert appearances include a European Sutherland. has appeared with the Dutch Radio Tour with the Orchestra of the Age of Roles include Ramfis (Aida), Fasolt (Das Since leaving college in Philharmonic under Edo de Waart and Claus Enlightenment and Sir Simon Rattle in Rheingold ), Cadmus/Somnus (Semele), 1994 Stephen Chaundy Peter Flor, at the Concertgebouw and at the performances of Beethoven 9 (which he has Daland (Der fliegende Holländer), King Marke has worked with a Trondheimer Festival, and he has worked with also sung with the Scottish Chamber (Tristan und Isolde) and Commendatore at the number of British conductors such as Steuart Bedford, Alfred Orchestra), and Mendelssohn’s Elijah under Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Gessler ensembles including The Eschwé, Karin Kamensek, Mark Foster, Andrew Davis in Rome. (Guillaume Tell ), Commendatore and Basilio Royal Opera, English William Boughton and Alberto Zedda. He has Recordings include Tybalt (Roméo et (Il barbiere di Siviglia) in San Francisco; Kecˇal Touring Opera, Wexford appeared at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in Juliette), and, for Chandos/Peter Moores (The Bartered Bride) for Chicago Lyric Opera; Festival and Pimlico Handel’s Messiah, and in Mendelssohn’s Foundation Pinkerton (Madam Butterfly) and Ramfis, Daland and Ochs at the Metropolitan Opera. His international Lobgesang in Köthen. Recordings include the title role in Faust. Opera; and other roles for the Vienna debut came in 1996 Puccini’s Messa di Gloria.

24 25 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:52 pm Page 26

Peter Wedd studied Christine Rice was Messenger (Orfeo), Bradamante (, recording companies. For Chandos the at the Guildhall born and educated in conducted by Sir ), Musetta Geoffrey Mitchell Choir has participated in School of Music and Manchester. She read (Leoncavallo’s La bohème) and Rosina (The numerous recordings in the acclaimed Opera Drama with William physics at Balliol Barber of Seville). in English series sponsored by the Peter McAlpine and at the College, Oxford Christine Rice’s concert appearances include Moores Foundation. National Opera before entering the Messiah, Mozart’s Kronungsmesse, Vivaldi’s Studio, where he Royal Northern Gloria, The Dream of Gerontius, Melanto in From auspicious beginnings in 1945, when it received support from College of Music to Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, and Mrs Noah was established by Walter Legge primarily as a the Peter Moores study with Robert (Noye’s Flood ). recording orchestra, the Philharmonia Foundation. Alderson. Here she Recordings include Elgar’s Sea Pictures, Orchestra went on to attract some of the Operatic engagements have included was a Peter Moores Foundation scholar, and Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’été, Guilhen in Vincent twentieth century’s greatest conductors. Cascada (Die lustige Witwe) for The Royal the Foundation also funded a trip to Italy to d’Indy’s Fervaal under Jean-Yves Ossonce, and Associated most closely with the Orchestra Opera, Federico (L’Arlesiana) and Pluto study the roles of Rosina and Leoncavallo’s a series of English song recitals with Iain have been Otto Klemperer (first Principal (Orphée aux enfers) for Opera Holland Park, Musetta. Her operatic roles at the RNCM Burnside for Radio 3. Conductor), Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, and Don José (Carmen) and Tamino (Die included a highly acclaimed Charlotte Giuseppe Sinopoli, Carlo Maria Giulini, Sir Zauberflöte) for Welsh National Opera. He () and Lucretia (The Rape of Lucretia). Geoffrey Mitchell’s singing career has Andrew Davis, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Esa- was a member of The Royal Opera, from 1999 She subsequently made her debuts at the encompassed a remarkably wide repertoire Pekka Salonen. Under current Principal to 2001 and his roles included Nikolio (Greek Glyndebourne Festival as Girl’s Mother (Lulu), from early to contemporary music and has Conductor Christoph von Dohnanyi and with Passion), Eisslinger (Die Meistersinger), Herald at English National Opera as Hermia (A taken him to Scandinavia, Germany, the Leonard Slatkin as Principal Guest Conductor (La battaglia di Legnano), Gaston (La traviata) Midsummer Night’s Dream) and at The Royal former Czechoslovakia, Canada and the Orchestra has consolidated its central and Fiesole (Palestrina). He has also appeared Opera as Suzy/Lolette (La Rondine) and Flora Australasia. Early conducting experience with position in British musical life, not only in with Crystal Clear Opera, Singapore Lyric (La traviata). She sang Polinesso () the BBC led to a wider involvement with his London where it is Resident Orchestra at the Theatre and European Chamber Opera. with the Early Opera Company at the Covent own singers and in turn to the establishment , but also in the wider Peter Wedd’s wide concert repertoire ranges Garden Festival and Giacinta (La finta of the Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. Early community through regional residencies. from Messiah, St John Passion, the Mozart and semplice) at the Buxton Opera Festival. recordings resulted in the Choir’s long-term The Orchestra has received several major Verdi Requiems and Pergolesi’s Magnificat to As a Company Principal at English involvement with Opera Rara for which it has awards and won critical acclaim for its vitality Howells’s Hymnus Paradisi, Janácˇek’s Glagolitic National Opera her roles have included Olga made over thirty recordings. The Choir is and unique warmth of sound. It has been Mass and Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn (Eugene Onegin), Suzuki (Madam Butterfly), enjoying a growing reputation with further praised as well for its innovative programming, and Strings. Marta (Mephistopheles), Maddalena (Rigoletto), work from the BBC and international at the heart of which is a commitment to

26 27 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 28

performing and commissioning new music by Theatre, then became a staff conductor at Der Vampyr and twenty-one complete opera O’Neill, Alastair Miles, , the world’s leading living composers, among Städtische Bühnen Dortmund and at Opera recordings under the sponsorship of the Peter two with John Tomlinson and ), them its current Visiting Composer James North. He was Music Director of Opera 80 Moores Foundation. Among these are as well as Aida, Faust, , MacMillan. from 1983 to 1987 and since 1992 has been the numerous discs for the Opera Rara label Ernani, Don Pasquale, The Elixir of Love, The Orchestra tours frequently abroad and founding Music Director of Almeida Opera. which have won several awards, including the La bohème, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, is the world’s most recorded symphony He works extensively in both opera and Belgian Prix Cecilia for Donizetti’s Rosmonda Il trovatore the award-winning Tosca and orchestra with well over 1000 releases to its concert, nationally and internationally. He has d’Inghilterra. For Chandos he has conducted highlights from Der Rosenkavalier, all in credit. Among these are, for Opera Rara, conducted several productions at English nine recordings of operatic arias (with Andrew association with the Peter Moores several discs of operatic arias as well as eleven National Opera and appears regularly with Shore, , Montague, Dennis Foundation. complete operas (Donizetti’s Ugo, conte di the Philharmonia Orchestra. In 1996 he made Parigi, Ne m’oubliez pas, Emilia di Liverpool, his debut at the Glyndebourne Festival with Così Session photo: L’assedio di Calais, Rosmonda d’Inghilterra and fan tutte, where in 1998 he conducted the world Elizabeth Futral and , Meyerbeer’s , Mayr’s premiere of Jonathan Dove’s . David Parry , Mercadante’s Orazi e He is a frequent visitor to Spain where he Curiazi, Pacini’s Maria, regina d’Inghilterra and has given concerts with most of the major Rossini’s Otello). The Orchestra has recorded Spanish orchestras. He conducted the Spanish numerous discs for Chandos including, in the premiere of Peter Grimes in Madrid and in Opera in English series sponsored by the Peter 1996 the first Spanish production of The Moores Foundation, Don Giovanni, Madam Rake’s Progress. He has appeared in Germany, Butterfly, Aida, The Elixir of Love, Faust, Sweden, The Netherlands, at the Pesaro La bohème, the award-winning Tosca and eight Festival in Italy, the Hong Kong International solo recital albums of operatic arias (with Festival, in Japan with a tour of Carmen and Bruce Ford, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill, in Mexico with the UNAM Symphony Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, Andrew Shore, Orchestra. Recent new productions he has and two with John Tomlinson). conducted include at the New Zealand Festival, Maria Stuarda at Theater Basel and David Parry studied with Sergiu Celibidache Lucia di Lammermoor at New Israeli Opera. and began his career as Sir John Pritchard’s His work in the recording studio includes assistant. He made his debut with English Music the BBC Television production of Marschner’s

28 29 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 30

Whilst still in his early twenties, Peter Moores had started giving financial support to various PETER MOORES, CBE, DL young artists, several of whom – Joan Sutherland, Colin Davis and the late amongst them – were to become world-famous. In 1964 he set aside a substantial part of his Peter Moores was born in Lancashire, the son of Sir John Moores, founder of the giant inheritance to establish the Peter Moores Foundation, a charity designed to support those Littlewoods mail order, chain store and football pools group. He was educated at Eton and causes dear to his heart: to make music and the arts more accessible to more people; to give Christ Church, Oxford, where he read modern languages – he was already fluent in German encouragement to the young and to improve race relations. and Italian. It was opera, however, which was his great love. He had worked at Glyndebourne Festival Opera before going up to university, and after Oxford he became a production PETER MOORES FOUNDATION student at the , combining this with a three-year course at the Vienna In the field of music, the main areas supported by the Peter Moores Foundation are: Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. the recording of operas from the core repertory sung in English translation; the recording By the end of his third year at the Academy Moores had produced the Vienna premiere of or staging of rare from the era of the early nineteenth century Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, had worked as Assistant Producer (repertoire which would otherwise only be accessible to scholars); the nurturing of at the San Carlo Opera House, Naples, the Geneva Festival and promising young opera singers; new operatic work. Rome Opera, and seemed set for a successful operatic career. At The Foundation awards scholarships annually to students and post-graduates for furthering this point he received a letter from his father asking him to their vocal studies at the Royal Northern College of Music. In addition, project awards may be

come home as he was needed in the firm. Family loyalty being Cooper/PMF Bill given to facilitate language tuition in the appropriate country, attendance at masterclasses or paramount, he returned to Liverpool. summer courses, specialised repertoire study with an acknowledged expert in the field, or From 1981 to 1983 he was a Governor of the BBC, and post-graduate performance training. a Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978 until 1985; from The Foundation encourages new operatic work by contributing to recordings, the 1988 to 1992 he was a director of Scottish Opera. He received publication of scores and stage productions. the Gold Medal of the Italian Republic in 1974, an Honorary Since 1964 the Foundation has supported the recording of more than forty operas, many of MA from Christ Church, Oxford, in 1975, and was made these sung in English, in translation. It has always been Peter Moores’s belief that to enjoy opera an Honorary Member of the Royal Northern College of to the full, there must be no language barrier, particularly for newcomers and particularly in the Music in 1985. In May 1992 he became Deputy Lieutenant popular repertoire – hence the Opera in English series launched with Chandos in 1995. This of Lancashire, and in the New Year’s Honours List for 1991, includes many of the English language recordings funded by the Foundation in the 1970s and he was made a CBE for his charitable services to the Arts. Peter Moores, CBE, DL 1980s, and is now the largest recorded collection of operas sung in English.

30 31 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 32

Opern auf der Bühne erleben, viele von ihnen Heute hören und wissen wir also mehr Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor in lebendigen, packenden Neuinszenierungen. von Donizetti als unsere Großeltern. Man hat An der Mailänder Scala sang Callas in Anna ihn als Shakespeare des Musiktheaters Lucia di Lammermoor nimmt unter den Beverly Sills fortlebte. Neuinszenierungen gab Bolena und Poliuto, in New York erweckte bezeichnet. Doch in der Größe, der Werken Donizettis eine Sonderstellung ein, es 1942 (mit Pons), 1964 (mit Sutherland), Beverly Sills die “Tudor-Trilogie” Donizettis – leidenschaftlichen, bestimmten Beschreibung sowohl im Rahmen der Operngeschichte als 1992 und 1998 (mit Ruth Ann Swenson). Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda und Roberto von Einzelschicksalen stößt man auch auf auch in der Gunst des Publikums. Während In der zweiten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts Devereux – zu neuem Leben, und in London formelhafte Passagen: die Kapitulation vor die ernsten Opern Donizettis generell führten zwei berühmte Sopranistinnen Lucia machte Janet Baker als Mary Stuart von sich einer Primadonna-Schaustellung vernachlässigt wurden, hielt sich Lucia auf den zu neuer internationaler Blüte. Maria Callas reden (bezeugt durch eine Live-Aufnahme bei konventioneller Effekte, der Rückgriff auf Spielplänen. In Covent Garden, wo das Werk sang Lucia in dreizehn Städten und fünf Chandos, CHAN 3017(2)). bewährte Routine, während der Termin für die mit Fanny Tacchinardi-Persiani 1847 Ländern (angefangen mit Mexico City 1952) Auch inspiriert der Komponist, den man Ablieferung dieser in fieberhafter Eile erstaufgeführt wurde (zwölf Jahre nachdem sie und machte zwei Schallplattenaufnahmen, lange nicht ernst nehmen mochte, inzwischen geschriebenen Partituren allzu nahe rückte. In die Titelrolle in Neapel geschaffen hatte), während Joan Sutherland die Rolle in dreißig gelehrte musikologische Abhandlungen und den letzten, hektischen Schaffensjahren vor stand es sechs Jahrzehnte lang fast in jeder Städten und zehn Ländern (zuerst in Covent prominente Fürsprache. Philip Gossett seiner geistigen Umnachtung, als ihn wie Spielzeit auf dem Programm, wobei sich Patti Garden 1957) sang und ebenfalls in zwei reagierte auf die Einladung, eine neue Reihe durch Vorahnung auf sein befristetes Dasein (1861–79), Emma Albani (1872–77), Schallplattenaufnahmen verkörperte. Der der Oxford University Press (“Studies in die Inspiration packte, zauberte Donizetti eine Marcella Sembrich (1880–84), Melba ernste Donizetti war wiederentdeckt. Als Musical Genesis and Structure”) mit einer herrliche Oper nach der anderen in jedem (1888–1907) und schließlich Tetrazzini Schuljunge las ich in Gerald Abrahams Untersuchung der Skizzen für Beethovens Genre hervor: komisch, semiseria, tragisch, (1907–9) besonders hervortaten. In New York Lehrbuch A Hundred Years of Music (1938): Sechste aus der Taufe zu heben, stattdessen mit heroisch. Je mehr Donizetti wir hören, desto war Lucia 1883 die zweite Oper (nach Faust), “Bestenfalls kann man hoffen, Donizetti hin einem Buch über Anna Bolena. Herbert von deutlicher wird aber auch, dass Lucia di die an der Met inszeniert wurde: Zunächst und wieder in bloßen Konzertausschnitten Karajan dirigierte Lucia. Sorgfältige “kritische Lammermoor wahrscheinlich die homogenste sang Sembrich die Titelrolle, dann folgten oder zugunsten irgendeiner Diva sporadisch in Ausgaben” der Partituren werden veröffentlicht. seiner ernsten Opern ist, die Partitur mit der sieben “deutsche Jahre”. 1892 wurde Lucia mit einer halbtoten ‘Neuinszenierung’ zu hören.” Die Feiern zum 200. Geburtstag Donizettis geringsten Zumischung von Minderwert. Wie Patti neu aufgelegt und seitdem nur selten (1925 kehrte Lucia nach langer Abwesenheit brachten uns 1997 neben vielem anderen eine so oft lag die allgemeine Öffentlichkeit richtig, wieder aufgegeben. Melba, Tetrazzini, Frieda mit Toti dal Monte nach Covent Garden Neuinszenierung seiner gewaltigen Grand als sie Lucia musikalische Unsterblichkeit Hempel und Galli-Curci begründeten an der zurück, nur um nach einer einzigen opéra Dom Sébastien in Bergamo (seiner beschied, während Imelda de’ Lambertazzi, Met eine Tradition, die mit Toti dal Monte, Aufführung als lächerliches altes Zeug wieder Geburtsstadt) und in Bologna (in dem von Sancia di Castiglia, und Lily Pons, Roberta Peters, Anna Moffo, Renata abgesetzt zu werden.) Aber mit der Zeit Gluck eingeweihten Theater, wo Italien erste Gemma di Vergy, Pia de’ Tolomei sowie viele Scotto, Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland und konnte ich die Hälfte von Donizettis siebzig Bekanntschaft mit Wagner schloss). andere seiner Opern in Vergessenheit gerieten.

32 33 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 34

Lucia entstand an einem wichtigen Punkt Marino Faliero gegeben wurde – jeweils mit nach seiner Ankunft in Paris, wo er die Proben ein Wagnerianer? – laut Ashbrook “eine in der Karriere Donizettis. Dreimal in seiner Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini und Lablache. In zu Marino Faliero aufnahm, schrieb er (an Tragödie, deren Ausgang vom ersten Moment langen und Bellinis kurzer Schaffenszeit einem langen, schadenfrohen Brief an seinen Romani): “Bellinis Erfolg ist sehr groß an vorgezeichnet ist”, dramaturgisch wie auch erhielten beide Komponisten den Auftrag zu Onkel beschreibt Bellini den Triumph seines gewesen; die Oper wird weiter gegeben, musikalisch integriert, mit deutlicher Opern für ein und dieselbe Bühne. 1829, als Werkes und das “Semifiasko” Donizettis. Im obwohl wir schon fünf Aufführungen hatten, profilierten Charakteren. Lucia ist mehr als ein eine Gruppe von Edelleuten ein Mai jenes Jahres, als beide Opern dann nach und sie wird sich bis zum Ende der Saison “Tribut”. In gewisser Hinsicht ist es auch eine Spitzenensemble für eine Saison am Teatro London kamen, bemerkte der Kritiker Henry halten … Den Erfolg von I Puritani verdiene liebevoll anerkennende “Neukomposition”. Als Carcano in Mailand verpflichteten, F. Chorle: “Bei solchen Gelegenheiten paart ich nicht, doch hoffe ich, nicht zu missfallen.” ob Donizetti gedacht hätte: “Bellini hat es auf komponierte Donizetti dafür Anna Bolena, sich immer Erfolg mit Misserfolg – es kann I puritani und Lucia weisen viele seine wunderbare Art gemacht, und das ist und Bellini nahm einen Ernani in Angriff. nicht zwei Lieblinge des Publikums geben … Gemeinsamkeiten auf. Damit drücke ich die nun meine Art, nicht unbedingt besser, aber Doch nach dem Erfolg von Donizettis Marino Faliero verkümmerte … Andererseits landläufige Meinung aus, gegen die William anders” – unter stärkerer Konzentration auf Tragödie wich Bellini dem direkten fand ich I puritani von der ersten bis zur Ashbrook in seinem hervorragenden Buch einzelne Personen in bestimmten Krisen. Wettbewerb aus und widmete sich einer Opera letzten Note bezaubernd.” Donizetti and his Operas (1982) allerdings Während seiner Arbeit an I puritani stellte semiseria: La sonnambula. Die Librettos für Was hat das mit Lucia di Lammermoor zu Einspruch erhebt. Er betrachtet die Bellini im Interesse des musikalischen Effekts die Opern stammten von , tun? Nun, hiermit endet die Geschichte nicht, Ähnlichkeiten zwischen den beiden Werken als einige Nummern um. Keine der Nummern während Giuditta Pasta jeweils die Heldin denn im September 1835 starb Bellini im “oberflächlich”. Aber damit widersprechen wir Donizettis ließe sich umstellen, ohne die sang und Giovan Battista Rubini den Tenor. Alter von nur 33 Jahren, und drei Tage später uns eigentlich nicht. Die Unterschiede dramatische Entwicklung zu stören. Für beide Komponisten, jeder in seinem trat Donizettis Lucia di Lammermoor mit der zwischen den Opern, die Ashbrook beschreibt, Was die beiden Opern generell gemeinsam Genre, war es ein Triumph. Im Jahre 1832 Uraufführung am San Carlo in Neapel den sind offensichtlich. Die beiden Komponisten haben, sind der von Walter Scott geschaffene folgte dann auf Bellinis Norma an der Scala unaufhaltsamen, weltweiten Triumphzug an. verarbeiten den Stoff auf ganz andersartige Hintergrund (seit Rossinis Donna del lago von Donizettis Ugo, conte di Parigi. Giuditta Pasta, Wollte man sagen, dass Donizetti im Weise. Bellini forderte seinen Librettisten 1819 hatten sich die Europäer von der Giulia Grisi, der Tenor Domenico Donzelli Wettstreit zwischen den beiden Komponisten Carlo Pepoli mehr oder weniger deutlich auf, fremdländischen Romantik Schottlands und der Bass Vincenzo Negrini sangen in “das letzte Wort” hatte, würde man das Wesen die Logik und die Glaubwürdigkeit der faszinieren lassen) und insbesondere eine beiden Opern, und die Librettos stammten dieser Beziehung verfälschen. Lucia kann man Handlung zu vergessen; es komme einzig und längere, nicht als traditionelles Finale, sondern wiederum von Romani. Diesmal fiel Bellini auch als einen Tribut Donizettis an Bellini allein auf den Gesang an, der das Herz des schon früher eingebaute Wahnsinnsszene für der Erfolg zu: Norma erlebte 34 verstehen, besonders nach I puritani. Die Publikums rühren müsse. Ashbrook bezeichnet die Heldin, in der sie sich der Halluzination Aufführungen, Ugo nur vier. “Rivalität” war eher einseitiger Natur gewesen: dies als einen “abstrakten” und von einer Vermählung mit dem geliebten Auch 1835 setzte sich Bellini wieder Bellini grübelte und protzte, während “emblematischen” Ansatz. Andererseits Mann hingibt. Beide Wahnsinnsszenen werden durch, als in Paris nach I puritani Donizettis Donizetti ein großherziger Mensch war. Bald komponierte Donizetti – darf man sagen: eher durch ein Rezitativ für Bass vorbereitet:

34 35 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 36

Giorgios “Cinta di fiori” in I puritani, überlebt Bucklaw den Mordversuch Lucys. In Librettist, Salvatore Cammarano, die bereits zu Die Opern von Rieschi und Mazzucato Raimondos “Dalle stanze” (“From the der Oper erklärt Raimondo, Arturo sei dem Thema existierenden italienischen wahren die zeitliche und örtliche chamber”) in Lucia. Darüber hinaus hat man trucidato, also ermordet; die alte englische Librettos wahrscheinlich kannte, als er Scotts Geschlossenheit. Zwischen Akt I und II bei vom Melodischen her gelegentlich den Übersetzung von Raimondos Rezitaziv lässt Bride of Lammermoor die “definitive” Carafa vergehen zwei Monate, doch der Eindruck, dass Donizetti noch I puritani im hingegen vermuten, dass Arturo sein Leben Opernform gab. (Mitchell erwähnt auch erfahrene Librettist Luigi Balocchi (der mit Ohr hatte, als er Lucia komponierte. Man noch nicht ausgehaucht hatte: “There she Bruden fra Lammermoor (Kopenhagen, 1832), Rossini an dessen Pariser Opern arbeitete) denke auch an den Einsatz von Hörnern, um stood, a weapon grasping, Even his who lay eine Oper von Ivar Frederik Bredal mit einem versichert uns, dass dieser geringfügige das Geschehen ins Bild zu setzen. Bellini there gasping”. Eine weitere Änderung ist die Libretto von Hans Christian Andersen, die Regelverstoß den Handlungsbogen nicht stützte sich allerdings nicht direkt auf Scott, Verschmelzung von Sir William Ashton, der drei schottische Lieder verarbeitet: “Charlie is bricht. Eine ähnliche Verletzung der sondern auf das Schauspiel Têtes Rondes et furchterregenden Lady Ashton sowie ihrer my darling”, “My lodging is on the cold klassischen Einheitsregeln findet man in Cavaliers (1833) von Ancelot und Saintine frei Söhne Sholto und Henry in der Person ground” und “Auld Robin Gray”.) Donizettis Lucia; die feine terminologische nach dem Schriftsteller. Hier werden Ereignisse Enricos. Auch ereilt den Helden ein anderer Auch diese älteren Opern beweisen, dass der Differenzierung durch Cammarano wird zu aus Old Mortality, The Heart of Mid-Lothian Tod: nicht von eigener Hand, sondern im Roman den Forderungen des Musiktheaters Beginn der Handlungsbeschreibung auf Seite und Peveril of the Peak miteinander kombiniert. Treibsand auf dem Ritt zum Duell mit Colonel angepasst wurde. Mit einiger Überraschung 41 erläutert. (Andere auf Vorlagen Ancelots beruhende Ashton.) Donizettis Lucia di Lammermoor war stellen wir fest, dass von den 315 Seiten Scotts Lucia di Lammermoor war eines der ersten Opern wären Donizettis Roberto Devereux und nicht als erste Oper aus diesem Roman (in der Dryburgh-Ausgabe der Waverley- Librettos von Cammarano, sein erster großer sowie Chabriers Roi malgré lui.) hervorgegangen. In Paris hatte man bereits Romane) nur einige wenige aus Kapitel 23–25 Erfolg in einer Karriere, die sich mit weiteren Bellinis Werk trug zunächst den Titel I puritani Le Caleb (1827, ein Pasticcio mit Musik von den überwiegenden Teil des Opernstoffes Librettos für Donizetti, Mercadante und di Scozia, obwohl es in Plymouth, an der Adam, Boieldieu, Méhul und Rossini) und enthalten: die Verlobungsfeier, Edgardos Pacini sowie Verdis La battaglia di Legnano, englischen Südküste, angesiedelt ist und somit Carafas Le nozze di Lammermoor (Théâtre- Unterbrechung, das Sextett, die Begegnung Luisa Miller und schließlich Il trovatore von schottischem Boden kaum weiter entfernt Italien, 1829) erlebt, während man in Italien und Herausforderung von Tenor und Bariton (Cammarano starb 1842 vor der Vollendung) sein könnte. Bellini begründete die Wahl des Luigi Rieschis La fidanzata di Lammermoor (die im Roman nach dem Tod Lucias fortsetzen sollte. Der Cammarano-Biographie Titels auf einfachste Weise: “perchè è celebre (Trieste, 1831; neu vertont von Giuseppe stattfindet), die Hochzeitsfeier, Lucias Angriff von John Black ist zu entnehmen, dass er in pei Puritani di Valter-Scott”. (Eine französische Bornaccini, Venedig, 1833) und Alberto auf den aufgedrängten Ehegatten, ihre dem Jahr vor Lucia offenbar einige neue Übersetzung von Old Mortality war 1817 unter Mazzucatos La fidanzata di Lammermoor Wahnsinnsszene (entwickelt aus einer einzigen Szenen für eine neapolitanische dem Titel Les Puritains d’Écosse erschienen.) (Padua, 1834; Mailand, am Carcano, später im Zeile bei Scott – “So, you have ta’en up your Neuinszenierung von Rossinis La donna dell Lucia di Lammermoor hält sich bei allen selben Jahr) kannte. bonny bridegroom?” – in der sie ihren Wahn lago schrieb, jener ersten Scott-Oper (1819), Abweichungen von The Bride of Lammermoor Jerome Mitchell mutmaßt in seiner Studie “mit einer Art grinsendem Frohlocken” zum die den europäischen Musiktheatern eine enger an Scott. (In The Bride of Lammermoor The Walter Scott Operas, dass Donizettis Ausdruck bringt); ihr Tod und dann Edgardos. frische, unverbrauchte Romantik geschenkt

36 37 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 38

hatte – hochdramatisches Geschehen an Legnano, 1849), Stiffelio (1850) und Riccardo des Publikums, als er in einer von Nourrit in der Regel gestrichen. Die Bassarie “Ah! cedi, pittoresken nördlichen Schauplätzen, lebhaft (Ballo in maschera, 1859) als erster verkörperte geschaffenen Rolle (Arnold in Rossinis ah cedi” (“Ah! listen to friendly guidance”) heraufbeschworen durch instrumentalen und 1870 für die Rolle von Radamès in Guillaume Tell ) ein hohes C nach dem wurde oft ausgelassen. Das Tempo di mezzo der Einfallsreichtum in der Schönheit der Betracht gezogen wurde) und Napoleone anderen von der Brust sang. Nourrit zog sich Wahnsinnsszene – Enricos Auftritt, seine schottischen Berglandschaft. 1834 verfasste Moriani, galten als der Tenore della maledizione nach Neapel zurück, wo er bei Donizetti Unterhaltung mit Raimondo und das Cammarano auch ein Libretto für Ines de and der Tenore della bella morte – Fraschini studierte, seine Stimme aufbaute (zum eigenen Terzettino – entfiel ebenfalls häufig: Die Castro von Giuseppe Persiani, dem Ehegatten wegen der deklamatorischen Kraft, mit der er Nachteil, wie seine Frau meinte), von Primadonna ging von “Alfin son tua” (“At last jener Sopranistin, die dann einige Monate die vermeintlich treulose Lucia verflucht hatte, Donizetti Poliuto für sich komponiert bekam you hold me”) – einschließlich der erweiterten später der Lucia erstmals Gestalt geben sollte. und Moriani wegen der Melancholie seiner und Selbstmord beging, als die Zensur in Kadenz im Dialog mit der Flöte (in Donizettis Zu diesem Zeitpunkt eroberten Scott und die Schlussszene. Duprez selbst scheint ein Meister Neapel die Aufführung der Oper untersagte. Originalpartitur nicht enthalten) – direkt zu schottische Romantik, die Rossini mit Donna sowohl der Kraft als auch der Melancholie Duprez sang dann die Rolle 1840 bei der “Spargi d’amaro pianto” (“Scatter your tears of del lago für das Musiktheater eingefangen gewesen zu sein. Er verband französische Uraufführung an der Pariser Opéra.) anguish”) über. Manchmal endete die hatte, bereits Europa. Ähnliches galt für Eleganz mit bemerkenswerter Energie, so dass Große Tenöre – Caruso, Gigli – führten Aufführung sogar mit der Wahnsinnsszene: Webers Der Freischütz (1821), die er klingend und mit voller Stimme solche die Edgardo-Tradition fort, doch mit der Zeit ohne bella morte, ohne Tenorfinale. nationalbewusste Antwort eines deutschen Höhen erreichte, dass Rossini offenbar um entwickelte sich Lucia di Lammermoor wie Persiani selbst veranlasste die Einbeziehung Komponisten auf die schottische sein Porzellan fürchtete, als Duprez ihm bei gesagt immer mehr zu einer “Sopran-Oper”. der ersatzweise aus Donizettis Rosmonda Fremdartigkeit und das Geschick Rossinis. einem ersten Besuch vorsang. (Man erzählt Die Rezensionen der Met-Premiere von d’Inghilterra entliehenen Arie “Ah perchè non Die Annalen von Lucia konzentrieren sich sich auch, der Komponist habe ihn gebeten, W.J. Henderson für die New York Times und ho del vento”, weil ihr Lucias wunderschöne, gewöhnlich auf die Primadonna, obwohl sein ut di petto, sein hohes C in der Henry Krehbiel für die Tribune sagen uns viel vielsagende Auftrittsarie “Regnava nel silenzio” Donizetti eigentlich die Partitur der Bruststimme, zusammen mit dem Mantel im über Marcella Sembrich in der Titelrolle, doch (“In deepest night a silence reigned”) nicht Sopranistin und dem Tenor der Uraufführung, Vestibül abzulegen.) In seinen Memoiren wenig über den Tenor. (Es handelte sich um glanzvoll genug erschien. Überdies fiel die Fanny Tacchinardi-Persiani und Gilbert behauptet Duprez, es sei seine Idee gewesen, Italo Campanini, den ersten Lohengrin in Rolle nun den helleren Koloratursopranen auf, Duprez, gemeinsam widmete. Dass der Tenor bei der Reprise von Edgardos Todesszene die Italien und den ersten Don José in London die am Ende der Nummern mit ausgehaltenen eine so große Rolle spielte – das Finale gehört Melodiestimme dem Cello zu überlassen, und New York.) Die Akzentverschiebung hohen Noten brillieren wollten; folglich ihm, nicht der Sopranistin – war ein Novum. während der vezweifelte Tenor nur noch in kommt auch in dem üblicherweise inszenierten wurden Donizettis Tonarten selbst in den Zwei der erlauchten Rollenvorgänger von Bruchstücken Ausdruck findet. (Duprez kehrte Libretto von Lucia zum Ausdruck. Die Szene gedruckten Partituren herabgesetzt, um diese Duprez, Gaetano Fraschini (Verdis mit seiner in Italien entwickelten Stimmgewalt in der Burgruine (Wolf’s Crag) mit ihrem zusätzlichen Spitzennoten von einem allzu Lieblingstenor, der Zamoro (Alzira, 1845), 1837 nach Paris zurück und verdrängte den feurigen Tenor- und Baritonduett, die den ehrgeizigen F in altissimo (à la Königin der Corrado (Il corsaro, 1848), Arrigo (Battaglia di Opéra-Tenor Adolphe Nourrit aus der Gunst zweiten Teil des zweiten Aktes einleitet, wurde Nacht) auf ein hohes Es reduzieren zu können.

38 39 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 40

(Mado Robin erhebt sich indes in ihrer aufgeführte Oper Kenilworth setzten das überlebensfähige English National Opera Covent Garden hingegen als “Oper in vier Aufnahme der Wahnsinnsszene um eine Thema Walter Scott fort.) Zwei Jahre zuvor erlangte. Akten”. Bei der Handlungsbeschreibung folge weitere Quarte auf B in altissimo!) “Regnava” hatte Reeves als Edgardo an der Scala ich (ebenso wie David Parrys englische wurde um einen Schritt heruntergesetzt, das debütiert. (Bei der in den Scala-Annalen als © 2002 Andrew Porter Übersetzung) der Gliederung “Erster Teil, in Duett mit Enrico und die Wahnsinnsszene um “Hayez” angegebenen Lucia handelte es sich einem Akt” und “Zweiter Teil, in zwei Akten”. zwei Schritte. In unserer “gebildeten” Zeit hat um die irische Sopranistin Catherine Hayes.) Handlung Im italienischen Text heißen die Personen es restorative Aufführungen von Lucia 1847 sang Reeves dann Edgar in einer Eine Oper in zwei, drei oder sogar vier Akten? Lord Enrico Asthon, Miss Lucia (seine gegeben, die vielleicht zu weit gingen, die wichtigen englischen Lucia, als Julliens In frühen Librettos und Partituren wird Lucia Schwester), Sir Edgardo di Ravenswood, Lord “ungebildet”, prosaisch und come scritto ehrgeizige English Opera am Drury Lane di Lammermoor als ein dramma tragico in 2 Arturo Buklaw, Raimondo Bidebent (Lucias erschienen, die jede Abweichung von der Theatre unter der musikalischen Leitung von parti beschrieben. Cammaranos Libretto sieht Erzieher und Vertrauter), Alisa (Lucias gedruckten Note verpönten, obwohl doch Berlioz die erste Vorstellung gab. Die Sunday eine ungleichmäßige Gliederung vor: Auf Hofdame) und Normanno (Hauptmann der Donizetti selbst sich darauf verlassen hatte, Times wertete Reeves als “fraglos den besten “Erster Teil, Die Abreise, ein einzelner Akt”, Wache von Ravenswood). Frühe englische dass die Interpreten imstande waren, durch Tenor auf der englischen Bühne” und folgt – mit einigem zeitlichen Abstand – die Übersetzungen haben uns Lucy, Alice, Edgar individuelle Invention und Variation eigene beschloss die Rezension mit den Worten: Handlungsgruppe aus “Zweiter Teil, Erster usw. gegegeben, doch halte ich mich hier an Beiträge zu liefern. Generell geht aber der Wir haben nun in der Drury Lane eine echte Akt, Der Ehekontrakt” mit dem die von David Parry bevorzugten italienischen Trend zu besser proportionierten, ehrlicheren nationale Oper, die zu ihrem Soforterfolg nur abschließenden Quartett (oder Sextett, wie Namen und seine Nummerierung der “Sätze”. und vielleicht auch bewegenderen der Förderung bedarf. Wird das aristokratische man heute oft sagt) und seiner Stretta sowie Der politische Hintergrund des Dramas Darbietungen von Donizettis Meisterwerk. Patronat, das bislang dem italienischen “Zweiter Teil, Zweiter Akt”, bestehend aus wird in Sir Walter Scotts Roman Die Braut Lucia kam 1838 nach London, mit Persiani Musikdrama vergönnt war, sich nun dazu dem Tenor- und Baritonduett, der von Lammermoor ausführlich erläutert, und und Rubini an Her Majesty’s. Die erste herablassen, seine eigenen Künstler zu fördern? Wahnsinnsszene und Edgars Todesszene. Doch obwohl Cammarano das Geschehen aus dem Inszenierung in englischer Sprache fand 1843 Wir werden sehen. Jedenfalls lässt sich am im Autograph (ich schätze mich glücklich, im 18. in das 17. Jahrhundert verlagert hat, am Princess’s Theatre statt, und Covent Überlegeheitsanspruch des Ausländischen nicht Besitz einer der 1941 veröffentlichten 300 kommt man zum Verständnis der Oper mit Garden folgte 1848 im Rahmen der mehr festhalten. Faksimilekopien zu sein) nimmt Donizetti wenigen Anhaltspunkten aus: dass Edgardo englischen Opernsaison von Alfred Bunn (die Jullien und Berlioz konnten mit ihrem eine Unterteilung in drei Akte vor. Andere und Enrico politische Gegner und persönliche auch La donna del lago, La sonnambula und Ensemble noch die neue Balfe-Oper Maid of Partituren ordnen die Oper in einen Prolog Todfeinde sind; dass Enrico sich in Edgardos Norma umfasste). Henriette Nissen sang Lucy Honour, und Figaro und zwei Akte, während die Partitur der Stammsitz Ravenswood Castle eingenistet hat, an der Seite des großen Sims Reeves als Edgar. geben, doch dann setzten Finanznöte dem Pariser Fassung von 1839 sogar vier Akte so dass dieser in der Burgruine Wolfs” Crag (Henri Laurents Quentin Durward und Unternehmen ein Ende. Es sollten Jahrzehnte vorsieht. In Amerika erscheint Lucia verlottern muss; und dass der nun selbst in Francesco Schirras trotz der Proben nicht verstreichen, bevor England schließlich eine normalerweise als “Oper in drei Akten”, in Ungnade gefallene Enrico seine einzige

40 41 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 42

Rettung darin sieht, seine Schwester mit Lord Der Park; die Ruine eines kunstvoll verzierten gedenken, und allegro vivace erneuern die 6. Duett (Lucia und Enrico). 16 Mit bleichem Arturo zu verheiraten. Hier beginnt die Brunnens; Dämmerung beiden ihr Liebesversprechen (“Let us swear to Gesicht “und den ersten Anzeichen von Handlung: 3. Szene und Cavatina (Lucia). 7 – 8 Alisa love for ever”). Sie tauschen Ringe aus. (In einer Geisteskrankheit” kommt Lucia hinzu. hält es für unbedacht, dass Lucia die Fußnote zum Libretto erklärt Cammarano, dass 17 – 18 Enrico zeigt ihr den gefälschten Brief. COMPACT DISC ONE Beziehung mit Edgardo fortsetzt, und fragt diesem Akt nach schottischem Brauch fast die 19 – 20 Obwohl ihr das Herz bricht und sie, was sie an diesem Brunnen so fasziniert. Bedeutung des heiligen Sakraments zukommt; Musik aus den Kulissen die Ankunft von Erster Teil: Die Abreise 9 Lucia erklärt: Hier wurde einst eine Frau bei Scott brechen die beiden für sich eine Arturo als Bräutigam ankündigt, lehnt sie eine Ein Garten auf Ravenswood von einem eifersüchtigen Ravenswood goldene Münze, aber “der Austausch von Heirat mit ihm ab – sie sehnt sich nur nach 1. Vorspiel und Choreinleitung. ermordet, und als ihr selbst die Tote hier Ringen ist für die Bühne angemessener”.) 14 In dem Tod. 1 – 2 Normanno und seine Leute stellen erschien (Cavatina: “In deepest night”), färbte einem beschwingten Moderato (“Imagine when 7. Szene und Arie (Raimondo). einem Unbekannten nach, der auf dem sich das Wasser im Brunnen blutrot. 10 Doch the breezes sigh”) singen sie von der 21 – 22 Raimondo bedrängt Lucia, mit ihrem Burggelände gesehen worden ist. wenn Edgardo bei ihr ist, kann sie all ihre bevorstehenden Zeit schmerzlicher Trennung. Einverständnis die Familie zu retten. Letzten 2. Szene und Cavatina (Enrico). 3 Enrico Ängste vergessen (Cabaletta: “When in the “Edgardo geht, und Lucia kehrt in die Burg Endes willigt sie ein; 23 in der Cabaletta lobt kann nicht begreifen, warum seine Schwester burning ecstasy”). Edgardo erscheint, und zurück”, lautet die Anweisung in den Raimondo ihr Opfer. eine Verbindung mit Arturo verweigert. Alisa zieht sich zurück. gedruckten Partituren und Librettos, doch im Normanno nennt ihm den Grund: Lucia 4. Szene und Duett (Finale I ). 11 Edgardo Autograph schreibt Donizetti: “Sie fällt in COMPACT DISC TWO wurde einmal von einem Bullen angegriffen, erklärt, warum er um die Begegnung zu dieser Ohnmacht”. und die Rettung kam durch einen Mann, in ungewöhnlichen Stunde gebeten hat. Noch vor Ein Saal für Arturos Empfang den sie sich verliebt hat; seitdem haben sich Morgengrauen muss er in politischer Sendung Zweiter Teil, Erster Akt: Der Ehekontrakt 8a. Chor und Cavatina (Arturo). 1 Die die beiden heimlich getroffen. Vielleicht ist es nach Frankreich abreisen. Vorher aber will er Enricos Gemach auf Ravenswood Hochzeitsgesellschaft begrüßt Arturo mit Edgardo. 4 Enrico singt seine Cavatina Enrico seine Freundschaft anbieten und um die 5. Szene (Enrico und Normanno). 15 Monate einem freudigen Chor, und er verspricht, dass “Trembling, I feel the horror”: Es wäre besser, Hand Lucias anhalten. Lucia aber mag nicht sind vergangen. Zur Hochzeit von Lucia und der Stern Enricos wieder strahlen wird. wenn Lucia vom Tode ereilt würde, als einwilligen. 12 Nun beginnt larghetto ein Arturo versammeln sich bereits die Gäste. 8b. Szene und Quartett (Finale II). 2 Doch Schande über seine Familie zu bringen. 5 Der großes, dreisätziges Duett, in dem Edgardo an Doch was soll werden, fragt Enrico, wenn sie Arturo wundert sich, wo Lucia ist. 3 Enrico Chor kehrt zurück: Man hat den Fremden den Racheschwur erinnert, den er über dem sich weiter sträubt? Normanno ist warnt, dass sie vielleicht einen bekümmerten, erkannt, es war tatsächlich Edgardo. Grab seines Vaters gegen Enrico ausgesprochen zuversichtlich: Alle Briefe der Liebenden sind befremdenden Eindruck machen wird, weil sie Raimondo mahnt zu Besonnenheit, 6 doch hat (“Pray remember that my father was abgefangen worden, und er hat ein Dokument immer noch um ihre Mutter trauert. Arturo in seiner Cabaletta schwört Enrico Rache an destroyed by Ashton’s lying”). gefälscht, das von der Untreue Edgardos stellt eine peinliche Frage: Er hat Munkeleien den Geliebten. 13 Lucia fleht ihn auf Knien an, der Liebe zu überzeugen soll. über sie und Edgardo gehört … Doch da

42 43 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 44

erscheint Lucia, auf Raimondo gestützt. Sie erhellt den Raum. Der Himmel ist erschreckend komponiert hatte und deren zart sondern das Schicksal Lucias zum Ausdruck unterzeichnet den Ehekontrakt, ihr – wie sie schwarz. Blitze, Donner, heulender Wind, durchdringende Töne zuweilen mit dem bringen. sagt – Todesurteil. Nun stürzt Edgardo herein! peitschender Regen Wahnsinn assoziiert wurden. Offenbar gab es Es ist eine Szene, die bezeugt, wie meisterhaft 9. Sturm, Szene und Duett (Edgardo, Enrico). 1835 einen Armonica-Virtuosen in Neapel. Vor der Burg; Die Grabmäler von Ravenswood. Donizetti die dramatische Melodieführung 7 Das Unwetter spiegelt den in Edgardos Doch solche Musiker sind selten; der Part ist Nacht über einer dramatischen Orchesterfigur Seele entbrannten Sturm wider. 8 Enrico durchgestrichen und stattdessen mit Bleistift 12. Arienfinale (Edgardo). 18 – 19 Edgardo beherrschte. 4 Das berühmte Quartett hält trifft ein. Edgardo wirft ihm vor, dass seine weniger schwermütig aber praktischer in den beschwört die Schatten seiner Vorfahren die Spannung aufrecht. Es wird von Edgardo Anwesenheit die Stätte entweiht. Enrico teilt Flötenpart geschrieben.) Die Wahnsinnsszene herauf, die ihn aufnehmen werden, und und Enrico gleichzeitig eingeleitet, bevor Lucia ihm mit, dass Lucia zum Ehebett geführt ist ein sorgfältig konstruierter Bogen aus schmäht die vermeintlich treulose Frau. und Raimondo hinzukommen, gefolgt vom worden ist und er selbst gekommen ist, um neuen Melodien und Erinnerungen, die den 20 Doch als ein Trauerchor von der Burg naht, Chor und – mit separaten Stimmen – Alisa Rache zu nehmen. Bei Morgengrauen werden gestörten Geist Lucias beschäftigen: das erfährt er, dass Lucia im Sterben liegt und und Arturo (weshalb das Stück auch oft als sie auf dem Friedhof von Ravenswood Duett am Brunnen, die Szene mit ihrem nach ihm ruft. Die Trauerglocken läuten. Sextett bezeichnet wird). gegeneinander antreten. 9 In der Cabaletta Bruder. 15 Der erste “Satz” (“Oh day of Edgardo will zu ihr eilen, stößt jedoch auf 8c. Fortsetzung und Stretta von Finale II. (weitgehend in Terzen, zu einer rapture” – Lucia malt sich die Vermählung Raimondo, der ihm mitteilt, dass er zu spät 5 Enrico, Arturo und Edgardo ziehen die marschähnlichen Begleitung) schwören sich mit Edgardo aus) beginnt fast unmerklich kommt. Im letzten Satz erklärt Edgardo, dass Schwerter. Raimondo schreitet ein und zeigt die beiden gegenseitig den Tod. und erwächst aus der ursprünglich für er durch den eigenen Tod zu Lucia finden Edgardo den Ehekontrakt. Von ihm zur Rede Armonica geschriebenen Phrase, die das wird. 21 Nach dem letzten Vers von “Rest in gestellt, gesteht sie Edgardo, unterschrieben zu Der Burgsaal, wie im vorherigen Akt vorausgehende Rezitativ begleitet. 16 Enrico peace, for I shall follow” bricht eine haben. Er gibt seinen Ring zurück, reißt ihr 10a. Chor. 10 Die laufenden Vorbereitungen tritt auf; in einem oft gestrichenen kleinen Überleitung in einem lauten verminderten den eigenen Ring vom Finger und stampft ihn zum Hochzeitsfest werden unterbrochen … Trio wird er von Reue befallen, als ihn Akkord jäh ab, und Edgardo erdolcht sich. in den Boden. Mit den Worten “Cursed be the 10b. Große Szene with Chor (Raimondo) … Raimondo über das Geschehen aufklärt, und Die Melodie wird von einem oder zwei moment when I saw you” verflucht er sie. 11 – 12 durch Raimondo, der mit einer Lucia durchlebt abermals den Schrecken von (im Autograph ist solo zu due soli abgeändert) 6 Heftige Unisono- und Oktavlinien bauen schrecklichen Nachricht hereinstürzt. Maestoso Edgardos Fluch. 17 Das Finale, “Scatter your wiederaufgenommen, der Sterbende stößt sich zu einem Sextett mit Chor auf. verkündet er, dass Lucia im Wahn ihren tears of anguish”, behält die Tonart einige letzte Worte aus und bringt mit einem Gatten erdolcht hat. (ursprünglich F, in modernen Partituren Ausbruch neuer, verzweifelter Kraft das Drama Zweiter Teil. Zweiter Akt 10c. Szene und Arie (Lucia). 13 – 14 Lucia tritt jedoch Es) und mehr oder weniger auch das zum Abschluss. Ein Turmzimmer auf Wolf ’s Crag. Ein leerer auf. (In Donizettis Autograph wird sie von Tempo (larghetto 6/8, moderato 3/4) mit einer Tisch und ein alter Stuhl bilden das einzige einer Armonica begleitet, jener neuen Melodie bei, deren Triller und Läufe © 2002 Andrew Porter Mobiliar. Nacht. Nur eine schwache Laterne Glasharmonika, für die schon Mozart keineswegs von hohler Virtuosität sind, Übersetzung: Andreas Klatt

44 45 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 46

Die in North Carolina geborene und in Zubin Mehta, die Titelrolle in Lucia di Luciano Berios Outis an der Mailänder Scala traviata) und die Titelrolle in Faust an der Welsh Louisiana aufgewachsene Elizabeth Futral Lammermoor an der Dallas Opera sowie und später am Châtelet in Paris verkörpert. Er National Opera; Alfredo und Nemorino (L'elisir besuchte die Samford University und die Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail ) an hat Balstrode an der Opéra National de Paris d'amore) an der Scottish Opera; Rodolfo und Universität von Indiana. Nach ihrem zum der Houston Grand Opera und in und an der Wiener Staatsoper, Falstaff an der Dmitri (Boris Godunov) an der Opera North; Magister führenden Studium bei Virginia Konzertaufführungen mit den New Yorker Norske Opera Oslo und Ernani an der Froh (Das Rheingold ), Cassio (Otello), Tybalt Zeani setzte sie ihre Ausbildung am Lyric Philharmonikern unter Sir Colin Davis. Nationale Reisopera der Niederlande gesungen. (Roméo et Juliette) und Alfredo an der Royal Opera Center in Chicago fort. Dort begann Ihre Diskographie umfasst L'Etoile du nord, Konzertauftritte haben ihn nach Sydney, Köln, Opera. International gastierte er als Anatol ihre Gesangskarriere, und neben vielen A Streetcar named Desire, Ravels L'Enfant et les Israel, Madrid, Lissabon, Hongkong, Rom, (Vanessa), Rodolfo und Alfredo an der Seattle anderen Rollen an der Chicago Lyric Opera sortilèges, Hydrogen Jukebox von Philip Glass Dallas, Washington und an die Opera; Alfredo in Cincinnati; Jenik (Die sang sie Gianetta und Adina (L’elisir d'amore) sowie Rossinis Otello und Pacinis Carlo di in New York geführt. verkaufte Braut) und Romeo (Roméo et Juliette) sowie Barbarina und Susanna (Le nozze di Borgogna für Opera Rara. Zu seinen vielen Schallplattenaufnahmen an der Metropolitan Opera in New York; Figaro). Heute gilt sie als einer der führenden für Chandos gehören The Rape of Lucretia, Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) an der Houston Koloratursopranistinnen der Welt. Alan Opie war viele Jahre lang erster Bariton Peter Grimes (ausgezeichnet mit einem Grand Opera; Macduff (Macbeth) in Monte 1994 sang sie in einer hocherfolgreichen an der English National Opera, wo er Grammy), Billy Budd, War and Peace, Holsts Carlo sowie in der Titelrolle von Faust in Inszenierung von Lakmé an der zahlreiche Rollen sang und mit seinem Falstaff The Wandering Scholar, Troilus and Cressida Minnesota und Cincinnati. Zu seinen Opera, und 1996 trat sie in der Titelrolle von für einen Olivier Award für Herausragende (Gramophone Award) und für Chandos/Peter Konzertauftritten gehören eine Europatournee Matilde di Shabran bei den Rossini- Leistung im Bereich der Oper nominiert Moores Foundation Mary Stuart, Pagliacci, mit dem Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Opernfestspielen in Pesaro auf, als dieses Werk wurde. Außerdem ist er regelmäßig an der The Barber of Seville, La bohème, Il trovatore und Sir Simon Rattle (Beethovens Neunte, die zum erstenmal seit 175 Jahren wieder Royal Opera Covent Garden und beim und Ernani. er auch mit dem Scottish Chamber Orchestra inszeniert wurde, und sie kam zum Wexford Glyndebourne Festival aufgetreten. gesungen hat) und Mendelssohns Elijah unter Festival (Catherine in Meyerbeers L'Etoile du Erlebt hat man ihn auch als Beckmesser Paul Charles Clarke wurde in Liverpool Andrew Davis in Rom. nord ). 1998 schuf sie die Rolle der Stella in (Die Meistersinger) in Bayreuth, Amsterdam, geboren, studierte am Royal College of Music In Schallplattenaufnahmen hat er Tybalt der Welturaufführung von Sir André Previns Berlin, München, Wien und in einer bei Neil Mackie und ging 1989 als Sieger aus (Roméo et Juliette) sowie für Chandos/Peter A Streetcar named Desire. Schallplattenaufnahme mit Sir Georg Solti und dem Kathleen Ferrier Wettbewerb hervor. Zu Moores Foundation Pinkerton (Madam Weitere Rollen waren Cleopatra (Giulio dem Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Er hat seinen Rollen gehören der Herzog (Rigoletto) an Butterfly) und die Titelrolle in Faust gesungen. Cesare) an der Los Angeles Opera, die Balstrode (Peter Grimes), Sharpless (Madama der Scottish Opera und , Fenton Titelrolle in The Ballad of Baby Doe an der Butterfly) und Faninal (Der Rosenkavalier) an (Falstaff ) in Japan und bei den Edinburgher Der in Canterbury geborene Peter Rose , Susanna und Nanetta der Metropolitan Opera in New York gesungen Festspielen; der Oberpriester Poseidons studierte Musik an der Universität von East (Falstaff ) an der Bayerischen Staatsoper unter und die Titelrolle in der Welturaufführung von (Idomeneo), Rodolfo (La bohème), Alfredo (La Anglia sowie bei Ellis Keeler an der Guildhall

46 47 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 48

School of Music and Drama. 1985 errang er Chicago Symphony Orchestra und Sir Georg (Don Pasquale), Remendado (Carmen) sowie Meistersinger), Herold (La battaglia di das Kathleen Ferrier Stipendium und 1986 Solti, Ravels L’Enfant et les sortilèges und Belmonte und Pedrillo (Die Entführung aus Legnano), Gaston (La traviata) und Fiesole den Glyndebourne John Christie Award. Sein L’Heure espagnole mit dem Cleveland Orchestra dem Serail ) erlebt hat. (Palestrina) sang. Außerdem ist er an der Operndebüt gab er 1986 als Commendatore unter Boulez sowie Beethovens Missa Solemnis Konzertaufführungen hat Stephen Chaundy Crystal Clear Opera, am Singapore Lyric mit der Glyndebourne Festival Opera in mit den New Yorker Philharmonikern unter mit dem Radio Filharmonsch Orkest unter Theatre und mit der European Chamber Hongkong. Von 1986 bis 1989 war er erster Masur. Seine Diskographie umfasst Le nozze di Edo de Waart und Claus Peter Flor, am Opera aufgetreten. Bass an der Welsh National Opera, und an der Figaro, The Seven Deadly Sins, Salome, Un ballo Concertgebouw und bei den Trondheimer Peter Wedd verfügt über ein breites Royal Opera debütierte er als Rochefort (Anna in maschera sowie für Chandos/Peter Moores Festspielen gegeben, und er hat mit Dirigenten Konzertrepertoire, das vom Messias über die Bolena) neben Dame Joan Sutherland. Foundation Aida, Ernani, The Barber of Seville wie Steuart Bedford, Alfred Eschwé, Karin Johannes-Passion, die Requiems von Mozart und Zu seinen Rollen gehören Ramfis (Aida), und Tosca. Kamensek, Mark Foster, William Boughton Verdi, Pergolesis Magnificat, Howells Hymnus Fasolt (Das Rheingold ) Cadmus/Somnus und Alberto Zedda gearbeitet. Er ist in der Paradisi und Janácˇeks Glagolitische Messe bis zu (Semele), Daland (Der fliegende Holländer), Nach Beendigung seines Studiums 1994 trat Queen Elizabeth Hall in Händels Messias und Brittens Serenade für Tenor, Horn und King Marke (Tristan und Isolde) und Stephen Chaundy zunächst mit einer Reihe in Mendelssohns Lobgesang in Köthen Streicher reicht. Commendatore an der Royal Opera Covent britischer Ensembles auf: Royal Opera, English aufgetreten. Zu seinen Aufnahmen gehört Garden; Gessler (Guillaume Tell ), Touring Opera, Wexford Festival und Pimlico Puccinis Messa di Gloria. Christine Rice wuchs in ihrer Geburtsstadt Commendatore und Basilio (Il barbiere di Opera. Sein internationales Debüt kam 1996, Manchester auf. Sie studierte zunächst Physik Siviglia) in San Francisco; Kecˇal (Die verkaufte als er in Monte Carlo in der Welturaufführung Peter Wedd studierte an der Guildhall School am Balliol College Oxford, bevor sie mit Braut) an der Chicago Lyric Opera; Ramfis, von Lowell Liebermanns The Picture of Dorian of Music and Drama bei William McAlpine einem Stipendium der Peter Moores Daland und Ochs an der Metropolitan Opera Gray die Rolle von Lord Geoffrey schuf. Von und am National Opera Studio, wo er von der Foundation ihre Ausbildung bei Robert sowie weitere Rollen an der Wiener Staatsoper, 1997 bis 1999 war er erster Tenor am Tiroler Peter Moores Foundation unterstützt wurde. Alderson am Royal Northern College of Music Deutschen Staatsoper, Hamburgischen Landestheater in Innsbruck, mit Rollen wie Zu seinen Opernrollen gehören Cascada fortsetzte. Die Stiftung ermöglichte ihr auch Staatsoper, in Amsterdam sowie bei den Graf Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Ferrando (Die lustige Witwe) an der Royal Opera Covent eine Italienreise, um die Rollen von Rosina Festspielen von Istanbul und Bregenz. (Così fan tutte), Camille Rossillon (Die lustige Garden, Federico (L’Arlesiana) und Pluto und Leoncavallos Musetta zu studieren. Zu Zu seinen Konzertauftritten gehören Witwe), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Tony (Orphée aux enfers) an der Opera Holland Park ihren Opernrollen am RNCM gehören eine Beethovens Neunte mit Giulini, Mozarts (West Side Story) und Conte Belfiore (Il viaggio sowie Don José (Carmen) und Tamino sehr erfolgreiche Charlotte (Werther) und Requiem mit Daniel Barenboim und Zubin a Reims). Seit Herbst 1999 gehört er dem (Die Zauberflöte) an der Welsh National Lucretia (The Rape of Lucretia). Danach Mehta, Mahlers Achte mit Tilson Thomas in Ensemble der Wiener Volksoper an, wo man Opera. Von 1999 bis 2001 gehörte er der debütierte sie beim Glyndebourne Festival der Royal Albert Hall, Verdis Requiem im ihn als Flute (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Royal Opera Covent Garden an, wo er als Mutter der Fünfzehnjährigen (Lulu), an Barbican, La Damnation de Faust mit dem Fenton und Bardolfo (Falstaff ), Ernesto Nikolios (Griechische Passion), Eißlinger (Die der English National Opera als Hermia

48 49 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 50

(A Midsummer Night’s Dream) und an der Royal und ihn nach Skandinavien, Deutschland, in Salonen unterhalten. Unter seinem derzeitigen Maria de Rudenz, Meyerbeers Dinorah, Mayrs Opera als Suzy/Lolette (La Rondine) und Flora die ehemalige Tschechoslowakei, nach Kanada Chefdirigenten Christoph von Dohnanyi und Medea in Corinto, Mercadantes Orazi e (La traviata). Sie hat Polinesso (Ariodante) mit und Australasien geführt. Nachdem er bei der mit Leonard Slatkin als Erstem Gastdirigenten Curiazi, Pacinis Maria, regina d’Inghilterra und der Early Opera Company beim Covent BBC erste Dirigiererfahrungen gesammelt hat das Orchester seine zentrale Position im Rossinis Otello). Das Orchester hat für Garden Festival und Giacinta (La finta semplice) hatte, begann er mit eigenen Sängern zu britischen Musikleben gefestigt, und zwar Chandos zahlreiche Aufnahmen auf Tonträger beim Buxton Opera Festival gesungen. arbeiten und gründete den Geoffrey Mitchell nicht nur in London, wo es als Hausorchester vorgenommen, beispielsweise für die Zu ihren Rollen als Hauptsängerin der Choir. Aus ersten Aufnahmen entwickelte sich der Royal Festival Hall fungiert, sondern mit Reihe Opera in English unter der English National Opera gehören Olga (Eugene eine langfristige Zusammenarbeit des Chors Hilfe regionaler Gastspiele auch für ein Schirmherrschaft der Peter Moores Foundation Onegin), Suzuki (Madam Butterfly), Marta mit Opera Rara, für die er über dreißig breiteres Publikum. Don Giovanni, Madam Butterfly, Aida, (Mephistopheles), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Tonträger aufgenommen hat. Der Chor Das Orchester hat mehrere bedeutende The Elixir of Love, Faust, La bohème, die Messenger (Orfeo), Bradamante (Alcina, genießt wachsendes Ansehen und ist bei der Preise gewonnen und mit seiner Vitalität und preisgekrönte Tosca und acht Soloalben mit dirigiert von Sir Charles Mackerras), Musetta BBC und internationalen Plattenfirmen seinem einzigartig warmen Klang den Beifall Opernarien (mit Bruce Ford, Diana (Leoncavallos La bohème) und Rosina (The gefragt. Für Chandos hat der Geoffrey der Kritik gefunden. Außerdem wurde es für Montague, Dennis O’Neill, Alastair Miles, Barber of Seville). Mitchell Choir an zahlreichen Aufnahmen der seine innovative Programmgestaltung Yvonne Kenny, Andrew Shore und zwei mit Die Liste der Konzertauftritte von Christine hervorragend kritisierten Reihe Opera in gepriesen, in deren Kern die Zielsetzung steht, John Tomlinson). Rice umfasst Messias, Mozarts Krönungsmesse, English unter der Schirmherrschaft der Peter neue Stücke der weltweit führenden lebenden Vivaldis Gloria, The Dream of Gerontius, Moores Foundation teilgenommen. Komponisten, zum Beispiel seines derzeitigen David Parry hat bei Sergiu Celibidache studiert Melanto in Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria und Gastkomponisten James MacMillan, zu spielen und seine berufliche Laufbahn als Assistent von Mrs. Noah (Noye's Flood ). Seit seinen vielversprechenden Anfängen 1945, und in Auftrag zu geben. Sir John Pritchard begonnen. Er hat am English Zu ihren Aufnahmen gehören Elgars Sea als es von Walter Legge hauptsächlich für Das Orchester unternimmt oft Music Theatre debütiert und wurde dann Pictures, Les Nuits d'été von Berlioz, Guilhen in Schallplattenaufnahmen gegründet wurde, hat Auslandstourneen und kann als das am Dirigent mit Festvertrag an den Städtischen Vincent d'Indys Fervaal unter Jean-Yves das Philharmonia Orchestra einige der häufigsten aufgenommene Sinfonieorchester Bühnen Dortmund und an der Opera North. Ossonce und eine Reihe von Recitals bedeutendsten Dirigenten des zwanzigsten der Welt über tausend Einspielungen für sich Von 1983 bis 1987 war er Musikdirektor der englischer Lieder mit Iain Burnside für Jahrhunderts für sich gewonnen. Besonders verbuchen. Darunter befinden sich (für die Opera 80 und seit 1992 Gründungsmitglied BBC Radio 3. enge Beziehungen zu dem Orchester haben Reihe Opera Rara) mehrere Aufnahmen mit und Direktor der Almeida Opera. Otto Klemperer (der erste Chefdirigent), Opernarien und elf vollständige Er übt in Großbritannien und international Geoffrey Mitchells Gesangskarriere hat ihm Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, Giuseppe Opernaufzeichnungen (Donizettis Ugo, conte eine weitgespannte Tätigkeit in den Bereichen ein bemerkenswert breitgefächertes Repertoire Sinopoli, Carlo Maria Giulini, Sir Andrew di Parigi, Ne m’oubliez pas, Emilia di Liverpool, Oper und Konzert aus, hat mehrere von der alten bis zur neuen Musik beschert Davis, Vladimir Ashkenazy und Esa-Pekka L’assedio di Calais, Rosmonda d’Inghilterra und Produktionen der English National Opera

50 51 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 52

dirigiert und tritt regelmäßig mit dem Seine Tätigkeit im Aufnahmestudio umfaßt Session photo: Philharmonia Orchestra auf. 1996 gab er sein die Produktion von Marschners Der Vampyr Alan Opie Debüt beim Glyndebourne Festival mit Così fürs BBC-Fernsehen und einundzwanzig fan tutte und hat dort 1998 die Uraufführung vollständige Opernaufzeichnungen unter der von Jonathan Doves Flight geleitet. Schirmherrschaft der Peter Moores Er ist häufig in Spanien zu Gast und hat mit Foundation. Darunter befinden sich zahlreiche den meisten bedeutenden spanischen Aufnahmen des Labels Opera Rara, die Orchestern Konzerte gegeben. In Madrid hat mehrere Preise gewonnen haben, beispielsweise er die spanische Erstaufführung von Peter den belgischen Prix Cecilia für Donizettis Grimes dirigiert, und 1996 die erste spanische Rosmonda d’Inghilterra. Für Chandos hat er die Inszenierung von The Rake’s Progress. Er ist in Aufzeichnung von neun Programmen mit Deutschland, Schweden und den Niederlanden Opernarien geleitet (mit Andrew Shore, Bruce aufgetreten, bei den Festspielen in Pesaro, beim Ford, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill, Hong Kong International Festival, in Japan Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, Della Jones und anläßlich einer Carmen-Tournee und in zwei mit John Tomlinson), außerdem Aida, Mexiko mit dem UNAM Symphony Don Giovanni, Ernani, Faust, Don Pasquale, Orchestra. Zu den Neuproduktionen, die er in The Elixir of Love, La bohème, Cavalleria letzter Zeit dirigiert hat, zählen Fidelio beim rusticana, Pagliacci, Il trovatore, die New Zealand Festival, Maria Stuarda am preisgekrönte Tosca und Highlights aus dem Stadttheater Basel und Lucia di Lammermoor Rosenkavalier, jeweils in Zusammenarbeit mit an der New Israeli Opera. der Peter Moores Foundation.

Session photo: Peter Wedd

52 53 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 54

jugé ridicule, l’ouvrage fut abandonné après Bergame (sa ville natale) et à Bologne (dans le Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor une seule représentation.) Cependant, j’ai pu théâtre inauguré par Gluck, et où Wagner fit assister au cours des ans aux représentations de ses débuts en Italie). Lucia di Lammermoor tient une place spéciale Pons, Roberta Peters, Anna Moffo, Renata la moitié des soixante-dix opéras de Donizetti, Ainsi, notre connaissance de Donizetti et de parmi les œuvres de Donizetti, à la fois dans Scotto, Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland et dont un grand nombre furent des reprises sa musique est plus importante que celle de l’histoire de l’opéra en général et dans Beverly Sills. De nouvelles productions furent passionnantes et pleines de vie. A La Scala, nos grands-parents. Il a été qualifié de l’affection du public. Tandis que les autres données en 1942 (avec Pons), en 1964 (avec Callas chanta dans Anna Bolena et Poliuto. Shakespeare de la scène lyrique. A côté de la opéras sérieux de Donizetti étaient négligés, Sutherland), 1992 (avec ), et A New York, Berverly Sills redonna vie à la grandeur et de la passion présentées par voire largement oubliés, Lucia di Lammermoor 1998 (avec Ruth Ann Swenson). “Triologie Tudor” de Donizetti – Anna Bolena, certains portraits individuels spécifiques, on était toujours joué. A Covent Garden, où il fut La seconde moitié du vingtième siècle Maria Stuarda et Roberto Devereux. A Londres, rencontre parfois des passages de “formules présenté pour la première fois au public apporta à Lucia di Lammermoor de nouvelles Janet Baker chanta le rôle de Mary Stuart toutes faites” – capitulation devant l’étalage anglais en 1847, avec Fanny Tacchinardi- louanges internationales, provoquées en tout (disponible dans un enregistrement public d’effets conventionnels d’une prima donna, Persiani dans le rôle qu’elle avait créé à Naples premier lieu par deux célèbres sopranos. Maria publié par Chandos, CHAN 3017(2)). recours à la routine efficace – dans ces douze ans plus tôt, il fut redonné presque Callas, d’abord à Mexico en 1952, chanta le Autrefois jugé indigne de toute partitions écrites à la hâte, alors que chaque saison pendant six décennies, avec Patti rôle de Lucia dans treize villes de cinq pays, et considération sérieuse, le compositeur est s’approchait la date de remise. Dans ses (1861–1879), Emma Albani (1872–1877), l’enregistra deux fois. Joan Sutherland, d’abord maintenant le sujet de travaux musicologiques dernières années d’activité fiévreuse, avant que Marcella Sembrich (1880–1884), Melba à Covent Garden en 1957, chanta le rôle dans érudits et possède des défenseurs ardents. la folie n’obscurcisse son esprit – et comme s’il (1888–1907), et enfin Tetrazzini (1907–1909) trente villes de dix pays, et l’enregistra Invité à inaugurer la série des “Studies in savait qu’il lui restait peu de temps – Donizetti se détachant parmi les héroïnes. A New York, également deux fois. Le sérieux Donizetti était Musical Genesis and Stucture” d’Oxford par composa l’un après l’autre des opéras Lucia di Lammermoor fut le deuxième opéra redécouvert. Quand j’étais écolier, j’ai lu dans un examen des esquisses de la Symphonie admirables dans tous les genres: comique, jamais représenté au Metropolitan Opera le recueil de textes de Gerald Abraham Pastorale de Beethoven, Philip Gosset préféra semiseria, tragique, héroïque. Plus on écoute la (Faust fut le premier), avec Sembrich en 1883. A Hundred Years of Music (1938) l’affirmation écrire un livre consacré à Anna Bolena. Herbert musique de Donizetti, plus il devient évident Sept “années allemandes” suivirent. Lucia di suivante: “Au mieux, on ne peut espérer von Karajan dirigea Lucia di Lammermoor. que Lucia di Lammermoor est probablement le Lammermoor renvint en 1892 avec Patti, et par entendre de Donizetti que quelques extraits de Des “éditions critiques” minutieuses des plus cohérent de ses opéras sérieux, une la suite demeura rarement absent pendant concert de temps à autres ou une sporadique partitions sont en cours de publication. En partition à la facture quasi parfaite. Le grand longemps. Melba, Tetrazzini, Frieda Hempel, ‘reprise’ à demi-morte pour le bénéfice de 1997, le bicentenaire de la naissance du public avait raison, comme si souvent, lorsqu’il Galli-Curci tirent le rôle titre dans les quelque star du chant.” (En 1925, après une compositeur fut l’occasion, parmi de décida que Lucia di Lammermoor devait premières saisons du Metropolitan Opera, longue absence, Lucia di Lammermoor reparut nombreuses autres manifestations, d’une continuer à vivre, tandis que Imelda de’ et la liste continue avec Toti dal Monte, Lily à Covent Garden (avec Toti dal Monte), mais reprise de son grandiose opéra Dom Sébastien à Lambertazzi, Sancia di Castiglia, Gabriella di

54 55 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 56

Vergy et Gemma di Vergy, Pia de’ Tolomei, et de représentations, alors que Ugo, conte di Parigi inexacte de la rivalité entre les deux d’un argument: la seule chose importante était nombreux autres opéras tombèrent dans ne fut donné que quatre fois. compositeurs. Lucia di Lammermoor peut être un chant qui émeuve le cœur des auditeurs; l’oubli. Bellini fut encore vainqueur en 1835 quand également considéré comme l’hommage de Ashbrook définit ceci comme étant l’approche Lucia di Lammermoor fut composé à un à Paris son I puritani fut suivi de Marino Donizetti à Bellini, et spécifiquement à “abstraite” et “emblématique” du compositeur. moment important de la carrière de Donizetti. Faliero de Donizetti – avec Grisi, Rubini, I puritani. Cette “rivalité” fut unilatérale: D’autre part, Donizetti – davantage Trois fois pendant cette longue carrière et celle Tamburini et Lablache dans la distribution des tandis que Bellini piaffait et triomphait, wagnérien, pourrait-on dire? – composa (pour plus brève de Bellini, un nouvel opéra fut deux opéras. Dans une longue lettre Donizetti était un homme d’un caractère citer Ashbrook) “une tragédie dont l’issue est commandé à chaque compositeur pour être triomphante à son oncle, Bellini décrivit généreux. Peu après son arrivée à Paris pour le implicite dès le début”, intégrant théâtre et présenté par la même compagnie. En 1829, l’énorme succès de son œuvre et le “demi- début des répétitions de Marino Faliero, il musique, avec des personnages plus quand un groupe de gentilshommes engagea fiasco” de celle de Donizetti. Au mois de mai écrivit à Romani: “Le succès de Bellini a été spécifiques. Lucia di Lammermoor n’est pas un une équipe de chanteurs célèbres pour une de la même année, quand les deux opéras très grand; l’opéra est encore joué, malgré déjà simple “hommage”, mais également un genre saison du Teatro Carcano de Milan, Donizetti furent présentés à Londres, le critique Henry cinq représentations, et il va continuer ainsi de “recomposition” critique, affectueusement composa pour eux Anna Bolena et Bellini F. Chorley écrivit: “Dans ce genre d’occasion, jusqu’à la fin de la saison… Je ne mérite pas le admirative. C’est comme si Donizetti s’était commença un Ernani. Mais après le succès de il y a toujours un succès et un échec – le succès de I puritani, mais j’espère ne pas dit: “Bellini a fait cela selon sa merveilleuse la tragédie de Donizetti, Bellini hésita à public ne saurait supporter deux favoris… déplaire.” manière, et voici la mienne, pas entrer directement en compétition, et se Marino Faliero languit… Tandis que I puritani I puritani et Lucia di Lammermoor ont de nécessairement meilleure, mais différente” – mit à travailler à un sujet de semiseria, fut jugé enchanteur de la première à la nombreux points en commun. En disant cela, avec une plus grande attention portée sur des La sonnambula. Giuditta Pasta fut l’héroïne, dernière note.” je répète une opinion autrefois courante, mais caractères individuels placés dans des Giovan Battista Rubini le ténor, et Felice Quel est le rapport de tout ceci avec Lucia William Ashbrook dans son remarquable conditions spécifiques. Pendant la composition Romani le librettiste des deux opéras. Et les di Lammermoor? L’histoire ne s’arrête pas là. ouvrage Donizetti and his Operas (1982) l’a de I puritani, Bellini interchangea certains deux compositeurs, chacun dans un genre En septembre 1835, Bellini mourut remise en question. S’il estime “superficielles” numéros afin d’obtenir des effets musicaux. différent, triomphèrent. Puis en 1832, Norma prématurément à l’âge de trente-trois ans. les ressemblances entre les deux œuvres, notre Aucun des numéros de Donizetti ne pourrait de Bellini fut suivi par Ugo, conte di Parigi de Trois jours après sa disparition, Lucia di désaccord n’est pas fondamental. Les être déplacé sans rompre le déroulement du Donizetti à La Scala de Milan. Giuditta Pasta, Lammermoor de Donizetti fut représenté pour différences entre les deux opéras décrites par drame. Giulia Grisi, le ténor Domenico Donzelli et la la première fois au Teatro San Carlo de Ashbrook sont apparentes. Les deux De manière générale, le climat des romans basse Vincenzo Negrini chantèrent dans ces Naples, et allait devenir pendant longtemps un compositeurs abordèrent des problèmes de Walter Scott est ce que les deux opéras ont deux opéras dont Romani fut de nouveau le immense succès international. Dire que similaires de manière très différente. Bellini en commun (depuis Donna del lago de Rossini librettiste. Cette fois-ci, seul Bellini remporta Donizetti “eut le dernier mot” dans cette demanda à son librettiste Carlo Pepoli en 1819, l’exotisme des histoires d’amour se le succès: Norma eut trente-quatre compétition serait donner une impression d’oublier l’ordre et le déroulement prévisible déroulant en Ecosse avait capturé

56 57 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 58

l’imagination de toute l’Europe); et de manière déclara qu’il choisit le titre “perchè è celebre de Luigi Rieschi (Trieste, 1831; remonté par ta’en up your bonny bridegroom?”)), la spécifique une longue scène de folie pour pei Puritani di Valter-Scott”. (En 1817, une Giuseppe Bornaccini, Venise, 1833), et cérémonie de mariage, l’attaque de Lucia sur l’héroïne – non pas comme finale traditionnel, traduction française de Old Mortality avait La fidanzata di Lammermoor d’Alberto l’époux qu’on lui impose, sa scène de folie mais plus tôt – pendant laquelle, frappée paru sous le titre Les Puritains d’Ecosse.) Malgré Mazzucato (Padoue, 1834; Teatro Carcano de (reposant sur une seule ligne du roman), sa d’hallucination, elle imagine son mariage avec ses différences avec The Bride of Milan, plus tard la même année). mort, puis celle d’Edgardo. Les opéras de l’homme qu’elle aime. Chaque scène de folie Lammermmoor, Lucia di Lammermoor s’attache Dans son étude The Walter Scott Operas, Rieschi et de Mazzucato respectent les unités est préparée par un récit confié à la basse: de plus près à Walter Scott. (Dans The Bride of Jerome Mitchell suggère que le librettiste de de temps et de lieu. Deux mois s’écoulent “Cinta di fiori” de Giorgio dans I puritani, Lammermmoor, Bucklaw survit à l’attaque Donizetti, Salvatore Cammarano, connaissait entre l’Acte I et l’Acte II dans l’opéra de “Dalle stanze” (“From the chamber”) de meurtrière de Lucy. Dans l’opéra, Arturo est probablement les livrets italiens précédents Carafa, mais son librettiste expérimenté, Luigi Raimondo dans Lucia di Lammermoor. Outre décrit par Raimondo comme étant trucidato, quand il donna sa forme lyrique “définitive” à Balocchi (le collaborateur de Rossini pour ses cela, certaines tournures mélodiques suggèrent assassiné; mais la vieille traduction anglaise du The Bride of Lammermoor de Walter Scott. opéras parisiens) nous assure que cette petite que I puritani était encore bien présent dans la récit de Raimondo suggère qu’il n’était pas (Mitchell mentionne également un opéra infraction à la règle ne brise pas l’unité de mémoire de Donizetti quand il composa Lucia complètement mort (“There she stood, a d’Ivar Frederik Bredal sur un livret de Hans l’action. On trouve le même genre d’infraction di Lammermoor. De même, l’utilisation du cor weapon grasping, Even his who lay there Christian Andersen, Bruden fra Lammermoor aux règles de l’unité du théâtre classique dans pour évoquer le décor pittoresque. Cependant, gasping”). D’autres modifications incluent la (Copenhague, 1832), utilisant trois mélodies Lucia di Lammermoor de Donizetti: pour les la source de Bellini n’était pas du pur Walter réunion dans le seul personnage de Enrico de écossaises, “Charlie is my darling”, “My charmantes distinctions terminologiques de Scott, mais provenait d’une pièce d’Ancelot et Sir William Ashton, de la formidable Lady lodging is on the cold ground” et “Auld Robin Cammarano, se reporter au premier Saintine, Têtes Rondes et Cavaliers (1833), dans Ashton et de leurs fils Sholto et Henry. La Gray”.) Ces premiers opéras offrent des paragraphe de l’argument à la page 63. laquelle des incidents de Old Mortality de manière dont meurt le héros est également précédents justifiant un remodelage du roman Lucia di Lammermoor fut l’un des premiers Scott sont mélangés avec ceux de The Heart of différente: il ne se suicide pas, mais disparaît pour satisfaire à la convenienze de la scène livrets de Cammarano, et son premier grand Mid-Lothian et de Peveril of the Peak. (Roberto dans des sables mouvants alors qu’il chevauche lyrique. Il est assez étonnant de découvrir que succès dans une carrière qui allait se poursuivre Devereux et Maria Padilla de Donizetti, et pour aller se battre en duel avec le colonel des 315 pages de Walter Scott (dans l’édition avec plusieurs autres livrets pour Donizetti, Le Roi malgré lui de Chabrier s’inspirent Ashton.) Lucia di Lammermoor de Donizetti Dryburgh des romans de Waverley), seules d’autres pour Mercadante et Pacini, et pour également d’Ancelot.) Quand l’opéra de n’était pas le premier opéra à s’inspirer du quelques-unes à la fin, chapitres vingt-trois à Verdi avec La battaglia di Legnano, Luisa Bellini fut donné pour la première fois, son roman. A Paris, il y avait eu Le Caleb (1827, vingt-cinq, servent de matériau à plus de la Miller, et finalement (Cammarano mourut en titre était I puritani di Scozia, bien que son un pastiche avec des musiques de Adam, moitié de l’opéra: la cérémonie des fiançailles, 1842 avant de l’achever) Il trovatore. Un an action se situe loin de l’Ecosse – à Plymouth, Boieldieu, Méhul et Rossini) et Le nozze di l’irruption d’Edgardo, le sextuor, la rencontre avant Lucia di Lammermoor (d’après la sur la côte sud de l’Angleterre, aussi loin qu’il Lammermoor de Carafa (Théâtre-Italien, ténor–baryton et le défi (qui se situe après la biographie de Cammarano de John Black), il est possible de la frontière écossaise. Bellini 1829); en Italie, La fidanzata di Lammermoor mort de Lucia dans le roman (“So, you have semble que ce dernier écrivit plusieurs

58 59 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 60

nouvelles scènes pour une reprise à Naples de ténor préféré de Verdi – Fraschini fut le Italie, Duprez renvint à Paris en 1837, et Partie, avec son fougeux duo entre le ténor et La donna del lago de Rossini, le premier opéra premier à tenir les rôles de Zamoro supplanta le ténor de l’Opéra, Adolphe le baryton, était généralement omise. De d’après Walter Scott (1819), une œuvre qui (Alzira,1845), Corrado (Il corsaro, 1848), Nourrit, dans la faveur du public, en lançant même l’aria de la basse “Ah! cedi, ah cedi” apporta un nouveau romantisme sur les scènes Arrigo (La battaglia di Legnano, 1849), des contre-ut de poitrine dans le rôle d’Arnold (“Ah! Listen to friendly guidance”). Le tempo lyriques d’Europe – grand drame se déroulant Stiffelio (1850), Riccardo (Un ballo in de Guillaume Tell de Rossini que Nourrit avait di mezzo de la Scène de la folie – l’entrée dans les décors pittoresques de l’Ecosse, maschera, 1859), et fut considéré pour créé. Nourrit se retira à Naples, étudia avec d’Enrico, sa conversation avec Raimondo, et le évoqués avec panache par d’ingénieuses Radamès en 1870) et Napoleone Moriani Donizetti, élargit sa tessiture (au détriment de terzettino – était le plus souvent supprimé: la combinaisons instrumentales. En 1834, furent surnommés respectivement le tenore sa voix selon son épouse), demanda à prima donna passait directement de “Alfin son Cammarano écrivit également un livret della maledizione et le tenore della bella morte; Donizetti de lui écrire Poliuto, puis se suicida tua” (“At last you hold me”) – avec sa longue intitulé Ines de Castro pour le compositeur Fraschini pour la force déclamatoire avec quand la censure interdit la représentation de cadence en dialogue avec la flûte (qui ne fait Giuseppe Persiani, le mari de la soprano qui laquelle il maudissait Lucia au moment où il l’opéra à Naples. Duprez créa le rôle à l’Opéra pas partie de la partition originale Donizetti) – quelques mois plus tard allait créer le rôle de se croyait trompé par elle, Moriani pour la de Paris en 1840.) à “Spargi d’amaro pianto”. Parfois, le spectacle Lucia. Parvenu à ce point, Walter Scott et le force d’émotion qu’il donnait à la scène finale. De grands ténors – Caruso, Gigli – s’arrêtait ici, avec la Scène de la folie, sans bella roman d’amour écossais, capturés pour la Duprez était lui-même un maître de la force et continuèrent à chanter le rôle d’Edgardo, mais morte ni finale de ténor. scène lyrique par La donna del lago de Rossini, de l’émotion. Il combinait la grâce et avec le temps, Lucia di Lammermoor, comme Persiani fut à l’origine de l’introduction de était en train de balayer l’Europe. Ainsi Der l’élégance françaises avec la capacité de porter le suggère mon premier paragraphe, devint de “Ah perchè non ho del vento”, empruntée à Freischütz de Weber (1821) fut la réponse d’un toute la force de sa voix jusqu’aux notes les plus en plus un opéra pour “soprano”. Le Rosmonda d’Inghilterra de Donizetti, comme compositeur résolument allemand à l’exotisme plus élevées, ce qui, paraît-il, incita Rossini à compte rendu de W.J. Henderson pour le New substitut plus éclatant pour la belle et de l’Ecosse et au talent de Rossini. examiner l’état de sa porcelaine lorsque York Times après la première au Metropolitan caractéristique aria d’entrée de Lucia, Si les annales de Lucia di Lammermoor Duprez vint lui rendre visite et chanta pour Opera et celui de Henry Krehbiel dans la “Regnava nel silenzio” (“In deepest night a tendent à se concentrer sur la prima donna, lui. (Selon une autre version, Rossini lui aurait Tribune nous parlent beaucoup des prouesses silence reigned”). De plus, comme des Donizetti dédia sa partition à Fanny demandé de laisser son ut di petto (son contre- de Marcella Sembrich dans le rôle titre, et très sopranos coloratures plus légères Tacchinardi-Persiani et à Gilbert Duprez, la ut de poitrine) dans le vestibule avec son peu du ténor. (Il s’agissait d’Italo Campanini, commencèrent à chanter le rôle et voulaient soprano et le ténor de sa première manteau.) Dans ses mémoires, Duprez prétend qui avait été le premier Lonhengrin en Italie, exhiber des notes élevées à la fin des numéros, représentation. L’importance donnée au ténor que c’est à lui que revient l’idée de confier la et le premier Don José à Londres et à New les tonalités de Donizetti, même dans la – le finale est un morceau de bravoure pour mélodie au violoncelle au cours de la scène de York.) La manière dont le texte de Lucia di partition imprimée, furent abaissées afin que lui, non pour la soprano – était quelque chose la mort d’Edgardo pendant que le ténor Lammermoor est communément interprété ces notes ajoutées puissent être des contre-mi de nouveau. Deux des célèbres successeurs de profère des phrases brisées et déchirantes. reflète ce changement d’accent. La scène de al bémol plutôt que les trop ambitieux contre-fa Duprez dans le rôle, Gaetano Fraschini (le (Dotés des prouesses techniques acquises en Roche au loup ouvrant l’Acte II de la Seconde in altissimo de la Reine de la nuit. (Mado

60 61 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 62

Robin, dans son enregistrement de la et le grand Sims Reeves Edgar. (Quentin Figaro, puis elle s’effondra dans la déroute En Amérique, Lucia est en général présenté Scène de la folie, parvient cependant à une Durward de Henri Laurent – dont seules les financière. De nombreuses décennies allaient comme un opéra en trois actes mais Covent quarte plus haut, et atteint un si bémol répétitions eurent lieu – et Kenilworth de s’écouler avant que l’Angleterre se voit enfin Garden y voit un opéra en quatre actes. Dans suraigu in altissimo!) “Regnava” fut abaissé Francesco Schirra maintenirent des “thèmes” dotée d’un English National Opera stable. le synopsis qui suit, j’ai adopté (à l’instar de d’un degré, le duo avec Enrico et la Scène de inspirés de Walter Scott.) Deux ans plus tôt, David Parry dans sa traduction) la division la folie furent abaissés de deux degrés. Reeves avait fait ses débuts à La Scala dans le © 2002 Andrew Porter suivante: une Première partie en un acte Dans notre époque soucieuse “d’authenticité”, rôle d’Edgardo. (Lucia, qui apparaît dans les Traduction: Francis Marchal unique et une Deuxième partie en deux actes. on a pu entendre des reconstitutions de annales de La Scala sous le nom de “Hayez”, En italien, les personnages sont énumérés Lucia di Lammermoor qui vont probablement fut chanté par la soprano irlandaise Catherine Synopsis ainsi: Lord Enrico Ashton; Miss Lucia, sa trop loin: interprétations strictement Hayes.) Et en 1847, Reeves chanta Edgardo S’agit-il d’un opéra en deux actes ou trois, sœur; Sir Edgardo di Ravenswood; Lord littérales, come scritto, interdisant le dans une importante version anglaise de Lucia voire même quatre? Dans les premiers livrets et Arturo Buklaw; Raimondo Bidebent, moindre écart du texte tel qu’il se présente di Lammermoor: la première production de les premières partitions, Lucia di Lammermoor précepteur et confident de Lucia; Alisa, sur la page, alors que Donizetti comptait sur l’ambitieuse compagnie de Louis Jullien est qualifié de dramma tragico in 2 parti et le demoiselle de compagnie de Lucia; et ses interprètes pour qu’ils ajoutent avec l’éclat chantant en anglais au Drury Lane. Son livret de Cammarano est divisé en sections Normanno, chef des soldats de Ravenswood. de leur talent individuel leurs propres directeur musical était Berlioz. Le Sunday inégales: d’abord “Première partie, La Les premières traductions anglaises de l’opéra variations. Mais en général, le mouvement Times salua Reeves comme étant Séparation, acte unique"; puis, quelques mois préfèrent les noms Lucy, Alice, Edgar, etc., s’est tourné vers des représentations mieux “incontestablement le meilleur ténor sur la plus tard, “Deuxième partie, Acte I, Le Contrat mais j’ai opté pour les noms italiens, comme proportionnées, plus honnêtes – et peut-être scène anglaise”, et terminait ainsi: de mariage”, qui s’achève avec le Quatuor David Parry, adoptant également sa plus passionnantes – du chef-d’œuvre de Nous avons maintenant au Drury Lane un (souvent appelé Sextuor de nos jours) et sa numérotation des “mouvements”. Donizetti. authentique Opéra National qui a seulement strette; “Deuxième partie, Acte II”, Dans son roman The Bride of Lammermoor, Lucia di Lammermoor arriva à Londres en besoin de soutien pour remporter un succès comprenant le duo ténor/baryton, la scène de Walter Scott nous explique clairement 1838, au Théâtre de Sa Majesté (Her Majesty’s immédiat. Le mécénat de l’aristocratie jusqu’à la folie et la mort d’Edgar. Mais sur la l’arrière-plan politique sur lequel se déroule Theatre) avec Persiani et Rubini. Ses premières présent octroyé au drame lyrique italien partition autographe (j’ai la chance de son drame mais Cammarano transpose l’action représentations en anglais eurent lieu au condescendra-t-il à soutenir ses propres artistes? posséder l’un des trois cents fac-similés publiés du XVIIIe au XVIIe siècle; pour suivre l’opéra, Princess’s Theatre en 1843, et il fut donné en Nous verrons. A tout le moins, ils ne peuvent en 1941), Donizetti indique trois parties, à il suffit de savoir qu’Edgardo et Enrico sont anglais à Covent Garden en 1848 (de même plus plaider la supériorité des étrangers. savoir Actes I, II et III. D’autres partitions dans deux camps adverses et des ennemis que La donna del lago, La sonnambula et La compagnie dirigée par Jullien et Berlioz divisent l’opéra en un Prologue suivi de deux implacables; qu’Enrico a dépossédé Edgardo Norma), pendant la saison d’opéras en anglais joua également un nouvel opéra de Balfe, actes, tandis que la partition de la version de sa demeure ancestrale, le château de d’Alfred Bunn. Henriette Nissen incarna Lucy, The Maid of Honour, Linda di Chamounix et parisienne de 1839 le divise en quatre actes. Ravenswood, et s’y est installé tandis

62 63 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 64

qu’Edgardo rôde dans la tour en ruines de Le parc; une fontaine, jadis recouverte d’entrelacs allegro vivace qu’ils renouvellent leurs serments 6. Duo (Lucia et Enrico). 16 Une Lucia toute Roche au loup (Wolf’s Crag); et qu’Enrico, gothiques ouvragés, mais aujourd’hui tombée en (“Let us swear to love for ever”). Ils échangent blême entre, “présentant les premiers signes tombé pour quelque raison en disgrâce ruines; le crépuscule des anneaux. (Dans un postscriptum au livret, d’un trouble mental”. 17 – 18 Enrico lui politique, espère voir la fortune lui sourire à 3. Scène et Cavatine (Lucia). 7 – 8 Lucia Cammarano explique que selon la coutume montre la fausse lettre. Bien que son cœur soit nouveau en unissant sa sœur à Lord Arturo. entre, accompagnée d’Alisa. Cette dernière, écossaise, cet échange avait presque valeur de brisé 19 – 20 et que la musique au loin lui qui juge ce rendez-vous avec Edgardo bien sacrement; dans le roman de Walter Scott, les annonce l’arrivée d’Arturo, auquel elle est COMPACT DISC ONE imprudent, lui demande pourquoi elle ne cesse amants brisent une pièce d’or et en gardent promise, elle refuse d’épouser ce dernier et de regarder la fontaine. 9 Lucia lui explique chacun un morceau mais “un échange n’aspire qu’à la mort. Première partie: La Séparation que jadis, en ce lieu, un Ravenswood jaloux d’anneaux convient mieux à la scène”.) 7. Scène et Aria (Raimondo). 21 – 22 Raimondo Un jardin du château de Ravenswood tua sa bienaimée et qu’un jour, ici même, 14 Dans un moderato cadencé (“Imagine when presse Lucia de consentir à cette union pour 1. Prélude et Chœur d’introduction. (cavatine: “In deepest night”) elle vit le the breezes sigh”) ils évoquent les tristes heures sauver sa famille. Elle finit par céder; 23 dans 1 – 2 Normanno et ses hommes sont à la fantôme de la morte tandis que l’eau de la qu’ils devront passer loin l’un de l’autre. la cabaletta, Raimondo loue son sacrifice. poursuite d’un intrus aperçu dans le parc du fontaine se transforma en sang. 10 Mais elle “Edgardo s’en va et Lucia retourne au château” château. oublie toutes ses peurs lorsqu’Edgardo est à ses est l’indication scénique des partitions et des COMPACT DISC TWO 2. Scène et Cavatine (Enrico). 3 Enrico entre, côtés (cabaletta: “When in the burning livrets imprimés, mais dans la partition se demandant pourquoi sa sœur refuse ecstasy”). Edgardo s’approche et Alisa se retire. autographe Donizetti écrivit “Elle se pâme”. Une salle parée pour accueillir Arturo d’épouser Arturo. Normanno lui explique 4. Scène et Duo (Finale I ). 11 Edgardo 8a. Chœur et Cavatine (Arturo). 1 Les invités qu’un jour, alors qu’un taureau l’attaquait, explique à Lucia pourquoi il a voulu la voir à Deuxième Partie, Acte Premier: Le Contrat accueillent Arturo dans un chœur joyeux et ce Lucia fut sauvée par un homme dont elle cette heure insolite. Avant l’aube, il doit partir de mariage dernier promet que l’étoile d’Enrico brillera à tomba amoureuse et qu’elle rencontre depuis pour la France dans l’intérêt de son pays. Mais L’appartement d’Enrico au château de nouveau. en secret. Il s’agirait d’Edgardo. 4 Enrico se d’abord, il voudrait offrir son amitié à Enrico Ravenswood 8b. Scène et Quatuor (Finale II). 2 Arturo se lance dans une cavatine, “Trembling, I feel the et demander Lucia en mariage. Lucia l’en 5. Scène (Enrico et Normanno). 15 Des mois demande où est Lucia. 3 Enrico le prévient horror”: il préfèrerait savoir Lucia morte que dissuade. 12 Un long duo en trois ont passé. Les invités arrivent pour célébrer le que si elle lui semble triste et étrange, c’est de la voir déshonorer ainsi leur nom. 5 Les mouvements commence, larghetto, alors mariage de Lucia et d’Arturo. Mais que faire si parce qu’elle pleure encore la mort de sa mère. veneurs du chœur reviennent: ils ont aperçu qu’Edgardo évoque le serment qu’il a fait sur la Lucia persiste dans son refus, se demande Arturo soulève une question délicate: le bruit l’intrus, il s’agit bel et bien d’Edgardo. tombe de son père de se venger d’Enrico Enrico? Normanno le rassure: toutes les lettres court que Lucia et Edgardo… Mais sur ce Raimondo exhorte Enrico au calme, 6 mais, (“Pray remember that my father was destroyed des amants ont été interceptées; et il a écrit Lucia paraît, soutenue par Raimondo. Elle dans sa cabaletta, ce dernier jure de se venger by Ashton’s lying”). 13 Lucia tombe à genoux une fausse lettre dans laquelle Edgardo avoue signe le contrat de mariage qu’elle considère de sa sœur et de son amant. et le supplie de penser à leur amour et c’est en aimer une autre. comme son arrêt de mort. C’est alors

64 65 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 66

qu’Edgardo surgit dans la salle! Dans cette 9. Ouragan, Scène et Duo (Edgardo, Enrico). ajoutée au crayon sur la portée de la flûte, rejoindre et reproche à Lucia d’avoir été, scène, Donizetti démontre qu’il maîtrise à la 7 L’orage qui sévit dehors reflète celui qui solution plus pratique quoique moins pense-t-il, infidèle. 20 Il est interrompu par un perfection l’art de développer une mélodie gronde dans l’âme d’Edgardo. 8 Enrico poignante.) La scène de la folie renferme de chœur funèbre venant du château et il dramatique sur un motif orchestral arrive. Edgardo déclare que sa présence nouvelles mélodies minutieusement conçues, apprend que Lucia est en train de mourir, son dramatique. 4 La tension est maintenue dans profane ce lieu. Enrico lui annonce que Lucia parsemées d’échos du passé qui, tels des objets à nom sur ses lèvres. Le glas sonne. Edgardo le célèbre quatuor qu’entonnent a rejoint le lit nuptial et qu’il est venu se la dérive, traversent l’esprit troublé de Lucia: le veut se précipiter auprès d’elle mais il simultanément Edgardo et Enrico. Puis Lucia venger. A l’aube, ils se battront en duel dans le duo près de la fontaine, la scène avec son frère. rencontre Raimondo qui lui annonce qu’elle et Raimondo se joignent à eux, suivis du cimetière de Ravenswood. 9 Dans la cabaletta 15 Le premier “mouvement” (“Oh day of est morte. Dans le dernier mouvement, chœur et, dans des phrases indépendantes, (essentiellement en tierces sur un rapture”, comme Lucia imagine un mariage Edgardo déclare vouloir la rejoindre. 21 Après d’Alisa et Arturo (ce qui explique pourquoi ce accompagnement martial), chacun jure de tuer avec Edgardo) se développe presque la première strophe de “Rest in peace, for I passage est souvent appelé sextuor). l’autre. imperceptiblement à partir de la phrase, confiée shall follow”, un passage de transition est 8c. Continuation et Strette du Finale II. à l’origine à l’armonica, qui accompagne le interrompu par un accord diminué sonore et 5 Enrico, Arturo et Edgardo dégainent leur La salle du château, comme à l’acte précédent récitatif qui vient de s’achever. 16 Enrico entre; Edgardo se frappe de son poignard. Un épée. Raimondo intervient et montre à 10a. Chœur. 10 Les festivités se poursuivent au dans un bref trio souvent omis, il est accablé de violoncelle ou deux (dans la partition Edgardo le contrat de mariage. Edgardo force château mais sont soudain interrompues par… remords comme Raimondo lui explique ce qui autographe, solo a été remplacé par due soli) Lucia à admettre qu’elle l’a bel et bien signé, 10b. Grande Scène avec Chœur (Raimondo)… vient d’arriver et Lucia revit l’horreur de la reprennent la mélodie à laquelle Edgardo lui rend l’anneau qu’elle lui avait donné puis 11 – 12 l’arrivée de Raimondo, porteur d’une malédiction d’Edgardo. 17 Le finale, “Scatter mourant ajoute des phrases brisées et, tout à la lui arrache celui qu’il lui avait donné et le terrible nouvelle. Maestoso, il annonce aux your tears of anguish”, maintient la tonalité (fa fin, un débordement ayant toute la force du piétine. Il entonne subitement “Cursed be the invités que Lucia, devenue folle, a tué son à l’origine, mais mi bémol dans les partitions désespoir. moment when I saw you”. 6 Des phrases en mari d’un coup d’épée. modernes) et, plus ou moins, le mouvement unisson et en octaves culminent dans un 10c. Scène et Aria (Lucia). 13 – 14 Lucia entre. (larghetto 6/8, moderato 3/4) avec une nouvelle © 2002 Andrew Porter sextuor accompagné du chœur. (Dans la partition autographe de Donizetti, elle mélodie, et des trilles et des roulades qui, loin Traduction: Nicole Valencia est accompagnée d’un armonica – l’harmonica d’être pure virtuosité, reflètent la situation Deuxième partie, Acte Deux de verre pour lequel Mozart composa et dont difficile de Lucia. Née en Caroline du Nord et élevée en Une salle de la tour de Wolf’s Crag. Pour seuls les sonorités mélodieusement retentissantes, à la Louisiane, Elizabeth Futral fit ses études à meubles, une table nue et une vieille chaise. La fois douces et vibrantes, étaient parfois associées Devant le château; les tombeaux des Samford University et à l’Université d’Indiana. nuit. L’endroit est mal éclairé par une faible à la folie. Il y avait, semble-t-il, un virtuose de Ravenswood. La nuit. Après avoir obtenu une maîtrise avec Virginia lanterne. Le ciel est effroyablement noir. Eclairs, l’armonica à Naples en 1835. Mais de tels 12. Aria finale (Edgardo). 18 – 19 Edgardo Zeani, elle poursuivit ses études au Lyric tonnerre, hurlements du vent, pluie battante musiciens sont rares; la partie est barrée puis invoque les ombres des ancêtres qu’il va Opera Center à Chicago. C’est là qu’elle

66 67 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 68

commença sa carrière de chanteuse et parmi Elle a enregistré entre autres L’Etoile du Reisopera des Pays Bas. Sa carrière en concert Alfredo pour le Royal Opera. Sur la scène ses nombreux rôles pour cette compagnie, nord, A Streetcar named Desire, L’Enfant et les l’a mené à Sydney, Cologne, en Israël, à internationale, il a été Anatol (Vanessa), notons Gianetta et Adina (L’elisir d’amore) sortilèges de Ravel, Hydrogen Jukebox de Philip Madrid, Lisbonne, Hong-Kong, Rome, Dallas, Rodolphe et Alfredo pour le Seattle Opera; ainsi que Barbarina et Susanna (Le nozze di Glass, ainsi qu’Otello de Rossini et Carlo di Washington et au Carnegie Hall à New York. Alfredo à Cincinnati; Jenik (La Fiancée Figaro). Elle compte aujourd’hui parmi les Borgogna de Pacini pour Opera Rara. Parmi ses nombreux enregistrements pour vendue) et Roméo (Roméo et Juliette) pour le plus grandes sopranos colorature du monde. Chandos, notons The Rape of Lucretia, Peter Metropolitan Opera à New York; Pinkerton En 1994, elle participa à une production Alan Opie fut durant de longues années Grimes (qui décrocha un Grammy Award), (Madama Butterfly) pour le Houston Grand extrêmement bien reçue de Lakmé de Delibes baryton principal de l’English National Opera Billy Budd, War and Peace, The Wandering Opera; Macduff (Macbeth) pour Monte-Carlo au New York City Opera et en 1996 elle se où il interpréta tout un éventail de rôles Scholar de Holst et la version primée par la et le rôle-titre de Faust pour le Minnesota produisit dans le cadre du Festival lyrique majeurs comme celui de Falstaff qui lui valut revue Gramophone de Troilus and Cressida; Opera et le Cincinnati Opera. Rossini à Pesaro, chantant le rôle-titre de d’être nominé pour un Olivier Award dans la pour Chandos en collaboration avec la Peter Il a fait une tournée européenne de concerts Matilde di Shabran dans la première mise en catégorie Opéra. Il se produit également Moores Foundation, il a enregistré Mary avec l’Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment scène de cet opéra depuis 175 ans. Cette régulièrement au Royal Opera House, Covent Stuart, Pagliacci, The Barber of Seville, et Sir Simon Rattle avec la Neuvième de année-là, elle participa aussi au Festival de Garden et au Festival de Glyndebourne. La bohème, Il trovatore et Ernani. Beethoven (qu’il a également interprétée avec Wexford (Catherine dans L’Etoile du nord de Sur la scène internationale, il a été entre le Scottish Chamber Orchestra) et a chanté Meyerbeer). En 1998, elle créa le rôle de Stella autres Beckmesser (Die Meistersinger) à Né à Liverpool, Paul Charles Clarke fit ses Elijah de Mendelssohn sous la baguette dans la première mondiale d’A Streetcar named Bayreuth, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, Vienne études au Royal College of Music avec Neil d’Andrew Davis à Rome. Desire de sir André Previn. ainsi qu’avec sir Georg Solti et le Chicago Mackie et remporta le Concours Kathleen Il a enregistré entre autres Tybalt (Roméo et Parmi ses autres rôles lyriques, notons Symphony Orchestra, une production Ferrier en 1989. Il a été entre autres le Duc Juliette) et, pour Chandos en collaboration Cléopâtre (Giulio Cesare) pour le Los Angeles enregistrée. Il a été Blastrode (Peter Grimes), (Rigoletto) pour Scottish Opera et le Seattle avec la Peter Moores Foundation, Pinkerton Opera; le rôle-titre de The Ballad of Baby Doe Sharpless (Madama Butterfly) et Faninal (Le Opera; Fenton (Falstaff ) au Japon et au (Madam Butterfly) et le rôle-titre de Faust. avec le New York City Opera; Susanna ainsi Chevalier à la rose) au Metropolitan Opera à Festival d’Edimbourg; le Grand Prêtre de que Nanetta (Falstaff ) à l’Opéra de Bavière New York et a créé le rôle-titre d’Outis de Neptune (Idomeneo), Rodolphe (La bohème), Né à Canterbury, Peter Rose fit des études de sous la baguette de Zubin Mehta; le rôle-titre Luciano Berio lors de la première mondiale de Alfredo (La traviata) et le rôle-titre de Faust musique à l’Université d’East Anglia puis de Lucia di Lammermoor avec le Dallas Opera; cet opéra à La Scala de Milan, un rôle qu’il pour le Welsh National Opera; Alfredo et travailla avec Ellis Keeler à la Guildhall School Constanze (L’Enlèvement au sérail ) avec le reprit ensuite au Châtelet à Paris. Il a aussi Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore) pour Scottish of Music and Drama à Londres. Lauréat de la Houston Grand Opera et en concert avec le chanté Balstrode à l’Opéra National de Paris et Opera; Rodolphe et Dimitri (Boris Godunov) Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Scholarship en New York Philharmonic Orchestra sous la pour l’Opéra de Vienne, Falstaff pour le pour Opera North; Froh (Das Rheingold ), 1985 et du Glyndebourne John Christie baguette de Sir Colin Davis. Norske Opera d’Oslo et Ernani pour le Cassio (Otello), Tybalt (Roméo et Juliette) et Award en 1986, il fit ses débuts sur la scène

68 69 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 70

lyrique en 1986 dans le rôle du Commandeur L’Enfant et les sortilèges et L’Heure espagnole de (Don Pasquale), Remendado (Carmen) ainsi Eisslinger (Die Meistersinger), Le Héraut (La avec le Glyndebourne Festival Opera à Hong- Ravel avec le Cleveland Orchestra sous Boulez; que Belmonte et Pedrillo (Die Entführung aus battaglia di Legnano), Gaston (La traviata) et Kong. Basse principale du Welsh National et la Missa Solemnis de Beethoven avec le New dem Serail ). Fiesole (Palestrina). Il s’est également produit Opera entre 1986 et 1989, il fit ses débuts au York Philharmonic Orchestra sous Masur. Il a En concert, il s’est produit avec l’Orchestre avec Crystal Clear Opera, le Théâtre lyrique de Royal Opera House dans le rôle de Rochefort enregistré entre autres Le nozze di Figaro, Les Philharmonique de la Radio Hollandaise sous Singapour et l’Opéra de chambre européen. (Anna Bolena) aux côté de Dame Joan Sept Péchés capitaux, Salome, Un ballo in Edo de Waart et Claus Peter Flor, au Peter Wedd a un vaste répertoire de concert, Sutherland. maschera et, pour Chandos en collaboration Concertgebouw et au Festival de Trondheimer, depuis le Messie, la Passion selon saint Jean, les Parmi ses rôles, notons Ramfis (Aida), avec la Peter Moores Foundation, Aida, et il a travaillé avec des chefs tels Steuart Requiem de Mozart et Verdi et le Magnificat de Fasolt (Das Rheingold ), Cadmus/Somnus Ernani, The Barber of Seville et Tosca. Bedford, Alfred Eschwé, Karin Kamensek, Pergolèse jusqu’à Hymnus Paradisi de Howells, (Semele), Daland (Der fliegende Holländer), le Mark Foster, William Boughton et Alberto la Messe glagolithique de Janácˇek et la Sérénade roi Marc (Tristan und Isolde) et le Depuis qu’il a achevé ses études en 1994, Zedda. Il a chanté au Queen Elizabeth Hall pour ténor, cor et cordes de Britten. Commandeur au Royal Opera House, Covent Stephen Chaundy a travaillé avec plusieurs dans le Messie de Haendel et dans Lobgesang de Garden; Gessler (Guillaume Tell ), le ensembles britanniques dont le Royal Opera Mendelssohn à Köthen. Il a enregistré entre Christine Rice a grandi dans sa ville natale de Commandeur et Don Basilio (Il barbiere di House, l’English Touring Opera, le Festival de autres la Messa di Gloria de Puccini. Manchester. Après des études de physique à Siviglia) à San Francisco; Kecal (La Fiancée Wexford et le Pimlico Opera. Il fit ses débuts Balliol College à Oxford, elle entra au Royal vendue) pour le Chicago Lyric Opera; Ramfis, sur la scène internationale en 1996 à Monte Peter Wedd a fait ses études à la Guildhall Northern College of Music pour étudier avec Daland et Ochs au Metropolitan Opera; il a Carlo où il créa le rôle de Lord Geoffrey dans School of Music and Drama avec William Robert Alderson. Bénéficiaire d’une bourse de également chanté avec l’Opéra de Vienne, le la première mondiale du Picture of Dorian McAlpine et au National Opera Studio où il la Peter Moores Foundation, c’est également Deutsche Staatsoper, l’Opéra de Hambourg, à Gray de Lowell Liebermann. De 1997 à 1999 bénéficia du soutien de la Peter Moores grâce au soutien financier de cette organisation Amsterdam et aux Festivals d’Istanbul et de il fut ténor principal du Tiroler Landestheater Foundation. qu’elle put se rendre en Italie pour étudier le Bregenz. à Innsbruck où il chanta entre autres le comte Parmi ses rôles lyriques, notons Cascada rôle de Rosine et celui de la Musette de En concert, il a chanté entre autres la Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Ferrando (Die lustige Witwe) pour le Royal Opera, Leoncavallo. Pour le Royal Northern College Neuvième de Beethoven avec Giulini; le (Così fan tutte), Camille Rossillon (Die lustige Covent Garden, Federico (L’Arlesiana) et of Music, elle fut entre autres une Charlotte Requiem de Mozart avec Daniel Barenboïm et Witwe), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Tony (West Pluton (Orphée aux enfers) pour Opera (Werther) très applaudie ainsi que Lucrèce Zubin Mehta; la Huitième Symphonie de Side Story) et le comte Belfiore (Il viaggio a Holland Park et Don José (Carmen) ainsi que (The Rape of Lucretia). Elle fit ensuite ses Mahler avec Tilson Thomas au Royal Albert Reims). Depuis l’automne 1999 il est membre Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) pour le Welsh débuts au Festival de Glyndebourne dans le Hall; le Requiem de Verdi au Barbican; de l’ensemble du Volksoper de Vienne où il a National Opera. Membre du Royal Opera, rôle de la Mère de la fille (Lulu), à l’English La Damnation de Faust avec le Chicago tenu les rôles de Flute (A Midsummer Night’s Covent Garden de 1999 à 2001, il a été National Opera en tant qu’Hermia (A Symphony Orchestra et Sir Georg Solti; Dream), Fenton et Bardolfo (Falstaff ), Ernesto durant cette période Nikolio (Greek Passion), Midsummer Night’s Dream) et au Royal Opera

70 71 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 72

sous les traits de Suzy/Lolette (La Rondine) et produisant en Scandinavie, en Allemagne, celle de Leonard Slatkin, souvent invité à regina d’Inghilterra de Pacini et Otello de de Flora (La traviata). Elle fut Polinesso dans l’ancienne Tchécoslovaquie, au Canada et prendre sa relève, l’Orchestre s’est fermement Rossini). L’Orchestre a fait de nombreux (Ariodante) avec l’Early Opera Company au en Australasie. Après avoir fait ses premières installé au cœur de la vie musicale britannique, disques pour Chandos, en particulier, dans la Festival de Covent Garden et Giacinta (La armes de chef d’orchestre avec la BBC, il non seulement à Londres puisqu’il est série Opera in English financée par la Peter finta semplice) au Festival lyrique de Buxton. décida de prendre une part active dans ce orchestre en résidence au Royal Festival Hall, Moores Foundation, Don Giovanni, Madam En tant que membre principal de l’English domaine avec ses propres chanteurs et fonda le mais aussi en province où il se produit Butterfly, Aida, The Elixir of Love, Faust, National Opera, elle a été Olga (Eugene Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. L’ensemble travaille régulièrement. La bohème, cette version primée de Tosca et Onegin), Suzuki (Madam Butterfly), depuis longtemps avec Opera Rara pour qui il Le Philharmonia Orchestra a remporté huit récitals solistes d’airs d’opéra (avec Bruce (Mephistopheles), Maddalena (Rigoletto), un a réalisé plus de trente enregistrements. Ce plusieurs prix importants et soulevé Ford, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill, Messager (Orfeo), Bradamante (Alcina, sous la Chœur ne cesse d’élargir sa réputation, l’enthousiasme des critiques pour la vitalité et Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, Andrew Shore baguette de Sir Charles Mackerras), Musette travaillant avec la BBC et plusieurs maisons de la chaleur exceptionnelle de son jeu. On a et deux avec John Tomlinson.) (La bohème de Leoncavallo) et Rosine (The disques internationales. Pour Chandos, le aussi fait l’éloge de ses programmes novateurs Barber of Seville). Geoffrey Mitchell Choir a participé à plusieurs dans lesquels l’ensemble s’engage à interpréter Après avoir étudié avec Sergiu Celibidache, En concert, Christine Rice a chanté le enregistrements pour Opera in English, une et commander des œuvres nouvelles par les David Parry commença sa carrière comme Messie, la Messe du Couronnement de Mozart, série de disques très prisés financée par la Peter plus grands compositeurs contemporains, assistant de Sir John Pritchard. Il fit ses débuts le Gloria de Vivaldi, The Dream of Gerontius, Moores Foundation. comme James MacMillan, son actuel avec l’English Music Theatre avant de devenir Melanto dans Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria et compositeur en résidence. l’un des chefs d’orchestre au Städtische Madame Noé (Noye’s Flood ). Depuis ses excellents débuts en 1945, lorsqu’il L’Orchestre fait souvent des tournées Bühnen à Dortmund et à Opera North. Elle a enregistré entre autres Sea Pictures fut fondé par Walter Legge essentiellement internationales; aucun autre orchestre Directeur musical d’Opera 80 de 1983 à 1987, d’Elgar, Les Nuits d’été de Berlioz, le rôle de pour jouer dans des enregistrements, le symphonique dans le monde ne possède une il est directeur musical d’Almeida Opera Guilhen dans Fervaal de Vincent d’Indy sous Philharmonia Orchestra n’a cessé d’attirer discographie aussi importante, avec plus de depuis sa fondation en 1992. la baguette de Jaen-Yves Ossonce et une série certains des plus grands chefs d’orchestre du mille disques à son actif. Notons entre autres Sa carrière, nationale et internationale, est de récitals de mélodies anglaises avec Iain XXe siècle. Certains furent associés de près à plusieurs disques d’airs d’opéra pour Opera extrêmement remplie, aussi bien sur la scène Burnside pour Radio 3. l’Orchestre: Otto Klemperer (son tout premier Rara ainsi que onze intégrales d’opéras (Ugo, lyrique qu’en concert. Il a dirigé plusieurs chef principal), Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, conte di Parigi, Ne m’oubliez pas, Emilia di productions de l’English National Opera et Durant sa carrière de chanteur, Geoffrey Giuseppe Sinopoli, Carlo Maria Giulini, Sir Liverpool, L’assedio di Calais, Rosmonda collabore régulièrement avec le Philharmonia Mitchell aborda un répertoire Andrew Davis, Vladimir Ashkenazy et Esa- d’Inghilterra et Maria de Rudenz de Donizetti, Orchestra. C’est avec Così fan tutte qu’il fit ses remarquablement varié, depuis la musique Pekka Salonen. Sous la direction de leur chef Dinorah de Meyerbeer, Medea in Corinto de débuts au Festival de Glyndebourne en 1996, ancienne jusqu’à la musique contemporaine, se principal actuel, Christoph von Dohnanyi, et Mayr, de Mercadante, Maria, une scène qu’il retrouva en 1998 pour diriger

72 73 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 74

la création mondiale de Flight de Jonathan production de la BBC Television de Der Dove. Vampyr de Marschner, dirigeant aussi vingt et Il séjourne fréquemment en Espagne où il a une intégrales d’opéras financées par la Peter dirigé en concert la plupart des grands Moores Foundation. Plusieurs de ces intégrales orchestres espagnols. C’est lui qui dirigea la furent enregistrées pour Opera Rara et primées, première espagnole de Peter Grimes à Madrid et Rosmonda d’Inghilterra de Donizetti recevant en en 1996 la première production espagnole de Belgique le Prix Cecilia. Pour Chandos, Parry a The Rake’s Progress. Il a dirigé en Allemagne, en dirigé neuf enregistrements d’airs d’opéra (avec Dominic Zoë Suède, aux Pays-Bas, au Festival de Pesaro en Andrew Shore, Bruce Ford, Diana Montague, Italie, au Festival international de Hong-Kong, Dennis O’Neill, Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, au Japon pour une tournée de Carmen et au Della Jones et deux avec John Tomlinson) de Mexique avec l’Orchestre symphonique même que Aida, Don Giovanni, Ernani, Faust, d’UNAM. Il a récemment dirigé plusieurs Don Pasquale, The Elixir of Love, La bohème, nouvelles productions dont Fidelio au Festival Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, l’enregistrement de Nouvelle-Zélande, Maria Stuarda au primé de Tosca et des extraits de Der Théâtre de Bâle et Lucia di Lammermoor avec Rosenkavalier, tous ces enregistrements étant le New Israeli Opera. réalisés en collaboration avec la Peter Moores En studio, il a participé entre autres à la Foundation.

The Royal Opera’s 1959 production of Lucia di Lammermoor, directed by

74 75 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 76

settanta opere di Donizetti, e molte in vivaci, definito lo Shakespeare del teatro lirico. Tra la Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor entusiasmanti revival. Alla Scala, la Callas grandezza, l’appassionata, precisa delineazione interpretò Anna Bolena e Poliuto. A New York, delle vicende individuali, talvolta si trovano Tra le opere di Donizetti, Lucia di Moffo, Renata Scotto, Maria Callas, Joan Beverly Sills riportava in vita la “trilogia passaggi formulaici: capitolazione davanti alle Lammermoor occupa un posto particolare, sia Sutherland, Beverly Sills. Ci furono nuovi Tudor” di Donizetti: Anna Bolena, Maria pretese di una primadonna che privilegiavano dal punto di vista storico sia nell’affetto del allestimenti nel 1942 (con la Pons), 1964 (con Stuarda e Roberto Devereux. A Londra, Janet lo sfoggio degli effetti convenzionali, ricorso a pubblico. Al tempo in cui le altre opere serie la Sutherland), 1992 (con June Anderson), e Baker cantava Maria Stuarda (disponibile in brani d’effetto all’avvicinarsi della scadenza per di Donizetti venivano trascurate e 1998 (con Ruth Ann Swenson). una registrazione dal vivo per Chandos, la consegna di queste partiture composte in generalmente dimenticate, la Lucia continuava La seconda metà del ventesimo secolo CHAN 3017(2)). fretta. Negli ultimi anni di febbrile attività, ad essere rappresentata. Al Covent Garden, portava una nuova ondata di fama E il compositore un tempo ritenuto prima che la follia gli obnubilasse la mente, dove fu presentata per la prima volta nel 1847, internazionale per la Lucia, anche grazie a due indegno di seria considerazione è stato oggetto nei momenti di ispirazione, come se avesse con Fanny Tacchinardi-Persiani nel ruolo da famosi soprani: Maria Callas, prima a Città del di monografie musicologiche accademiche e saputo che gli rimaneva poco tempo, Donizetti lei creato a Napoli dodici anni prima, fu Messico nel 1952, cantò Lucia in tredici città, alti campionati. Philip Gosset, invitato ad produsse opere meravigliose d’ogni genere, una riproposta quasi tutte le stagioni per sei cinque nazioni e la registrò due volte. E Joan inaugurare la serie “Studi sulla genesi e la dopo l’altra: comiche, semiserie, tragiche, decenni, con (1861–79), Emma Sutherland, prima al Covent Garden nel 1957, struttura musicale” ad Oxford con un esame eroiche. E più le ascoltiamo, più ci rendiamo Albani (1872–7), Marcella Sembrich cantò Lucia in tredici città, dieci nazioni e la dei quaderni della sinfonia Pastorale di conto del fatto che Lucia di Lammermoor è (1880–84), (1888–1907) e registrò anche lei due volte. Il Donizetti “serio” Beethoven sceglieva invece di scrivere un libro probabilmente la più coerente delle sue opere infine (1907–9) con era stato riscoperto. Da ragazzino, lessi nel su Anna Bolena. Herbert von Karajan dirigeva serie, una partitura che contiene una miscela un’interpretazione particolarmente illustre. A manuale scolastico di Gerald Abraham, la Lucia. Oggi si pubblicano accurate edizioni minima di scarti. Come spesso accade, aveva New York, la Lucia fu la seconda opera mai A Hundred Years of Music (1938): “per quanto critiche delle partiture. Le celebrazioni a ragione il pubblico, quando decise che Lucia allestita dalla Metropolitan Opera (dopo riguarda Donizetti, si può sperare di ascoltare ricordo del secondo centenario della nascita doveva sopravvivere, mentre Imelda de’ Faust), con Marcella Sembrich, nel 1883. al massimo qualche brano occasionale in del compositore nel 1797 hanno portato, tra Lambertazzi, Sancia di Castiglia, Gabriella di Seguirono sette anni “tedeschi”. La Lucia fece concerto o in uno sporadico, stanco revival a molte altre cose, un revival del grandioso, Vergy e Gemma di Vergy, Pia de’ Tolomei, e ritorno nel 1892, con la Patti e da allora vantaggio di qualche stella della lirica”. (Nel lunghissimo Dom Sébastien a Bergamo (città molte altre opere erano destinate al raramente è stata assente per lungo tempo. 1925, dopo una lunga assenza, Lucia ritornava natale di Donizetti) e a Bologna (nel teatro, dimenticatoio. Nellie Melba, Luisa Tetrazzini, Frieda Hempel, al Covent Garden, con Toti dal Monte, e inaugurato da Gluck, che vide la prima Lucia fu composta in un momento Amelita Galli-Curci figurano presto nei cast veniva accantonata dopo una sola rappresentazione di Wagner in Italia). importante della carriera di Donizetti. Tre del Metropolitan, per proseguire con Toti dal rappresentazione come una scarpa vecchia). Oggi noi ascoltiamo di più Donizetti e lo volte durante la sua lunga carriera e quella Monte, Lily Pons, Roberta Peters, Anna Ma, crescendo, io ho seguito metà delle conosciamo meglio dei nostri nonni. È stato breve di Bellini una nuova opera fu

76 77 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 78

commissionata a ciascun compositore perché “semifiasco” di quella di Donizetti. Nel maggio replicata, anche dopo cinque rappresentazioni, personaggi e sulle loro particolari vicende, fosse presentata dalla stessa compagnia. Nel dello stesso anno, quando entrambe le opere e sarà così modo fino alla fine della stagione… come se Donizetti avesse pensato: “Bellini l’ha 1829, quando un gruppo di nobili ingaggiò furono rappresentate a Londra, il critico io non merito il successo dei Puritani, ma mi realizzata nel suo meraviglioso modo e questo un’équipe di star per una stagione al Teatro Henry F. Chorley scrisse: “In queste occasioni auguro di non sfigurare”. è il mio modo, non necessariamente migliore, Carcano di Milano, Donizetti compose per c’è sempre un successo e un fallimento. Il Secondo me I puritani e la Lucia hanno ma diverso”. Durante il periodo di loro Anna Bolena e Bellini iniziò un Ernani. pubblico non tollera due favoriti… Marino molto in comune, secondo l’opinione composizione dei Puritani, Bellini spostò la Ma dopo il successo della tragedia di Faliero ne ha sofferto… Invece, dalla prima generalmente accettata. William Ashbrook nel collocazione di alcuni brani per ottenere un Donizetti, Bellini si sottrasse alla concorrenza all’ultima nota, I puritani è stato ritenuto suo bel saggio Donizetti and his Operas (1982) migliore effetto musicale. Nessuno dei numeri diretta e passò a un soggetto semiserio, incantevole.” lo contesta, definendo superficiali le di Donizetti si potrebbe spostare senza La sonnambula. Giuditta Pasta fu la Che cosa ha a che fare tutto questo con la somiglianze tra le due opere. Ma non credo spezzare il filo dello svolgimento del dramma. protagonista, Giovan Battista Rubini il tenore Lucia di Lammermoor? Il fatto che la storia che si tratti di un disaccordo sostanziale. Le Quello che le due opere hanno in comune e Felice Romani il librettista di entrambe le non finisce qui. Nel settembre del 1835 Bellini differenze tra le opere che Ashbrook descrive è, in generale, la fonte: Walter Scott opere. Fu un trionfo per entrambi i moriva: aveva solo trentatrè anni. E tre giorni sono evidenti. I due compositori si (dall’epoca della Donna del lago di Rossini nel compositori, ciascuno in un genere diverso. dopo la sua morte fu rappresentata per la accostarono a una materia simile in maniera 1819, l’esotico romanticismo della Scozia Poi, nel 1832, alla Scala, la Norma di Bellini fu prima volta la Lucia di Lammermoor di molto diversa. Bellini disse a Carlo Pepoli, suo aveva fatto presa sulla fantasia europea). A seguita da Ugo, conte di Parigi, di Donizetti. Donizetti al teatro San Carlo di Napoli, con librettista – grosso modo – di dimenticare questo va aggiunta una lunga scena di follia Giuditta Pasta, Giulia Grisi, il tenore un success notevole internazionale e duraturo. l’ordine e la probabilità della trama: tutto dell’eroina, che, vaneggiando, immagina le Domenico Donzelli e il basso Vincenzo Dire che Donizetti aveva avuto “l’ultima quello che contava era un canto che muovesse proprie nozze con l’uomo che ama, non nella Negrini cantarono in entrambe e il librettista parola” sarebbe dare un’impressione ingiusta il cuore degli ascoltatori. Ashbrook definisce tradizionale collocazione al finale, ma prima. di entrambe fu ancora una volta Romani. della rivalità tra i due compositori. La Lucia si questo un approccio “astratto” ed Entrambe le scene di follia sono precedute da Questa volta il successo fu di Bellini: Norma può anche considerare un omaggio di “emblematico”. Donizetti, invece – più una narrazione del basso, “Cinta di fiori” di ebbe trentaquattro repliche, Ugo solo quattro. Donizetti a Bellini e in particolare ai Puritani. wagneriano, oserei dire – compose (per dirla Giorgio nei Puritani, “Dalle stanze” (“From Bellini risultò ancora una volta vincitore nel La “rivalità” era stata solo da un lato: Bellini si con Ashbrook) “una tragedia con una the chamber”) di Raimondo in Lucia. In 1835, quando a Parigi i suoi Puritani furono era preoccupato e aveva gioito malignamente, conclusione implicita fin dall’inizio”, integrata alcuni casi l’andamento della melodia farebbe seguiti dal Marino Faliero di Donizetti – il cast ma Donizetti era uno spirito generoso. Poco dal punto di vista teatrale e musicale, con pensare che Donizetti avesse presenti di entrambe le opere riuniva la Grisi, Rubini, dopo il suo arrivo a Parigi per l’inizio delle personaggi più definiti. Lucia non è solo un I puritani mentre componeva la Lucia. Tamburini e Lablache. In una lunga, prove di Marino Faliero, aveva scritto (a “omaggio”. Per certi versi è anche una Corrisponde l’uso dei corni per evocare la trionfante lettera a suo zio, Bellini descrisse Romani): “Il successo di Bellini è stato “ricomposizione” critica, affettuosamente pittoresca ambientazione. In realtà Bellini non malignamente il trionfo della sua opera e il grandissimo; l’opera continua ad essere riconoscente, che punta i riflettori sui singoli aveva attinto direttamente all’opera di Scott,

78 79 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 80

ma si era ispirato a Têtes Rondes et Cavaliers, l’acciar stringeva, che fu già del trucidato”. “Charlie is my darling”, “My lodging is on the anche nella Lucia di Donizetti: per le belle un dramma teatrale di Ancelot e Saintine Altri cambiamenti sono la fusione di Sir cold ground” e “Auld Robin Gray”.) In queste distinzioni terminologiche di Cammarano, (1833), in cui alcuni episodi tratti da Old William Ashton, la formidabile Lady Ashton e prime opere si ritrovano alcuni precedenti per vedere il primo paragrafo della trama a pagina Mortality sono mischiati con altri tratti da The i loro figli Sholto e Henry nell’unica figura di quanto riguarda l’abitudine di modificare il 84. Heart of Mid-Lothian e Peveril of the Peak. Enrico. Anche la morte del protagonista è romanzo per adeguarlo alle “convenienze” del Lucia di Lammermoor fu uno dei primi (Altre opere derivate dai drammi di Ancelot diversa: nell’opera si suicida, nel romanzo teatro lirico. È alquanto sorprendente scoprire libretti di Cammarano, il suo primo grande sono Roberto Devereux e Maria Padilla di viene inghiottito dalle sabbie mobili mentre si che più di metà dell’opera è contenuta in successo in una carriera che avrebbe incluso Donizetti e Le Roi malgré lui di Chabrier.) reca a cavallo al duello con il colonnello appena tre capitoli verso la fine delle 315 molti altri libretti per Donizetti, Mercadante, Quando l’opera di Bellini apparve per la prima Ashton). La Lucia di Lammermoor di Donizetti pagine di Scott (i capitoli 23–25 nell’edizione Pacini e Verdi (La battaglia di Legnano, Luisa volta si intitolava I puritani di Scozia, anche se non fu la prima opera tratta dal romanzo. A Dryburgh dei romanzi di Waverley): la Miller e infine Il trovatore che il librettista, è ambientata lontano dalla Scozia, a Parigi c’erano stati Le Caleb (1827, un pastiche cerimonia del fidanzamento, l’irruzione di morto nel 1842, non riuscì a terminare). Plymouth, sulla costa meridionale con musiche di Adam, Boieldieu, Méhul e Edgardo, il sestetto, l’incontro e la sfida tra L’anno prima di Lucia (secondo la biografia di dell’Inghilterra, lontanissima dal confine Rossini) e Le nozze di Lammermoor di Carafa tenore e baritono (che nel romanzo si svolgono Cammarano di cui è autore John Black), scozzese. Bellini avrebbe scelto il titolo, (Théâtre-Italien 1829). In Italia La fidanzata dopo la morte di Lucia), la celebrazione delle sembra che Cammarano avesse scritto alcune semplicemente “perché è celebre pei Puritani di Lammermoor di Luigi Rieschi (Trieste, nozze, l’aggressione di Lucia al marito che le è nuove scene per un revival della prima opera di Valter-Scott”. (Una traduzione in francese 1831, riproposta da Giuseppe Bornaccini, stato imposto, la scena della follia (ricavata in ispirata a un testo di Walter Scott (1819), del 1817 di Old Mortality era stata intitolata Venezia, 1833) e La fidanzata di Lammermoor base a una sola riga in Scott: “So, you have La donna del lago di Rossini a Napoli, che Les Puritains d’Écosse). Lucia di Lammermoor, di Alberto Mazzuccato (Padova, 1834; Milano, ta’en up your bonny bridegroom?” che la portò nei teatri lirici europei un romanticismo nonostante le differenze rispetto a The Bride of al Carcano, più avanti nello stesso anno). donna, in preda alla follia, pronuncia “con una fresco, nuovo; un intenso dramma in Lammermoor, è più aderente alla fonte di Nello studio The Walter Scott Operas Jerome sorta di esultanza sorridente”); la morte di lei e pittoresche ambientazioni nordiche, Scott. (In The Bride of Lammermoor, Bucklaw Mitchell ipotizza che il librettista di Donizetti, poi quella di Edgardo. Le opere di Rieschi e vividamente evocato da invenzioni sopravvive al tentativo di Lucy di assassinarlo. Salvatore Cammarano, conoscesse i precedenti Mazzucato rispettano le unità di tempo e di strumentali, tra le rive e le colline della Scozia. Nell’opera, Raimondo riferisce che Arturo è libretti in italiano sull’argomento quando luogo. L’intervallo tra le vicende dell’atto I e II Nel 1834 Cammarano scrisse anche il libretto stato trucidato, ma la vecchia traduzione diede la forma operistica “finale” alla Bride of dell’opera di Carafa è di due mesi, ma il suo Ines de Castro per Giuseppe Persiani, inglese del racconto di Raimondo fa pensare Lammermoor di Scott. (Mitchell cita anche librettista, l’esperto Luigi Balocchi compositore e marito del soprano che qualche che non sia completamente morto: “There she una Bruden fra Lammermoor (Copenhagen, (collaboratore di Rossini per le opere parigine), mese dopo avrebbe creato il personaggio di stood, a weapon grasping, Even his who lay 1832), un’opera con musica di Ivar Frederik ci assicura che questa piccola deroga non Lucia. Ma ormai il romanticismo scozzese there gasping” per i versi “Steso Arturo al suol Bredal e libretto di Hans Christian Andersen, danneggia l’unità di azione. Una simile ispirato a Scott, catturato per il teatro lirico giaceva muto, freddo, insanguinato!… e Lucia in cui sono inseriti tre motivi scozzesi, infrazione delle unità classiche si riscontra dalla Donna del lago di Rossi, aveva travolto

80 81 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 82

l’Europa. Altrettanto fece Der Freischütz avrebbero spinto Rossini a preoccuparsi per le prima del Met e quella di Henry Krehbiel nel reigned”). Poi quando i soprani leggeri di (1821) di Weber, risposta decisamente sue porcellane quando Duprez gli fece visita Tribune ci dicono molto della bravura di coloratura iniziarono a impadronirsi del ruolo nazionalistica di un compositore tedesco per la prima volta e cantò per lui. (Secondo Marcella Sembrich nel ruolo della protagonista e desiderarono fare sfoggio degli acuti all’esotismo scozzese e all’arte rossiniana. un’altra versione, il compositore gli chiedeva di e poco sul tenore (Italo Campanini, primo sostenuti alla fine dei brani, le tonalità di In primo piano negli annali della Lucia in lasciare il do di petto all’ingresso con il Lohengrin italiano e primo Don José di Donizetti, persino nelle partiture stampate, genere risulta la primadonna, ma Donizetti cappotto). Nelle sue memorie, Duprez sostiene Londra e New York). Il testo della Lucia vennero abbassate in modo da poter dedicò la partitura al soprano e al tenore della che fu idea sua assegnare al violoncello la comunemente rappresentato rispecchia la aggiungere dei mi bemolle alti e non fa in sua prima rappresentazione, Fanny melodia nella ripresa dell’esposizione della variazione di accento. La scena della torre di altissimo eccessivamente ambiziosi come quelli Tacchinardi-Persiani e Gilbert Duprez. La scena della morte di Edgardo, mentre il tenore Wolferag con cui inizia l’Atto II della seconda della Regina della Notte. (Ma Mado Robin prominenza accordata al tenore – il finale è pronuncia frasi rotte, straziate. (Nel 1837, con parte, con il suo fiero duetto tenore–baritono, nella sua registrazione della scena della follia pezzo forte per lui, non per il soprano – era il bagaglio tecnico acquisito in Italia, Duprez venne generalmente omessa. L’aria del basso tocca addirittura un si bemolle in altissimo, qualcosa di nuovo. Due dei famosi successori fece ritorno a Parigi e spodestò il primo tenore “Ah! cedi, ah cedi” fu spesso omessa. Il tempo una quarta più in alto!) “Regnava” fu di Duprez nel ruolo furono soprannominati dell’Opéra, Adolphe Nourrit, agli occhi del di mezzo nella scena della follia – l’ingresso di abbassato di un intervallo e il duetto con tenore della maledizione e tenore della bella pubblico, lanciando do di petto nel ruolo di Enrico, la sua conversazione con Raimondo e Enrico e la scena della follia furono abbassati morte. Si trattava di Gaetano Fraschini (il Arnold nel Guillaume Tell di Rossini, che era il terzettino – il più delle volte fu omessa: la di due intervalli. Nella nostra era “accademica” tenore preferito di Verdi, primo Zamoro stato creato da Nourrit. Nourrit si ritirò a primadonna passava da “Alfin son tua” (“At ci sono state rappresentazioni restaurate della nell’Alzira, 1845, Corrado nel Corsaro, 1848, Napoli, studiò con Donizetti per irrobustire la last you hold me”) – con la sua lunga cadenza Lucia che sono andate forse troppo oltre: “non Arrigo nella Battaglia di Legnano, 1849, propria voce, a proprio danno secondo la in dialogo con il flauto (che non apparteneva accademiche”, letterarie, come scritto, con il Stiffelio nel 1850 e Riccardo nel Ballo in moglie, gli chiese di comporre per lui il alla partitura originale di Donizetti) – divieto di qualunque deviazione dalle note maschera, 1859 e preso in considerazione per il Poliuto e si suicidò quando la censura direttamente a “Spargi d’amaro pianto”. stampate sulla pagina. Lo stesso Donizetti ruolo di Radamès nel 1870) e Napoleone napoletana vietò le rappresentazioni dell’opera. Talvolta lo spettacolo terminava addirittura contava sulla capacità degli interpreti di Moriani. Fraschini si distinse per la forza Fu Duprez a creare il ruolo all’Opéra di Parigi qui, con la scena della follia, senza bella morte aggiungere i loro tocchi di individuale declamatoria con cui malediceva Lucia quando nel 1840). né finale del tenore. invenzione e variazione. Ma in generale si la riteneva infedele, Moriani per lo strazio che I grandi tenori come Caruso e Gigli La stessa Persiani attaccava l’introduzione di tende a creare rappresentazioni più evocava all’ultima scena. Tutto fa pensare che continuarono a cantare Edgardo, ma nel corso “Ah perchè non ho del vento”, presa in prestito proporzionate, più oneste e forse più anche Duprez fosse maestro di forza e di degli anni la Lucia di Lammermoor, come dalla Rosmonda d’Inghilterra di Donizetti, un emozionanti del capolavoro di Donizetti. intensità. Abbinava alla grazia e all’eleganza accennato in precedenza, divenne sempre di sostituto più da spettacolo della bella aria Lucia giunse a Londra nel 1838, al teatro francese una potenza che trasportava le sue più un’opera “da soprano”. La recensione di d’ingresso caratterizzante di Lucia “Regnava Her Majesty’s con la Persiani e Rubini. Le note alte, piene, sonore ad altezze che W.J. Henderson nel New York Times sulla nel silenzio” (“In deepest night a silence prime rappresentazioni in inglese si svolsero al

82 83 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 84

Princess’s Theatre nel 1843 il primo La compagnia di Jullien e Berlioz rappresentò seguito da due atti, mentre quella della constringendo Edgardo a nascondersi nella allestimento in inglese al Covent Garden anche la nuova Maid of Honour di Balfe, Linda versione di Parigi del 1839 la divide in quattro rovinata torre di Wolferag; e che Enrico, risale al 1848 (come La donna del lago, di Chamounix e Figaro, prima di essere travolta atti. In America, Lucia viene di solito caduto politicamente in disgrazia per qualche La sonnambula e Norma), durante la Season of dal crollo finanziario. Bisognava attendere per annunciata come un’“opera in tre atti”, ma al motivo, spera di migliorare la sua situazione English Opera di Alfred Bunn. Henriette molti decenni prima che l’Inghilterra avesse Covent Garden viene descritta come un’“opera dando la sorella in sposa a Lord Arturo. Ora Nissen fu Lucy e il grande Sims Reeves fu finalmente una English National Opera in quattro atti”. Nella sinopsi in basso seguo leggete: Edgar. (Il “tema” di Walter Scott fu sostenuto stabile. (come nella traduzione di David Parry) la con Quentin Durward da Henry Laurent e – divisione in Parte Prima, in un singolo atto, e COMPACT DISC ONE nelle prove, ma non nella rappresentazione – © 2002 Andrew Porter Parte Seconda, in due atti. Nella versione con Kenilworth da Francesco Schirra). Due Traduzione: Emanuela Guastella originale italiana, i personaggi sono elencati Parte Prima: La partenza anni prima, Reeves aveva esordito alla Scala nel modo seguente: Lord Enrico Asthon; Miss Un giardino del castello di Ravenswood nel ruolo di Edgardo. (La Lucia degli annali La trama Lucia, sua sorella; Sir Edgardo di Ravenswood; 1. Preludio e coro d’introduzione. della Scala, indicata con il nome ‘Hayez’ era in Un’opera in due, tre, persino quattro atti? Lord Arturo Buklaw; Raimondo Bidebent, 1 – 2 Normanno e i suoi uomini sono alla realtà il soprano irlandese Catherine Hayes). Nelle prime versioni del libretto e della educatore e confidente di Lucia; Alisa, ricerca di uno straniero che è stato visto nei E nel 1847 Reeves fu l’Edgar di un’importante partitura, Lucia di Lammermoor viene descritta damigella di Lucia; e Normanno, capo degli giardini del castello. Lucia in lingua inglese: la prima produzione come un dramma tragico in 2 parti e nel armigeri di Ravenswood. Le prime traduzioni 2. Scena e Cavatina (Enrico). 3 Enrico entra, dell’ambiziosa compagnia English Opera di libretto di Cammarano è divisa in maniera in inglese dell’opera ci hanno dato Lucy, Alice, rimuginando sul motivo per cui la sorella si Jullien a Drury Lane. Il suo direttore musicale anomala: “Parte Prima, La partenza, atto Edgar, e così via, ma qui ho seguito l’uso fatto rifiuta di sposare Arturo. Normanno glielo fu Berlioz. Il Sunday Times salutò Reeves unico”; poi, con il passare del tempo, “Parte da David Parry dei nomi italiani e anche la sua spiega: un giorno Lucia, attaccata da un toro, definendolo “indiscutibilmente il miglior Seconda, Atto I, Il contratto nuziale”, finendo numerazione dei “movimenti”. fu salvata da un uomo di cui si innamorò tenore del teatro inglese” e concluse così la con il Quartetto (o Sestetto, come ora viene Lo sfondo politico specifico del dramma è perdutamente. Da quel giorno i due giovani si recensione: chiamato) e la sua stretta; “Parte Seconda, Atto tracciato nel romanzo Bride of Lammermoor di incontrano segretamente. Forse quell’uomo è A Drury Lane oggi abbiamo una vera Opera II”, comprendente il duetto tenore–baritono, Walter Scott, ma Cammarano ha trasferito la Edgardo. 4 Enrico scoppia nella sua cavatina Nazionale che ha bisogno solo di appoggio per la scena della pazzia e quella della morte di storia dal diciottesimo al diciassettesimo “Cruda… funesta smania” (“Trembling, I feel avere immediato successo. La protezione Edgar. Ma nel manoscritto autografo (sono il secolo. Per i fini operistici è sufficiente sapere the horror”): piuttosto che portare vergogna aristocratica finora accordata al dramma lirico fortunato possessore di uno dei 300 facsimile che Edgardo ed Enrico sono nemici e avversari nella sua casa, sarebbe meglio che Lucia italiano si abbasserà a sostenere i propri artisti? pubblicati nel 1941) Donizetti indica una implacabili; che Enrico si è appropriato della morisse. 5 Ritorna il coro: lo straniero è stato Lo vedremo. In ogni caso, non si potrà più divisione in tre parti: Atti I, II e III. Altre dimora degli avi di Edgardo, il castello di avvistato e si tratta effettivamente di Edgardo. sostenere la superiorità degli stranieri. partiture dividono l’opera in un Prologo Ravenswood, e ora vi vive lui stesso, Raimondo esorta alla calma, 6 ma nella sua

84 85 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 86

cabaletta Enrico giura di vendicarsi della vendicarsi di Enrico (“Il mio retaggio avito con a rifiutarlo? Normanno lo rassicura: le lettere che, se la giovane gli appare triste e un po’ sorella e del suo amante. trame inique m’usurpò” – “Pray remember that dei due amanti sono state tutte intercettate e strana, è perché piange ancora la morte della my father was destroyed by Ashton’s lying”). ha pensato lui a preparare una lettera falsa in madre. Arturo gli rivolge una domanda Il parco; una fontana, un tempo coperta da 13 Lucia cade in ginocchio e lo prega di pensare cui Edgardo rivela a Lucia di essersi invaghito imbarazzante: gli sono arrivate voci su lei ed elaborate decorazioni gotiche, ora giace in rovina; all’amore, e in allegro vivace i due giovani di un’altra donna. Edgardo… Ma ecco che appare Lucia, crepuscolo rinnovano la loro promessa (“Qui, di sposa 6. Duetto (Lucia ed Enrico). 16 Lucia entra, sostenuta da Raimondo. Firma il contratto 3. Scena e Cavatina (Lucia). 7 – 8 Lucia eterna fede” – “Let us swear to love for ever”). pallida, “e mostrando i primi segni di un nuziale, definendolo la sua condanna a morte. entra, con Alisa, la quale le rimprovera Si scambiano un anello. (In una nota del turbamento mentale”. 17 – 18 Enrico le Ed ecco arrivare Edgardo! Questa scena è l’imprudente persistere nella sua relazione con libretto Cammarano spiega che, secondo la mostra la lettera falsa. Sebbene con il cuore composta con la meravigliosa maestria, tipica Edgardo, e le chiede perché continua a guardare tradizione scozzese, questo gesto implica un spezzato, 19 – 20 e nonostante la musica fuori di Donizetti, di rendere una melodia verso la fontana. 9 Lucia spiega: una volta, in significato quasi sacramentale; in Walter Scott, scena annunci l’arrivo del promesso sposo drammatica sulla base di una figura orchestrale quel luogo, un Ravenswood molto geloso uccise i due spezzano una moneta d’oro di cui ognuno Arturo, la giovane si rifiuta di sposarlo e spera drammatica. 4 La tensione è sostenuta nel la sua amata, e proprio lì (cavatina: “Ascolta. conserverà una metà, ma “uno scambio di anelli solo di morire. famoso quartetto, lanciato simultaneamente da Regnava nel silenzio” – “In deepest night”) una è più pratico in scena”.) 14 In un moderato 7. Scena ed Aria (Raimondo). Edgardo ed Enrico. A loro si uniscono poi volta le apparve lo spettro della donna morta, cadenzato (“Verranno a te sull’aura i miei 21 – 22 Raimondo cerca di convincere Lucia Lucia e Raimondo; infine il coro e, in versi mentre le acque della fontana si trasformavano sospiri ardenti” – “Imagine when the breezes ad accettare, salvando così la famiglia. Alla fine indipendenti, Alisa e Arturo (ed è per questo in sangue. 10 Ma quando Edgardo le è accanto, sigh”), i due amanti immaginano il periodo lei acconsente; 23 nella cabaletta Raimondo motivo che questa parte viene spesso definita lei dimentica ogni paura (cabaletta: “Quando doloroso che dovranno trascorrere lontani l’uno loda il suo sacrificio. un sestetto). rapito in estasi” – “When in the burning dall’altra. “Edgardo parte, Lucia si ritira nel 8c. Seguito e Stretta del Finale II. 5 Enrico, ecstasy”). Edgardo si avvicina ed Alisa si ritira. castello” è l’istruzione delle partiture e del COMPACT DISC TWO Arturo ed Edgardo sguainano le spade. 4. Scena e Duetto (Finale I ). 11 Edgardo spiega libretto stampati, ma nel manoscritto autografo Raimondo interviene e mostra ad Edgardo il a Lucia perché le ha chiesto di incontrarlo in Donizetti scrisse: “Ella sviene”. Una sala preparata per il ricevimento di contratto nuziale. Edgardo costringe Lucia ad questa ora insolita. Prima dell’alba dovrà partire Arturo ammettere che lo ha firmato, le restituisce per la Francia e per affari che riguardano il suo Parte Seconda, Atto I: Il contratto nuziale 8a. Coro e Cavatina (Arturo). 1 La compagnia l’anello che lei gli aveva dato, si fa restituire il paese. Prima, però, offrirà la propria amicizia ad La stanza di Enrico nel castello di Ravenswood dà il benvenuto ad Arturo in un coro gioioso e suo e lo calpesta. Poi esplode in un “Maledetto Enrico e gli chiederà la mano di Lucia. No, dice 5. Scena (Enrico e Normanno). 15 Sono lui promette che la stella di Enrico tornerà a sia l’istante che di te mi rese amante” (“Cursed Lucia. 12 Un duetto a tre movimenti inizia in trascorsi mesi. Gli ospiti stanno già arrivando splendere. the moment when I saw you”). 6 Unisono larghetto mentre Edgardo ricorda la promessa, per le nozze di Lucia e Arturo. Ma, chiede 8b. Scena e Quartetto (Finale II). 2 Ma dov’è ardente e righi in ottava trasformati in un da lui giurata sulla tomba del padre, di Enrico, cosa succederà se la giovane si ostinerà Lucia?, chiede Arturo. 3 Enrico lo avverte sestetto con coro.

86 87 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 88

Parte Seconda, Atto II Lucia. Nel manoscritto autografo di Donizetti movimento (larghetto 6/8, moderato 3/4) con Nata nella Carolina del Nord e cresciuta in Una stanza nella torre di Wolferag. Una tavola viene accompagnata da un’armonica – uno una nuova melodia, vibrando ed evolvendo Louisiana, Elizabeth Futral ha studiato presso spoglia e una vecchia sedia costituiscono l’unico strumento per cui compose anche Mozart e i non con superficiale virtuosismo ma con le università di Samford e Indiana. Si è arredamento. E’ notte. Il luogo è illuminato cui toni dolcemente risonanti, intensi, eppure un’espressione efficace della situazione di Lucia. laureata con e ha proseguito gli debolmente da una smorta lanterna. Il cielo è gentili, venivano a volte associati alla pazzia. studi presso il Lyric Opera Center di Chicago. orrendamente nero. Lampi, tuoni, venti Sembra che nella Napoli del 1835 vivesse un Fuori il castello; nelle tombe di Ravenswood. Qui è iniziata la sua carriera di cantante e impetuosi, pioggia scrosciante virtuoso dell’armonica. Ma musicisti di questo È notte interprete di numerosi ruoli per la Chicago 9. Uragano, Scena e Duetto (Edgardo, Enrico). tipo non sono facili da trovare; la parte viene 12. Aria finale (Edgardo). 18 – 19 Edgardo Lyric Opera, tra cui Giannetta e Adina (L’elisir 7 La tempesta che si è scatenata fuori è simile cancellata e poi – in modo più pratico, ma invoca le ombre degli avi a cui si unirà e d’amore), Barbarina e Susanna (Le nozze di a quella che tormenta il cuore di Edgardo. certamente meno commovente – aggiunta a maledice la donna da lui creduta infedele. Figaro). Oggi è uno dei principali soprani di 8 Arriva Enrico. Edgardo dichiara che la sua matita nella partitura del flauto.) La scena della 20 Ma un coro in lutto, proveniente dal coloritura a livello mondiale. presenza profana il luogo. Enrico gli dice che pazzia è un’attenta estensione di nuove castello, si avvicina e gli annuncia che Lucia sta Nel 1994 Elizabeth Futral è comparsa Lucia è stata già condotta al letto nuziale e che melodie, che danno corpo anche ai ricordi che morendo, invocando il suo nome. Si ode il in un apprezzato allestimento della Lakmé lui è lì per compiere la sua vendetta. All’alba si passano attraverso la mene turbata di Lucia: dal suono della campana dei moribondi. Edgardo di Delibes alla New York City Opera, e nel batteranno in duello nel cimitero di duetto accanto alla fontana, dalla scena con il desidera correre da lei, ma incontra Raimondo, 1996 ha partecipato al Rossini Opera Festival Ravenswood. 9 Nella cabaletta (in gran parte fratello. 15 Il primo “movimento” (“Oh lieto il quale gli rivela che la giovane è già morta. Nel di Pesaro, interpretando il ruolo di in terza, su un accompagnamento a ritmo di giorno” (“Oh day of rapture”), mentre Lucia movimento finale, Edgardo dice che si unirà a protagonista nella Matilde di Shabran, marcia) ognuno giura di uccidere l’altro. immagina le sue nozze con Edgardo) inizia in lei. 21 Dopo il primo verso di “Tu che a Dio nella prima rappresentazione dell’opera maniera quasi impercettibile, crescendo dalla spiegasti l’ala” (“Rest in peace, for I shall dopo 175 anni. Nello stesso anno è La galleria del castello, come nell’atto precedente frase, originariamente in armonica, che follow”), un passaggio di collegamento si arresta intervenuta al Wexford Festival (Catherine in 10a. Coro. 10 I festeggiamenti per le nozze accompagna il recitativo che lo precede. 16 su un accordo forte, decrescente, ed Edgardo si L’Etoile du nord di Meyerbeer). Nel 1998 ha procedono ma vengono interrotti Enrico entra; in un breve scambio a tre, spesso pugnala. La melodia è ripresa da un violoncello, creato il personaggio di Stella alla prima improvvisamente… omesso, viene colpito dal rimorso, mentre o da due violoncelli (nel manoscritto autografo, mondiale di A Streetcar named Desire di sir 10b. Gran Scena con Cori (Raimondo)… Raimondo spiega cosa è successo e Lucia rivive solo diventa due soli), a cui l’uomo morente André Previn. 11 – 12 dall’arrivo di Raimondo, portatore di l’orrore della maledizione di Edgardo. 17 Il aggiunge frasi spezzate e l’impeto di una nuova, Altri ruoli lirici comprendono Cleopatra una terribile notizia. Maestoso, dice alla finale, “Spargi di qualche pianto” (“Scatter disperata forza sul finale. (Giulio Cesare) per l’Opera di Los Angeles; la compagnia che Lucia, nella sua pazzia, ha your tears of anguish”), continua la tonalità protagonista in The Ballad of Baby Doe con la ucciso con una pugnalata il marito. (originariamente in fa, ma in mi bemolle nelle © 2002 Andrew Porter New York City Opera; Susanna e Nannetta 10c. Scena ed Aria (Lucia). 13 – 14 Entra partiture moderne) e, più o meno, il Traduzione: Emily Stefania Coscione (Falstaff ) per l’Opera di Monaco con Zubin

88 89 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 90

Mehta; il ruolo di protagonista in Lucia di Luciano Berio alla Scala di Milano, Alfredo (La traviata) e il ruolo di protagonista Nato a Canterbury, Peter Rose ha studiato Lammermoor con l’Opera di Dallas; Konstanze riproponendolo in seguito allo Châtelet di nel Faust per la Welsh National Opera; musica presso la University of East Anglia e (Die Entführung aus dem Serail ) con la Houston Parigi. Ha inoltre interpretato il ruolo di Alfredo e Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore) per la con Ellis Keeler presso la Guildhall School of Grand Opera e in concerto con la New York Balstrode all’Opéra National de Paris e Scottish Opera; Rodolfo e Dmitri (Boris Music and Drama. Nel 1985 vinceva una Philharmonic diretta da Sir Colin Davis. all’Opera di Vienna, quello di Falstaff alla Godunov) per Opera North; Froh (Das borsa di studio intitolata a Kathleen Ferrier e La discografia comprende L’Etoile du nord, Norske Opera di Oslo e quello di Ernani alla Rheingold ), Cassio (Otello), Tebaldo (Roméo et nel 1986 il Glyndebourne John Christie A Streetcar named Desire, L’Enfant et les Netherlands Reisopera. La sua attività Juliette) e Alfredo per The Royal Opera. A Award. Esordiva in teatro nel 1986 nel ruolo sortilèges di Ravel, Hydrogen Jukebox di Philip concertistica lo ha portato a Sydney, Colonia, livello internazionale ha interpretato, tra del Commendatore con la Glyndebourne Glass, oltre a Otello di Rossini e Carlo di in Israele, a Madrid, Lisbona, Hong Kong, l’altro, Anatol (Vanessa), Rodolfo e Alfredo Festival Opera a Hong Kong. È stato basso Borgogna di Pacini per Opera Rara. Roma, Dallas, Washington e al Carnegie Hall per l’Opera di Seattle; Alfredo a Cincinnati; solista della Welsh National Opera tra il 1986 di New York. Jenik (La sposa venduta) e Romeo (Roméo et e il 1989 e ha esordito alla Royal Opera House Alan Opie è stato baritono solista per molti La ricca discografia di Alan Opie per Juliette) per la Metropolitan Opera, New nel ruolo di Rochefort (Anna Bolena) con anni per English National Opera e ha Chandos comprende The Rape of Lucretia, York; Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) per la dame Joan Sutherland. interpretato numerosi ruoli importanti tra cui Peter Grimes (vincitore di un premio Grammy), Houston Grand Opera; Macduff (Macbeth) I suoi ruoli comprendono: Ramfis (Aida), Falstaff, che gli è valso una candidatura a un Billy Budd, War and Peace, The Wandering per Monte Carlo, e il ruolo di protagonista Fasolt (Das Rheingold) Cadmus/Somnus Olivier Award (Outstanding Achievement in Scholar di Holst e Troilus and Cressida, in Faust per i teatri lirici del Minnesota e di (Semele), Daland (Der fliegende Holländer), re Opera). Ha lavorato regolarmente anche per la vincitore di un premio Gramophone e, per Cincinnati. Marke (Tristan und Isolde) e il Commendatore Royal Opera House, Covent Garden e per il Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation Mary Le apparizioni in concerto comprendono alla Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Festival di Glyndebourne. Stuart, Pagliacci, The Barber of Seville, una tournée europea con l’Orchestra Gessler (Guillaume Tell ), il Commendatore e All’estero, è comparso tra l’altro nelle vesti La bohème, Il trovatore ed Ernani. of the Age of Enlightenment e sir Simon Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia) a San Francisco; di Beckmesser (Die Meistersinger) a Bayreuth, Rattle in esecuzioni della nona Sinfonia di Kecˇal (La sposa venduta) per la Chicago Lyric Amsterdam, Berlino, Monaco, Vienna e con Paul Charles Clarke è nato a Liverpool e ha Beethoven (interpretata anche con la Scottish Opera; Ramfis, Daland e Ochs alla sir Georg Solti e l’Orchestra sinfonica di studiato presso il Royal College of Music con Chamber Orchestra), ed Elijah di Metropolitan Opera; e altri ruoli per la Vienna Chicago; quest’ultima interpretazione è stata Neil Mackie. Nel 1989 ha vinto il concorso Mendelssohn diretto da Andrew Davis a Staatsoper, la Deutsche Staatsoper, l’Opera di registrata. Ha interpretato i ruoli di Balstrode intitolato a Kathleen Ferrier. Ha interpretato il Roma. Amburgo, ad Amsterdam e ai festival di (Peter Grimes), Sharpless (Madama Butterfly) e ruolo del duca (Rigoletto) per la Scottish Opera La discografia comprende Tebaldo (Roméo et Istanbul e Bregenz. Faninal (Der Rosenkavalier) alla Metropolitan e l’Opera di Seattle; Fenton (Falstaff ) in Juliette) e, per Chandos/Peter Moores Gli impegni concertistici lo hanno visto Opera di New York e ha creato il ruolo di Giappone e al Festival di Edimburgo; Gran Foundation, Pinkerton (Madam Butterfly) e il interpretare la nona Sinfonia di Beethoven con protagonista alla prima mondiale di Outis di Sacerdote (Idomeneo), Rodolfo (La bohème), ruolo di protagonista in Faust. Giulini; il Requiem di Mozart con Daniel

90 91 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 92

Barenboim e Zubin Mehta; l’ottava Sinfonia Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Tony (West Side (Orphée aux enfers) per Opera Holland Park, e Charlotte (Werther) e quello di Lucretia (The di Mahler con Tilson Thomas alla Albert Story) e il Conte Belfiore (Il viaggio a Reims). Don José (Carmen) e Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) Rape of Lucretia). In seguito ha esordito al Hall; il Requiem di Verdi al Barbican; Dall’autunno del 1999 fa parte dell’organico per la Welsh National Opera. È stato membro Festival di Glyndebourne nel ruolo della La Damnation de Faust con la Chicago della Volksoper di Vienna dove è apparso nelle della Royal Opera, Covent Garden dal 1999 al madre della quindicenne (Lulu), alla English Symphony Orchestra e sir Georg Solti; vesti di Flute (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), 2001 e i suoi ruoli hanno compreso Nikolio National Opera nelle vesti di Hermia (A L’Enfant et les sortilèges e L’Heure espagnole di Fenton e Bardolfo (Falstaff ), Ernesto (Greek Passion), Eisslinger (Die Meistersinger), Midsummer Night’s Dream) e alla Royal Opera Ravel con la Cleveland Orchestra diretta da (Don Pasquale), Remendado (Carmen), l’araldo (La battaglia di Legnano), Gaston nel ruolo di Suzy/Lolette (La Rondine) e Flora Boulez; la Missa Solemnis di Beethoven con la Belmonte e Pedrillo (Die Entführung aus (La traviata) e Fiesole (Palestrina). È comparso (La traviata). Ha cantato Polinesso (Ariodante) New York Philharmonic diretta da Masur. dem Serail ). anche con Crystal Clear Opera, Singapore con la Early Opera Company al Covent Le registrazioni comprendono Le nozze di Nelle sale da concerto Stephen Chaundy è Lyric Theatre e la European Chamber Opera. Garden Festival e Giacinta (La finta semplice) Figaro, The Seven Deadly Sins, Salome, Un comparso con la Filarmonica della Radio Il vasto repertorio concertistico di Peter al Buxton Opera Festival. ballo in maschera e, per Chandos/Peter olandese diretta da Edo de Waart e Claus Peter Wedd comprende il Messiah, la Passione Come solista della English National Opera i Moores Foundation, Aida, Ernani, The Barber Flor, al Concertgebouw e al festival di secondo S. Giovanni, i Requiem di Mozart e suoi ruoli hanno compreso Olga (Eugene of Seville e Tosca. Trondheimer e ha lavorato con direttori quali Verdi e il Magnificat di Pergolesi, l’Hymnus Onegin), Suzuki (Madam Butterfly), Marta Steuart Bedford, Alfred Eschwé, Karin Paradisi di Howells, la Messa glagolitica di (Mephistopheles), Maddalena (Rigoletto), la Dopo aver terminato gli studi nel 1994, Kamensek, Mark Foster, William Boughton e Janácˇek e la Serenata per Tenore, corno e archi Messaggiera (Orfeo), Bradamante (Alcina, Stephen Chaundy ha lavorato con una serie di Alberto Zedda. È apparso alla Queen di Britten. diretta da sir Charles Mackerras), Musetta compagnie britanniche, tra cui The Royal Elizabeth Hall nel Messiah di Handel e nel (La bohème di Leoncavallo) e Rosina (The Opera House, English Touring Opera, Lobgesang di Mendelssohn a Köthen. Le Christine Rice è nata a Manchester, dove ha Barber of Seville). Wexford Festival e Pimlico Opera. Il suo registrazioni comprendono la Messa di Gloria studiato. Si è iscritta in fisica al Balliol College In concerto, Christine Rice ha interpretato esordio internazionale è avvenuto nel 1996 a di Puccini. di Oxford prima di entrare al Royal Northern il Messiah, la Kronungsmesse, il Gloria di Monte Carlo con la creazione del ruolo di College of Music per studiare con Robert Vivaldi, The Dream of Gerontiu, Melanto in Lord Geoffrey nella prima mondiale di The Peter Wedd ha studiato presso la Guildhall Alderson. Qui ha ottenuto una borsa di studio Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, e Mrs Noah Picture of Dorian Gray di Lowell Liebermann. School of Music and Drama con William della Peter Moores Foundation; la Fondazione (Noye’s Flood ). Dal 1997 al 1999 è stato tenore solista presso McAlpine e al National Opera Studio, con ha finanziato anche un viaggio in Italia per il La discografia comprende Sea Pictures di il Tiroler Landestheater di Innsbruck dove ha l’appoggio della Peter Moores Foundation. perfezionamento nei ruoli di Rosina e della Elgar, Les Nuits d’été di Berlioz, Guilhen in interpretato i ruoli del conte Almaviva Gli impegni lirici hanno compreso Cascada Musetta di Leoncavallo. Per il Royal Northern Fervaal di Vincent d’Indy diretto da Jean-Yves (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Ferrando (Così fan (Die lustige Witwe) per la Royal Opera, Covent College of Music, la cantante ha interpretato, Ossonce e ima serie di recital di brani inglesi tutte), Camille Rossillon (Die lustige Witwe), Garden, Federico (L’Arlesiana) e Pluton tra l’altro, il ruolo molto apprezzato di con Iain Burnside per Radio 3.

92 93 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:53 pm Page 94

La carriera di cantante di Geoffrey Mitchell Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, Giuseppe Parigi, Ne m’oubliez pas, Emilia di Liverpool, Ha diretto diverse produzioni presso la English racchiude un repertorio notevole che spazia Sinopoli, Carlo Maria Giulini, Sir Andrew L’assedio di Calais, Rosmonda d’Inghilterra e National Opera e appare regolarmente dalla musica antica a quella contemporanea e Davis, Vladimir Ashkenazy e Esa-Pekka Maria de Rudenz di Donizetti, Dinorah di con la Philharmonia Orchestra. Nel che l’ha portato in Scandinavia, Germania, Salonen. Attualmente diretta dal Direttore Meyerbeer, Medea in Corinto di Mayr, Orazi e 1996 ha debuttato con Così fan tutte al nella ex Cecoslovacchia, in Canada e Principale Christoph von Dohnanyi e con Curiazi di Mercadante, Maria, regina Glyndebourne Festival, dove nel 1998 Australasia. L’esperienza di direzione degli inizi Leonard Slatkin in qualità di Direttore d’Inghilterra di Pacini e l’Otello di Rossini). ha diretto la prima mondiale di Flight di con la BBC lo ha condotto ad un maggiore Ospite Principale, l’Orchestra ha L’Orchestra ha registrato numerosi dischi per Jonathan Dove. coinvolgimento con i suoi stessi cantanti e consolidato la sua posizione centrale nella la Chandos, tra cui, nelle serie di Opera in È un frequente visitatore della Spagna dove inoltre alla creazione del Geoffrey Mitchell vita musicale britannica, non solo a Londra English con il patrocinio della Peter Moores si è esibito in concerto con la maggior parte Choir. Le prime registrazioni sono sfociate dove è Orchestra Residente al Royal Foundation, Don Giovanni, Madam Butterfly, delle maggiori orchestre spagnole. Ha diretto nel coinvolgimento a lungo termine del Festival Hall, ma anche nella società in Aida, The Elixir of Love, Faust, La bohème, la prima spagnola di Peter Grimes a Madrid e Coro con Opera Rara, per la quale ha inciso senso più ampio attraverso soggiorni sul Tosca vincitrice di un premio e otto album con nel 1996 la prima produzione spagnola di più di trenta registrazioni. Il Coro gode di una territorio. recital da solista di arie d’opera (con Bruce The Rake’s Progress. È apparso in Germania, fama sempre maggiore con ulteriore lavoro L’Orchestra ha ricevuto diversi premi Ford, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill, Svezia, Paesi Bassi, al Festival di Pesaro in dalla BBC e da case discografiche importanti ed ha conquistato il plauso della Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, Andrew Shore Italia, al Festival Internazionale di Hong Kong, internazionali. Per la Chandos il Geoffrey critica grazie alla sua vitalità e al calore unico e due con John Tomlinson). in Giappone con una tournée della Carmen e Mitchell Choir ha partecipato a numerose del suono. È stata lodata sia per la sua in Messico con la UNAM Symphony registrazioni nelle applaudite serie di Opera in programmazione innovativa, al centro della David Parry ha studiato con Sergiu Orchestra. Recenti nuove produzioni da lui English con il patrocinio della Peter Moores quale vi è un impegno ad interpretare e Celibidache ed ha cominciato la sua carriera dirette comprendono il Fidelio al Festival della Foundation. commissionare una musica nuova dei come assistente di Sir John Pritchard. Ha Nuova Zelanda, Maria Stuarda al Teatro di principali compositori viventi al mondo, tra i debuttato all’English Music Theatre, quindi è Basilea e Lucia di Lammermoor alla New Israeli Dai buoni auspici degli inizi nel 1945, quando quali l’attuale Compositore in Visita James diventato direttore d’orchestra presso la Opera. fu creata da Walter Legge principalmente MacMillan. Städtische Bühnen Dortmund e la Opera Il suo lavoro in studio di registrazione come orchestra di registrazione, la L’Orchestra si reca frequentemente all’estero North. È stato Direttore Musicale di comprende la produzione della BBC di Philharmonia Orchestra ha continuato ad in tournée ed è l’orchestra sinfonica più Opera 80 dal 1983 al 1987 e dal 1992 è Der Vampyr di Marschner nonché ventuno attirare alcuni fra i direttori più importanti del registrata al mondo con ben più di 1000 stato Direttore Musicale fondatore dell’Opera registrazioni operistiche complete con il ventesimo secolo. Hanno collaborato più incisioni all’attivo. Tra queste vi sono, per di Almeida. patrocinio della Peter Moores Foundation. Tra frequentemente con l’Orchestra Otto Opera Rara, parecchi dischi di arie d’opera Lavora copiosamente in opere e questi vi sono numerosi dischi per l’etichetta Klemperer (primo Direttore Principale), nonché undici opere complete (Ugo, conte di concerti, a livello nazionale ed internazionale. Opera Rara che hanno vinti parecchi premi, tra

94 95 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 96

cui il belga Prix Cecilia per la Rosmonda nonché Aida, Don Giovanni, Ernani, Faust, d’Inghilterra di Donizetti. Per Chandos ha Don Pasquale, The Elixir of Love, La bohème, diretto nove registrazioni di arie d’opera (con Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, Tosca (vincitrice Andrew Shore, Bruce Ford, Diana Montague, di un premio) e brani scelti da Der Dennis O’Neill, Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, Rosenkavalier, tutte in collaborazione con la Della Jones et due con John Tomlinson), Peter Moores Foundation.

Session photo: Elizabeth Futral

Session photo: Paul Charles Clarke

Session photo: Christine Rice

96 97 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 98

COMPACT DISC ONE fortune has turned against me… At the last moment, a shot rang out through the Normanno Meanwhile Edgardo… air… One who detests you… Part One: The Parting Whose implacable hatred threatens our family, The savage creature fell dead before her. Raimondo insolent and haughty, Scene 1 Enrico (Oh heavens!) spies on me from his ruined tower and mocks And who fired the shot? 1 No. 1: Prelude and Introductory Chorus me! Normanno There is one man whose influence can help me Normanno Who would destroy you… Normanno to reassert my waning power… Someone… whose name has since remained a 2 Through the park and the woods that surround it, Enrico Lucia dares to refuse his hand in marriage!… secret. you must search for a clue till you’ve found it: Ah! See how my sister loves me! Do you mean to tell me… drive him out from wherever he’s hiding, Enrico Edgardo? as devotion and honour commands. Raimondo And then Lucia?… A girl in mourning, who weeps for the loss of Raimondo Chorus the mother whom she so treasured, Normanno (Ah!) Through the park and the woods that surround it, Fell in love. could she be ready yet to think of a marriage? Normanno we must search for a clue till we’ve found it: We must be respectful of a heart full of grief, Enrico I suspect so. drive him out from wherever he’s hiding wary of love. So she has seen him?… as honour commands. Enrico Normanno (with irony) Normanno 4 Trembling, I feel the horror that your suspicions Normanno and Chorus Wary of love. Every morning… waken. Truth will shine like a great flash of lightning, She is consumed with passion! Such shameful words as yours should have and like thunder its voice will resound. Enrico remained unspoken. Drive him out from wherever he’s hiding, Enrico And where? My blood runs cold, I palpitate, I shake with as devotion and honour command. What are you saying? Normanno nameless dread, Raimondo On that same pathway. she nurses a guilty passion who should by right Scene 2 (Be silent!…) Enrico obey me! No. 2: Scena and Cavatina Normanno How dare she! Normanno Pray listen. Normanno You know who the seducer is? In shielding honour perhaps I went One day, Lucia walked out alone along the path 3 You seem unhappy. Normanno too far. through the wood which leads toward the I only have suspicions. Enrico tomb of your mother… Raimondo And with good reason. You know my star is Suddenly out of nowhere, a bull ran straight Enrico (Lord, save him from dishonour: fading: towards her… So tell me. Have mercy, I implore!)

98 99 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 100

Enrico with his noble horse behind him, Wretched traitors! Scene 4 Ah! Rather than let the infamy of such a love he passed by in deathly silence. The force of my anger 7 No. 3: Scena and Cavatina destroy me, Then he leapt into the saddle, will destroy the love that blinds you, far better that a thunderbolt should strike the galopped off towards the fountain… and the guilty knot that binds you Lucia 8 traitress dead, Ah! But a forester informed us of the name of this with my dagger I shall cut. He is not here yet!… Alisa Normanno intruder. Chorus What madness! Heavens! Enrico Patience now: Why have we come here? Raimondo Who was it? tomorrow morning we shall catch him, It is so foolish thus to defy your brother and take there’s no doubt, no, no doubt. (Heavens!) Chorus such risks! Normanno Edgardo. Raimondo Lucia (Ah! The poison of disaster strikes the family at I went too far. Enrico I know that. its heart!) I pray Edgardo knows too the dangers that Raimondo Villain! Enrico threaten to destroy us… (Have mercy I implore.) Enrico Silent, be silent! Ah! Alisa How dare he see my sister? Scene 3 All in vain do you try to waken tender feelings Why do you look around you, anxious and This affront I shall not bear! of compassion: Chorus frightened? from this hour a fiercer passion, righteous 5 Your suspicions are confirmed now. Raimondo Lucia Ah no, it cannot be, no, no… vengeance, fills my heart. By the fountain, Ah! Normanno Do not blame her… Wretched traitors! Always my blood runs cold, I tremble. Do you hear? The force of my anger will destroy the love that You know the story: Enrico blinds you, Enrico No, this affront I shall not bear. a Ravenswood, burning with jealous fury, Continue. and the guilty knot that binds you found his beloved… No! I will not hear. with my dagger I shall cut. Chorus enraged, he stabbed her… Raimondo (How dreadful!) Raimondo the wretched victim fell into the water, She is… Ah… Listen. After fruitless hours of searching, Ah! It cannot be… and in that water she lay buried… I saw that woman’s ghost here… we were overcome with tiredness; Enrico Ah! Disaster strikes the family at its heart! The poison of disaster strikes the family at its so, to rest our limbs a moment, 6 All in vain do you try to waken tender feelings Alisa we sat down beneath the pine trees. of compassion: heart! What happened? From the darkness of the forest appeared a pallid from this hour a fiercer passion, righteous Chorus Lucia figure; vengeance, fills my heart. We shall catch him, there’s no doubt. I’ll tell you.

100 101 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 102

9 In deepest night a silence reigned, joy overcomes the pain inside me and then, Edgardo Lucia sultry and still in the darkness… with him beside me, my soul flies to realms Before I leave you, I shall meet your brother… Edgardo! The fountain, lit by the pallid moon, above. I shall extend to him the hand of friendship. Edgardo stood out in ghostly starkness… Then, as a peaceful gesture, I shall ask to marry Hear me and tremble! Suddenly, in a rush of wind, Alisa you. 12 Pray remember that my father was destroyed by I heard a moan and there Ah! I have a deep foreboding: Ashton’s lying; I saw her, saw her standing on the bank, Ah! A curse lies on your love. Lucia I swore vengeance upon your brother as I I saw the spectre appear, Ah! Ah! Lucia, ah, there’s danger! You must not!… watched my father dying: She moved her lips, but wordlessly, Ah no!… when I saw you, I burned no longer with trying in vain to address me… No. 4: Scena and Duet The secret of the love that binds us must still resentment, Her lifeless hand seemed to beckon me, remain unspoken. Alisa for love was stronger; as if she would caress me; 11 Here is Edgardo… but my vow is not forgotten and I shall, heaving a sigh of hopelessness, Edgardo (ironically) There, inside the doorway, yes, I shall fulfill it yet. she vanished where she stood, I see now! I shall be keeping watch. and then the water, so clear at first, He who hounds me, and all my family too, Lucia although I am ruined, is not satisfied yet! became a pool of blood, Edgardo Ah! Be silent, ah, be silent, calm your anger… He took my father, my house and income from ah yes, so clear at first, Lucia, forgive me if I have asked to see you at an me… Edgardo became a pool of blood. unusual time: What more, then? Ah, Lucia! Ah, no, no. a pressing reason led me to do it. Alisa What can he want, that heartless tyrant, Long before tomorrow’s sun has risen, Lucia I see the meaning you shun now: that devil? I shall be travelling far from these shores. Thoughts rashly spoken can bring disaster! what you have seen prefigures disaster. Ah! To reduce me to begging? Do you care that I’m in danger? Lucia, Lucia, there’s danger when such passion is Lucia To see me perish? Would you harm me by your actions? your master!… What is this? How he hates me… Love me! Renounce your endeavour and forget Detests me… that vow forever: Lucia Edgardo He is sunlight to my existence, far more noble, far more sacred are the tender I must set sail tonight, Lucia vows of love. all the comfort I could ever desire. heading for France, Ah, no… 10 When, in the burning ecstasy of overwhelming You must forget that vow for ever. there to discuss the fortunes of our beloved Ah! Be calm, be calm, I beg you! Love me and forget. passion, Scotland. murmured with sweet devotion, Edgardo Edgardo (with sudden resolution) he swears eternal love, Lucia Guilt and anguish have made me wretched… But that vow is not forgotten my earthly fears abandon me, And I, abandoned, can do nothing but weep… Hear me… and I shall fulfill it yet.

102 103 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 104

13 Let us swear to love for ever, let us make the Edgardo Edgardo Enrico vows of marriage! I shall think of you, you only, Dearest! I am anxious to see her. Love’s a knot that none shall sever, every hour of every day. Yes, yes, Lucia, yes, yes. The celebrations for the wedding will soon be love’s an altar that none shall disparage! Lucia and Edgardo starting: Lucia Heaven witness that we are united: Ah! Imagine when the breezes sigh our friends and relations are already arriving; Ah! I’m your husband. you hear the sigh of your lover, and then Arturo will be here… 14 Imagine when the breezes sigh and by the sea a soft lament, What happens if she persists in refusing to Lucia you hear the sigh of your lover, echoing over and over; marry?… And I your wife. and by the sea a soft lament, but then recall the agony echoing over and over; Normanno Lucia and Edgardo that fills my aching heart, but then recall the agony Do not fear: Only love that shines so brightly shedding a tear of bitterness that fills my aching heart, the lengthy absence of Edgardo, the interception can dispel the shadow of death. that we are kept apart. This I promise, to love you rightly, shedding a tear of bitterness of their letters and our plan to deceive her Edgardo this I promise by heaven and earth. that we are kept apart. that he is dallying with another will surely be I leave you… enough to extinguish Lucia’s devotion. Edgardo Edgardo Lucia Enrico Now, alas, is the time of parting. Ah! Imagine when the breezes sigh Farewell… you hear the sigh of your lover, She is approaching. Lucia Edgardo and by the sea a soft lament, Have you forged the letter? Oh, remember how much I need you! Do not forget: echoing over and over; Hand it to me. In my thoughts I travel with you. in god’s eyes we are one! but then recall the agony Now go out along the highway Edgardo that fills my aching heart, Lucia that leads here from our capital city and, In my thoughts I stay beside you. shedding a tear of bitterness Edgardo! with the ceremony due him, receive Arturo. Lucia that we are kept apart. Edgardo Ah! Edgardo! Ah! Edgardo! Farewell! Scene 2 Lucia No. 6: Duet Edgardo Ah! Yes! We are kept apart, Edgardo… Part Two Now the time has come to part. Edgardo Act I Enrico 16 Lucia Ah! We are kept apart. Scene 1 Come here to me, Lucia. Ah! If you have time for writing, I hoped to see you happier on this morning, send some word to one who is waiting; Lucia No. 5: Scena the morning when the sacred rites one whose heart, bereft and lonely, You must write to bring me comfort Normanno of marriage are being prepared for you. will draw hope from what you say. in my pain and my distress. 15 Lucia is coming to you soon. You’re staring and silent.

104 105 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 106

Lucia In this letter you’ll discover that you loved a vile Lucia Enrico 17 In my eyes, as I approach you, see how suffering seducer. Please tell me… And you must save me. torments a woman, Read it. How I silently reproach you with the anguish Enrico Lucia Lucia that you have caused me. Heralds your husband. Enrico! Ah! My heart is in my mouth… God in heaven forgive the inhuman, the Lucia Enrico relentless way you opposed, Enrico I’m shivering… I tremble with emotion! Go to your husband… that anguish that you caused. You are shaking! Enrico Enrico Lucia Lucia Your marriage-bed awaits you soon… I was right to show my anger at your blind He deceived me!… But I cannot marry. infatuation: Ah! I see the dreadful truth. Lucia Enrico Let us dwell on that no longer… 18 In secret I suffered the loneliness of waiting… My tomb, yes, my tomb is the bed that awaits No, you must save me. I am a loving brother to you. My past as my future resided in his faith; me! I have forgotten my indignation; but waiting and hoping must give way to death: Darkness clouds my eyes! Lucia now forget this madness too. This act of base betrayal has shattered our love… But… A noble husband… Oh, heaven! Enrico This is the critical moment! Alas! Now waiting and hoping must give way to Enrico Lucia Listen, the king is dying… Stop it… stop it! death. You have to! Yes, this act of betrayal has shattered our love. Maria, the queen, herself is sure to succeed Enrico him… Lucia What? Enrico My faction was opposed to her, and she will Oh God! Oh God! A love that was madness, a faith that was fiction show no mercy… Lucia seduced you away from your family’s protection; Enrico To another I swore eternal love. but you have been spared now by heaven above. Lucia 20 Your refusal will destroy me and the honour that Enrico! This act of betrayal has shattered your love. Ah! I am shaking! I so cherish… Enrico This act of base betrayal has shattered your love. Enrico You abandon me to perish; No, you could not. Lucia Only Arturo can rescue me from danger, you prepare the fatal axe… But my ghost, irate and threatening, Lucia 19 What is that? he only… I swore to another, I swore him eternal love. in your dreams will come to haunt you, Enrico Lucia and the bloody axe will taunt you, Enrico The joyful trumpeting, And I must?… hovering always before your eyes, Enough!… there, in the distance?… And I must?… hovering always in front of your eyes.

106 107 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 108

Lucia Scene 3 Lucia Lucia God above, who knowest my suffering, I know there is sense in what you are saying: Ah! Silence… Ah! No. 7: Scena and Aria who art with me at every moment, but my suffering heart is deaf to reason! I obey you… as a daughter and a sister. if the pain of earthly torment in thy heavenly Lucia Raimondo realms shall cease, 21 At last! Raimondo Oh! What rapture your words have given me! take me from this world, I beg thee, Try to be stronger. Raimondo Now we shall avert disaster!… where so bitterly I languish: The hopes you cherished have finally been What rapture! I, whose life has been such anguish Lucia crushed. 23 In making such a sacrifice duty and honour long for death to end my sighs. Ah, no! I cannot betray him! I was certain that your good brother, just as you guide you: Enrico suspected, Raimondo fame of your noble action echoes in heav’n Your marriage-bed awaits you now… had intercepted all of the mail that left here and 22 Ah! Listen, listen to friendly guidance, above. Lucia prevented your letters from reaching France lest disaster should reward you… And, if our human sympathy should ever be No, my tomb! and your beloved: think of my unswerving allegiance, denied you, so I entrusted one of your letters to a loyal of the mother who adored you: then god himself shall wipe away your tears of Enrico servant who was to meet him… let the danger to your brother thwarted love. You have to save me… all in vain! touch your heart and change your mind. Lucia Lucia No word has come still… Think how much it would have hurt your Help me to live, to bear this pain… Darkness clouds my eyes… such a silence must surely tell you that he is mother had she known you be so blind! I need to stay beside you: faithless! Ah, Listen, let the danger to your brother Enrico years of suffering face me, a life devoid of love. Ah, your refusal will destroy me Lucia touch your heart and change your mind. and the honour that I so cherish… And you advise me?… Raimondo you abandon me to perish; Lucia Take courage! Raimondo your prepare the fatal axe… Silence… silence… We shall avert disaster! To submit to your fate now. My dearest girl, take courage! But my ghost will haunt you, Raimondo Lucia Ah! In making such a sacrifice etc. and the bloody axe will taunt you, No, no, listen. hovering always in front of your eyes. Our vows of marriage?… Lucia Lucia Raimondo Lucia In heav’n above, yes. Take me from this world, I beg thee, My dear, you are dreaming! Ah! Ah! Silence… Ah! God save me! where so bitterly I languish: Vows of marriage that have not been blessed by a Life will be cruel… I, whose life has been such anguish minister of god, neither in heaven nor on Raimondo Edgardo, you have betrayed me! long for death to end my sighs. earth have any value. Your mother! And your brother! Help me now… I obey you… Ah!

108 109 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 110

COMPACT DISC TWO friendship and love you shall gain here, Arturo Lucia we welcome you to celebrate: Ah! (What misery!) Scene 4 friendship and love you shall gain; Chorus Enrico your light will dispel our darkness, No. 8: Finale II. Scena and Cavatina Your bride is here, Lucia. Sign it! your help relieve our pain, Chorus in friendship’s sacred name. Enrico (Lucia signs.) 1 We welcome you to celebrate 3 Our mother’s death still grieves her… Lucia here in our midst your marriage; No. 8b: Finale II. Scena and Quartet Here is your husband… (I have signed my death warrant, surely.) we welcome you who bring us hope Arturo (Be careful!… will you betray me?) and give us back our courage. 2 Enrico Where is Lucia? Lucia Friendship and love have brought you, (Thank heaven!) (God help me!) friendship and love you shall gain here, Enrico we welcome you to celebrate: She will be here, and very soon. Arturo Lucia friendship and love you shall gain; She may appear unduly solemn: Accept, I beg you, my offering of love and sweet (I am freezing and burning… your light will dispel our darkness, do not be anxious. affection… I am fainting…) No, no you must not! your help relieve our pain. Alisa, Arturo, Enrico, Raimondo and Chorus Our mother’s death still grieves her: Enrico Who is there… Who is it?… Arturo she is inclined to sadness… (Be careful!) The night of your unhappiness The marriage contract is waiting. Arturo Edgardo through me at last has ended: Come closer. I see now, yes, yes, I see now. Edgardo! your waning star will shine again, Lucia more brilliant and splendid. Enrico Lucia (God help me!) Enrico, now we are brothers Our mother’s death still grieves her and fills her Edgardo! I’m thunderstruck! our paths shall be the same; with sadness. Arturo Alisa, Arturo, Enrico, Raimondo and Chorus henceforth I swear to protect you Arturo Oh happy moment! Edgardo! Hated name! Edgardo! in friendship’s sacred name. One thing disturbs me. Lucia Edgardo Chorus Rumours about Edgardo suggest (The moment of sacrifice calls.) 4 What restrains me at such a moment? Ah! We welcome you to celebrate that he may love her, What has cooled my raging fury? Raimondo here in our midst your marriage; that he has dared to meet her… One so frightened and in such torment (God guide her through her torment!) we welcome you who bring us hope tell me plainly. I am certain must be guilty!… and give us back our courage. Enrico Enrico But she fades, that fragile flower; Friendship and love have brought you, It is true: he did approach her, but… Do not delay. Sign it! death would take her in its power!…

110 111 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 112

And, however much she hurt me, Alisa and Chorus God has forbidden any murder; Lucia I still love her from my heart. How she fades, that fragile flower! and it is said: Yes… Death would take her in its power! ‘He who takes a sword to his brother Edgardo Enrico One who does not weep to see her, by the sword shall be struck dead.’ The ring that you gave me is yours once more! What restrains my righteous anger? in his breast there beats no heart! Brothers! Brothers! What has cooled my vengeful fury? Give me mine back. She is innocent, and no longer Arturo Enrico What a horrifying moment! This is madness! Lucia can I scorn her tender story. Ah! At least… I betrayed that fragile flower: All my loving words escape me! What can have brought you to this place now? death would take her in its power!… In the darkness of this torment Edgardo Edgardo Ah! The thought will not desert me not a ray of hope to help me! Fate has brought me, fate and justice. I’m waiting. of the cruel remorse that fills my heart. How she fades, that fragile flower! Death would take her in its power! Enrico Lucia Lucia (to Alisa) One who does not weep to see her, Wretch, how dare you! Edgardo! Edgardo! I imagined that this moment in this breast there beats no heart! Edgardo Edgardo would have crushed me like a flower! Yes, Lucia made a vow that she was mine. You betrayed us, our vows and our love. No. 8c: Continuation and Stretta of Finale II That to save me from this torment Raimondo Cursed be the moment when I saw you! death would take me in its power! Arturo and Enrico Ah! Cast aside this hopeless passion: Cursed my own heart, that made me adore you! Now the veil of lies has fallen: 5 Wretched man, do as we tell you: she is married. You are evil as your family: I am lost, my future is stolen! leave here at once, or we shall kill you! I should never have trusted you. I would weep, and yet I cannot: Edgardo But God himself will grant me vengeance and ah, all my tears are locked within my aching Chorus Married!… destroy you… heart! Leave at once or we shall kill you! No! Lucia Edgardo Raimondo Raimondo Ah! I will die, but first make certain Read this. What a horrifying moment! that your guilty blood is shed. All my soothing words escape me! Edgardo Enrico, Raimondo and Chorus In the darkness of this torment Raimondo You tremble… Be silent, go! not a ray of hope to help me! Hear these words, which are invested with confusion… Enrico How she fades, that fragile flower! with the majesty of god. Did you sign this? Leave us! Leave us! Death would take her in its power! In his name do I command you: I need an answer: One who does not weep to see her, put such violent thoughts behind you. did you sign this? Raimondo in his breast there beats no heart! Men are brothers… Answer! Brothers!

112 113 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 114

Arturo, Enrico and Chorus trust the mercy, the mercy of God! Alisa let the world perish… 6 Go, you villain, detested and hated! Broken-hearted, go quickly, I pray you… Broken-hearted, go quickly, I pray you… But am I dreaming? Go, while the force of our wrath has abated! Don’t let bitter reproaches delay you… Ah! Don’t let bitter reproaches delay you! No, I can hear horses outside the door! Don’t let bitter reproaches delay you… Life lies before you; with time you’ll forget her, Ah! Go! You… Who’s there? Soon our fury, relentless, impatient, trust in the infinte mercy of God! Life lies before you; with time you’ll forget her, On such a night as this one, shall be unleashed unrestrained on your head. Trust in the mercy of God, trust the infinite mercy of God! when winds and storms are raging, yes, unseen joy can emerge from affliction, Heavens! Go now! who would have made this journey? Raimondo trust in the infinite mercy of God! Unseen joy can emerge from affliction, Broken-hearted, go quickly, I pray you… trust the infinite mercy of God. Scene 2 Don’t let bitter reproaches delay you… Arturo Life lies before you: with time you’ll forget her; Leave us! Go! Chorus Enrico trust in the infinite mercy of God! Lest this outrage be erased by your blood. Leave us! Go! I have! Go! Go! Go, you villain! Lest this outrage be erased by your blood. Lucia Edgardo Go, you villain, detested and hated! Go, go! Go, you villain! God in heaven, I pray thee, protect him! What presumption! Go, while the power of our wrath has abated! Go, detested and hated! Hear the voice of a suffering victim: 8 Ashton! Soon our fury, relentless, impatient, While the power of our wrath has abated! Every joy that I longed for has vanished; shall be unleashed unrestrained on your head. Soon our fury, relentless, impatient, Enrico Every hope that I nurtured is dead… Lest the stain of this terrible outrage shall be unleashed unrestrained on your head. Yes. Grant this final request, I implore thee, be erased by your blood, by your cowardly blood! Lest the strain of this terrible outrage from the lips of thy servant, Oh God. be erased by your cowardly blood. Edgardo God in heaven protect him! Enrico You dare to come here and to stand without Leave us! Go! Go quickly! shame before me? Edgardo Part II Go, lest the stain of this terrible outrage Thrust your swords in me! Then leave me lying ah, be erased by your blood, Act II Enrico on the ground here, exhausted and dying! by your cowardly blood. What you have done is truly shameful!… Let the heartless, the faithless Lucia Scene 1 Go, you villain! feast her eyes on the blood I have shed! Edgardo Go now, leave us! No. 9: Scena and Duet Let her trample my body beneath her What I have done?… Go, you villain, detested and hated! Edgardo as she approaches the altar of God! Enrico Go, while the force of our wrath has abated. 7 Violent and cruel is the night, Did you not interrupt the wedding? Raimondo Soon our fury, relentless, impatient, cruel as the fate I suffer. Broken-hearted! Go, I pray you! shall be unleashed unrestrained on your head. Yes, storms are raging… thunder and Edgardo All your life lies there before you; Lest the stain of this terrible outrage lightning… Here my father’s spirit wanders, and with time you will forget her, be erased by your cowardly blood. let nature herself become unnatural; roused to anger by your presence!

114 115 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 116

Here the air with fury thunders, Enrico Enrico Let us forget the past: our day is dawning earth itself cries out for vengeance!… I’ll tell you now. There lies your final resting place. favoured by heaven envied by men. Yet you made the fateful journey Know that the sword of justice Our hated enemies shall hear the warning to your enemy’s abode: is wielded by my family; Edgardo that fortune shines on us so brightly again. do you expect me to show mercy that to avenge my sister, Death awaits you there. and forget what I am owed. you by that sword shall perish… Edgardo and Enrico Scene 4 But I shall dispatch you… Enrico At dawn tomorrow. Ah! No. 10b: Gran Scena with Chorus Never shall I relinquish that pleasure! 9 We led Lucia to the altar… I long for the moment when daylight is Raimondo To her marriage-bed we led her… Edgardo dawning; 11 Stop at once your celebrations. Know that at my father’s deathbed I swore to I long for the red sky that heralds the morning. Edgardo tear your heart out! To suffer no longer this terrible anger, Chorus (To imagine them together!… more dreadful than thunder, You are paler than a corpse. Oh what torment! How can I bear it?) Enrico than lightning more strong! You!… Raimondo Enrico Oh heavens, be bloody! Stop this, stop this. To her marriage-bed! Edgardo Be bloody my weapon: Yes. the death of the coward Chorus Edgardo shall put right this wrong. Heav’ns! What is it? (How can I bear it?) Go on! Go on! Enrico You!… Edgardo Raimondo Enrico I swore I would tear your heart out. Edgardo The worst has happened! Pray listen. The graveyard at Ravenswood… Though the day was blessed beyond measure, Name the time! Chorus though triumphant joy should fire me, Enrico Enrico How we shudder at your words! still my heart was closed to pleasure: The sword of justice is ours. We’ll meet at the first light of dawn tomorrow Raimondo only vengeance could inspire me! morning. Tomorrow at dawn. So I came in bitter earnest Ah! From the chamber in which Lucia and her husband were retiring to avenge my sister’s hurt; Edgardo Scene 3 and the fury of the tempest Where? came the frightful, the hideous screaming of a No. 10a: Chorus man whose life was expiring! matched the storm within my heart. Enrico 10 So great the happiness that we are voicing, I ran quickly there, gripped with terror. Edgardo There in the graveyard at Ravenswood. all Scotland echoes our cries of rejoicing. Words can scarce describe the horror!… (Oh what pain! How can I bear it?) Edgardo Our hated enemies shall hear the warning Cold and lifeless, besmirched with blood stains What do you want of me? I’ll come. Yes, I’ll come. that fortune shines on us brightly again. on the ground lay Arturo’s body!…

116 117 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 118

And Lucia clasped the dagger which her crime Scene 5 See them, and all the candles blazing around us. Lucia had made so bloody!… Here is the minister. My answer? Piercing eyes she fixed upon me… No. 10c: Scena and Aria Take my hand in your hand… Enrico ‘My poor husband has gone?…’ Oh day of rapture. Chorus Oh, she is so pale! she asked me; 13 Oh God in heaven! At last you hold me, at last I hold you: on her lips for just a moment No power on earth can help her! a sacred passion has called you. Lucia played a smile so sweet and kind: Sweet consummation’s rapture My answer? wretched creature! In her torment Lucia is ours to share forever. Raimondo she has surely lost her mind! Ah! His voice so gentle spoke as if to caress me!… For heav’n doth grant us its blessing She has succumbed to madness… When I first heard it, and life shall be painful no more. remember you cruel man, her life is in the Chorus I felt my heart stop beating!… 12 balance. What you have told us is past believing!… Edgardo, your bride is waiting, Raimondo, Normanno and Chorus All our rejoicing is turned to grieving! Edgardo, ah, my own Edgardo. Nothing can be done to help her! Enrico Night, lend your darkness to cast a shadow I have escaped from those who hate you. Oh Lord, show mercy on her, we implore!… God help us! over the shame of this bloody crime. A shiver seems to run through my veins!… Raimondo See how I tremble… Lucia 16 Here is Enrico. Raimondo I feel so weak! Oh what misery! May heaven pardon her act of madness There by the fountain you sat beside me often. Do not be so disdainful… and spare its wrath in this dreadful time. Scene 6 14 Alas! I see the spectre between us and we are To sign that contract was painful… Enrico His anger is terrible… Chorus parted!… Tell me then, can it be true, this rumour? He breaks the ring I gave him… May heaven pardon her act of madness Alas! Alas! Edgardo! Edgardo! Here we are safe, Edgardo, before the altar… and he curses me heartlessly. and spare its wrath in this dreadful time. Raimondo Roses adorn it! My brother made me save him… Alas, yes, it is true! but I always, always loved you, Edgardo, Raimondo Do you not hear the music? and I love you still. Piercing eyes she fixed upon me Heavenly harmonies… Enrico My Edgardo, you must believe me… as she clasped the dagger to her. Ah! The wedding hymn is playing… Ah, evil girl! The service is beginning! I’ll punish your betrayal… I always loved you. I am so happy!… Chorus Chorus Enrico and Raimondo Edgardo! Edgardo! I am so happy! As she clasped the dagger to her. No, stop it… Have mercy on her, oh Lord, we implore. Oh joy beyond expression, it lies so deeply inside Raimondo me! Raimondo Lucia Here she is. 15 They bring the incense… Oh heavn’s! Just look at the girl’s appearance. Whom must I marry?

118 119 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 120

Arturo! Scene 7 No, never come here, to flaunt your faithlessness, Edgardo I must marry… Arturo! respect the one who died for you. Ah! Lucia! Dying… Lucia!… Ah!… No. 12: Aria Finale Ah! Do not go… You faithless girl, the one who died for you. Dawn, that glitters like a jewel, Ah! Stay with me… I beg!… Edgardo she will never see again, Scene 8 18 My ancestors lie here buried: my poor Lucia?… Enrico soon I shall join them, Chorus Chorus Wretched creature! I, the last of a family 20 Such misfortune! Alas! That is the ringing of the death knell… Ah! Have mercy on her, oh Lord! which has been cursed by misfortune. A fate so cruel! Lucia… Lucia!… The fire of anger flickered and vanished… Surely now her state is hopeless! Edgardo God help us! all I want is to perish upon my enemy’s sword. Dawn, that glitters like a jewel Ah! It echoes deep within me!… Life is a burden past all endurance!… she will never see again! Now my fate has been decided!… Raimondo and Chorus The whole universe itself a desert for me without Edgardo Once again I have to see her… Wretched creature! Lucia!… God in heaven!… I shall see her… Ah! Have mercy on her, oh Lord! The candles are still burning up in the castle… what has happened?… Ah! I have to… What horror fills our hearts. Ah! The night was too short for your revels!… Chorus Ungrateful woman! Chorus Such misfortune! Lucia While desperation reduces me to weeping, Oh, heav’n! Ah, no! Stay with me Edgardo! you laugh in exultation with your fortunate Edgardo What an outburst! This is madness! 17 Scatter your tears of anguish husband! Tell me, pray, for whom you are weeping? Ah, restrain yourself, where my earthly shell lies dying. You are completely happy while I am dying! Give me an answer, I implore! stay here, stay here! My wingèd soul is flying 19 A lonely grave will shelter me, You say Lucia! Raimondo to pray for you above… forgotten and neglected; Go on, tell me!… At heaven’s gates I shall languish, Poor young man, where are you running? no one will shed a tear for me, Chorus Here on earth she is no more. waiting for you, my love. whose love has been rejected. I am dying for you, my love. For Lucia. Ah! Even in death my wretched soul Such misfortune… Edgardo Enrico shall be oppressed anew. Yes, the wretched girl is dying. Lucia! Forget you cruel girl, Full of remorse and anguish When they forced her to the altar, Raimondo this place where I am buried: my days on earth will prove. all at once she lost her reason… Try to bear it! no, never flaunt your faithlessness here Now she lies, exhausted, dying, Raimondo and Chorus with the man you married. calling out your name and sighing… Edgardo Nothing can heal her anguish, Ah! At least respect the memory Dawn, that glitters like a jewel, On earth she is no more? not even heav’nly love. of one who died for you. she will never see again. So she must be…

120 121 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 122

Raimondo Raimondo and Chorus In heaven. Try to be calm… Edgardo Edgardo Lucia is no more!… No, no, no… Thomas Grosscup Chorus Raimondo Try to bear it! Try to bear it! What have you done?… Edgardo Edgardo 21 Rest in peace, for I shall follow I shall follow… where our love will last for ever; my beloved… leave behind me, Ah! let us soar above together This mortal pain… and leave behind us mortal pain. anger and resentment… Ah! Though anger and resentment we were divided… have destroyed the faith we plighted, My beloved, God will join us in heaven again. though on earth we were divided, Though on earth we were divided God will join us in heaven again, God will join us in heaven again! yes, our love will last for ever, Raimondo God will join us once again. How you suffer! I shall follow… Such a sin! Raimondo May God forgive you… You are desperate! Ah yes, may God forgive such a sin! Raimondo and Chorus Chorus Ah! What is this? Oh what pain! Oh, to kill yourself, how dreadful! Edgardo God forgive you such a sin, I shall die now… Heaven forgive you such a sin! Elizabeth Futral in the Translation by David Parry title role of New Orleans Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor

122 123 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 124

Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos

CHAN 3011(2) CHAN 3017(2)

CHAN 3079(2) CHAN 3027(2) CHAN 3083BOOK.qxd21/5/075:54pmPage126 Opera inEnglish onChandos

CHAN 3013 CHAN 3006

CHAN 3032 CHAN 3010 Opera inEnglish onChandos

CHAN 3049 CHAN 3035

CHAN 3076 CHAN 3044 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 128

Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos

CHAN 3052(2) CHAN 3036(2) CHAN 3030(2) CHAN 3023(2)

CHAN 3068(2) CHAN 3067 CHAN 3083BOOK.qxd21/5/075:54pmPage130 CHAN 3004 Opera inEnglish onChandos CHAN 3005(2) CHAN 3003 Opera inEnglish onChandos

CHAN 3007

CHAN 3014(3) CHAN 3057(3)

CHAN 3022 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 132

Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos

CHAN 3042(2) CHAN 3033(2) CHAN 3000(2) CHAN 3008(2)

CHAN 3019(3) CHAN 3029 CHAN 3070(2) CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 134

Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos

CHAN 3066 CHAN 3025(2)

CHAN 3077 CHAN 3073 CHAN 3078 CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 136

Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos

CHAN 3054(3) CHAN 3038(4)

CHAN 3065(16) CHAN 3045(4) CHAN 3060(5) CHAN 3083 BOOK.qxd 21/5/07 5:54 pm Page 138

Opera in English on Chandos

Published by G. Ricordi & C., Milan/United Music Publishers Ltd, London

Harp solo: Lucy Wakeford Flute solo: Ken Smith Artistic Consultant to the Peter Moores Foundation: Patric Schmid Staging director: Charles Kilpatrick Vocal and language consultant: Ludmilla Andrew

Session photographs by Bill Cooper

Recording producer Brian Couzens Sound engineer Ralph Couzens CHAN 3081(2) Assistant engineers Christopher Brooke & Michael Common Editor Jonathan Cooper CHAN 3074(2) Operas administrator Sue Shortridge Recording venue Blackheath Halls, London; 27 May–3 June 2001 Front cover montage Photograph of Elizabeth Futral in the title role of Vancouver Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor (© Tim Matheson/Vancouver Opera), other photography by Sean Coleman Back cover Photograph of David Parry by Bill Cooper Design Sean Coleman Booklet typeset by Dave Partridge Booklet editor Kara Reed p 2002 Chandos Records Ltd c 2002 Chandos Records Ltd Chandos Records Ltd, Colchester, Essex, England Printed in the EU

139 SOLOISTS/PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA /PARRY CHAN 3083(2) bass tenor tenor tenor soprano baritone Printed in EU the mezzo-soprano CHAN 3083(2) 2002 Chandos Records Ltd c TWO 2-disc set COMPACT DISC 2002 Chandos Records Ltd p The of Lammermoor Bride DIGITAL DDD ONE (1797–1848) CHANDOS 68:36 73:50 , Lucia’s bridegroom, Lucia’s Wedd ...... Peter , a Calvinist chaplain Rose ...... Peter COMPACT DISC , Laird of Lammermoor, Lucia’s brother Lucia’s of Lammermoor, , Laird ...... Alan Opie , huntsman, a retainer of Enrico, huntsman, a retainer Chaundy ...... Stephen , Lord of Ravenswood...... Paul, Lord Charles Clarke

...... Futral Elizabeth , Lucia’s companion, Lucia’s ...... Christine Rice 24 Normanno Raimondo Bidebent Alisa Lord Arturo Bucklaw Lord Edgardo Enrico Ashton Enrico Choir Mitchell Geoffrey Orchestra Philharmonia Parry David Gaetano Donizetti Donizetti Gaetano Lucia Tragic drama in three acts three drama in Tragic novel Scott’s Walter Cammarano after Salvatore by Libretto English translation by David Parry David translation by English bit 96 kHz 96 CHANDOS RECORDS LTD Colchester . Essex . England

DONIZETTI: LUCIA OF LAMMERMOOR CHANDOS CHAN 3083 INLAY BACK.qxd 21/5/07 5:50 pm Page 1 21/5/07 5:50 pm INLAY BACK.qxd CHAN 3083