2010-2011 OPERA SEASON
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Donizetti’s masterpiece conducted by Campanella, with the stage
direction by Vick
Teatro Regio, Tuesday 21 June 2011 at 8 pm
Broadcast live 21 June at 8 pm on Rai-Radio3
Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti will be on stage at the Teatro Regio from 21 June
to 3 July with the beautiful staging created by Graham Vick. On the podium of the Orchestra and
Chorus of the Teatro Regio will be maestro Bruno Campanella, one of the most important
interpreters of pre-Romantic Italian opera.
Before its premiere on 26 September 1835 at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, the thirty-eight–
year-old Gaetano Donizetti had composed forty-three operas in seventeen years of activity. But with
Lucia di Lammermoor he created his masterpiece. Usually modest and little inclined to brag, reporting
the success of the opening night in Naples, he wrote to his editor Ricordi: «Lucia di Lammermoor
went well, and confidentially I take the liberty to be ashamed and tell you the truth. The audience
liked it, and liked it a lot. […] I had many curtain calls, and so did the singers.[…] Every piece was
received with religious silence and then celebrated with spontaneous cheering». Lucia quickly
became one of the most popular operas with the public, to such an extent that the musical journals
of the period reported that the most salient moments were sung «at least once a day by all the
virtuosos of the squares and cafés». The Bride of Lammermoor, one of Sir Walter Scott’s most famous
novels, is the source of the libretto by Salvatore Cammarano. Scott had set his novel in Scotland in
1689, while Cammarano antedated Lucia to the end of the sixteenth century. The story revolves
around an impossible love that leads the protagonist to madness. The Ashton and Ravenswood
families are divided by atavistic hatred, but the two young offspring, Edgar of Ravenswood and
Lucy Ashton, are in love with each other and intend to marry. Lucy’s brother, however, has
promised his sister in marriage to Lord Arturo Bucklaw to prevent the ruin of the family, which has
fallen into disgrace at court. In order to expedite the wedding with Arthur, Henry uses a ruse to
make his sister believe that Edgar has betrayed her. As soon as the marriage contract is signed,
Lucy, in a fit of madness, stabs Arthur to death, entrusting to the history of opera one of the most
famous arias: Ardon gli incensi… Spargi d’amaro pianto. Edgar, with the announcement of Lucy’s
death, is unable to live without his beloved, and kills himself soon afterwards, invoking her name.
In the difficult role of Lucia, the Rumanian soprano Elena Mosuc, defined by Renata Scotto as
«the ideal interpreter of Lucia, vocally, expressively and interpretatively»; Edgar is interpreted by
Francesco Meli, considered to be one of the best Italian tenors today; baritone Fabio Maria
Capitanucci is Henry; the Ukrainian bass Vitalij Kowaljow is Raimondo Bidebent, tutor and
confidant of Lucia. Completing the cast: Saverio Fiore, Federica Giansanti and Cristiano Olivieri.
Chorus Master is Claudio Fenoglio. During the course of the ten performances, alternating in
the principal roles will be Maria Grazia Schiavo (Lucia), Piero Pretti (Edgar), Simone Del Savio
(Edgar) e Alessandro Guerzoni (Raimond).
Returning to the podium is Maestro Bruno Campanella, the long-time Permanent Conductor
of the Orchestra of the Regio; tied to the orchestra by a privileged relationship, he is the greatest
interpreter of bel canto, as Paolo Isotta states: «few conductors in the world confront Rossini, Bellini
and Donizetti with a style, elegance and pathos comparable to his».
The staging – produced by Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and Le Grand Théâtre de Genève –
makes use of the sets and costumes of Paul Brown, re-elaborated by Elena Cicorella, and the
lighting of Nick Chelton, re-elaborated by Gianni Paolo Mirenda. Stage direction is by Graham Vick,
assisted for the occasion by Marina Bianchi.
The production is supported by Italgas, an important Sustaining Partner of the Teatro Regio.
Lucia di Lammermoor will be broadcast live on radio by Rai-Radio3 on 29 June at 8 pm and will
be presented to the public by Paolo Gallarati in Incontro con l’Opera to take place at the Piccolo
Regio Puccini on Wednesday 15 June at 5.30 pm.
The performance on 21 June at 8 pm will be accessible to the blind and visually impaired thanks
to a service of audio description, which, through the insertion of an audio narration, will allow the
visually impaired to follow the performance by way of a voice guide. Each person will be equipped
with a receiver when they arrive at the theatre (for more information: www.isiviu.it - 333/6818794).
Box office of the Teatro Regio, piazza Castello 215 - Tel. 011.8815.241/242 - e-mail:
[email protected] – Informazioni: tel. 011. 8815.557 – www.teatroregio.torino.it
Torino, 8 June 2011
UFFICIO STAMPA:
Teatro Regio, Direzione Comunicazione e Pubbliche Relazioni
Paola Giunti (Direttore), Sara Zago (Relazioni con la Stampa)
Telefono: +39 011 8815233 – 8815239
E-mail: [email protected] – [email protected] – [email protected]
piazza Castello 215 – 10124 Torino (Italia)