MET Opera House building–Lincoln Center/Tuesday April 26th, 2022.
Welcome back friends, And welcome this week again, to the wonderful world of opera!
Yay!!!
And this week, yet again, welcome back to classic opera!!!
Yay! yay! yay!
So happy!
Always great, to rediscover awesome work, even if, in this instance, it is also one of the most tragic, heart wrenching, harrowing, agonizing, demented, insane, deranged, catastrophic, beautiful, and original operatic work of all times!
That’s right!
Yet unique and gorgeous!
Yay!
From Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848), 1835 “Lucia di Lammermoor”, has become an icon in opera, and has influenced later, additional western literature (Flaubert’s 1856 “Madame Bovary”, Tolstoy’s 1878 “Anna Karenina”, and E. M. Forster’s 1905 “Where the angels tread”), and its plot demonstrates the possible ills, including despairing madness, linked to the extreme constraining of a fragile, repressed, recently impoverished orphan, in a world where personal freedom was not yet achievable.
Wow!
More specifically even, Donizetti’s 19th century, and yet timeless, tragic, tale is about the consequences of a constricted love story, due to complex society demands, which ultimately, leads one of the love birds (the newly impoverished orphan, Lucia), to madness and murder, and the other (Edgardo), to suicide.
Oh no!
So sad, and yet thoroughly compelling.
Wow!
And to me, this new, contemporary, multimedia, highly stylized, set in America, 1980’s like, highly original Stone production, for the Met Opera, of Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor”, not only elevated incredibly the work, but gave it a timeless feel, by adding various illustrations of socio economic hardships, linked to decaying industries or manufacturing, by choosing to stage the story, in the Rust belt (North East and Great Lake states who were once thriving, and have now fallen into decline), and by alluding also, to drug addiction issues, faced by society there (and in many other economically declining places around the world).
And finally and importantly, Stone’s incredible production, showcased as well, Real Life’s ever growing complexity: yesterday (including watercolors to express yourself/and your imagination), and especially today, as it is ever more bonded, to the irrepressible importance of technology (including, presence of cell phones on stage, and projections, above the stage, of other angles of the drama unfolding onstage, or in the heroine’s imagination at times (as in a movie), and including as well, selfies, or “Facebook like” online exchanges).
Wow!
Fortunately, (technology), mostly frees mankind, and yet, also, fragments our time/lives, as it increases, in its various shapes, forms and presence, and I thought it was a brilliant idea to include many forms of social media, and even more film angles to the opera classic staging, to depict clearly, the mounting chaos, progressively invading Lucia’s life.
Wow!
And last Tuesday evening, even before any of “Lucia di Lammermoor” arias even started, as the curtain was raised, the presence of an onstage video crew filming the action, the presence of incredibly rusted, corroded, decayed, and yet beautiful props (the battered cars were/are especially thrilling, as was/is the moldy, abandoned, yet poetic, round shaped industrial water tank, where people meet (chosen instead/ in lieu of a lake in the novel/libretto), or as was/is, the 1947 “film noir”, “My favorite brunette” by Elliott Nugent, being projected on stage, in a simili drive in, about a man on death row, all contributed to the heavy atmosphere, and symbolized with finesse, the darkness to come.
Wow!
And what a great idea, as well, to have chosen as a hero of the “film noir”, an every day/ all American icon, Bob Hope, who was/and has been, to many, for decades and including in the 80’s, truly loved across the country, and as banal in his looks, as the heroes of this opera.
Wow! wow! wow!
A few other intense, murky, hefty, leaden, movies with this kind of atmosphere came to mind, Kathryn Bigelow’s, weird, 1995 “Strange days”, about the illegal sale of virtual reality-like recordings that allow users to experience the emotions and past experiences of others; or the more recent 2016 “Stranger things” TV series, about young teenagers in the 80s, in Indiana, witnessing supernatural forces and secret government exploits.
How fun!
Yet, all of these terrific and “à propos” Stone production ideas, gave a lot to look at, and a lot to process, while listening to the glorious Donizetti score, and importantly, to me, added a lot of gravitas, and contrasts to the work.
Wow! wow! wow!
And what terrific 80’s borderline tacky costumes, and what incredible and dizzying, continuously rotating, evolving doll house-like sets, of once prosperous, and now abandoned or neglected, half buildings, including for the wedding scene, a fun, loud, candy cane like, flowery wedding arch.
Wow! wow! wow!
This incredibly intricate and rich Stone production, contributed, with Donizetti’s music, to paint a fascinating picture, and create a loaded, deteriorating, unsettling atmosphere, of the unspeakable drama to come, as we discovered and were moved, by the wonderfully engaging and authentic, star-crossed love story, which initially develops between Lucia and Edgardo, and which progressively, will be thoroughly clenched, cramped and choked, and especially tough on Lucia, because of society demands of the day, to the point that, unable to make her own life choices, Lucia will ultimately, descend, as previously mentioned into murderous madness.
Oh no!
What a feat to make this ill fated love story, as mesmerizing and as relevant, to many of today’s society issues, even if life, in the 21st century, is, in many democratic countries, fortunately, way freer than it was, in Scotland’s 19th century, from which this real life story emerges.
Wow!
So as you can tell, by far, this was my favorite Met opera production, of this season!
Wow! wow! wow!
And yay! yay! yay!
Needless to say, that “Lucia di Lammermoor” is one of my favorite opera works, from the highly acclaimed musical genius and icon, Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848), also capable, fortunately, of writing the most light hearted opera “romances” (“L’Elisir d’Amore”); a composer, Donizetti, who throughout his career, loved stories about youthful romantic loves: some complex and heart breaking, others, less so.
Yay! yay! yay!
And “Lucia”, of course, is Donizetti’s darkest work, and as mentioned above, is based on Walter Scott’s 1819 historical novel, “The bride of Lammermoor”, based on a real-life family tragedy, that Scott had heard as a boy, from his maternal great-aunt.
Wow!
Yet, despite its bleak end, as mentioned, the production values, in addition to the gorgeous, unusual somber music found throughout the opera (I especially enjoyed the glass harmonica, in lieu of flute, last Tuesday, which added a unique poetic quality to the “mad scene”), and including a wonderfully enchanting libretto, from Salvadore Cammarano (1801-1852), a long term collaborator of Verdi’s as well, for a few operas (including “Luisa Miller”, and “Il Trovatore”), all of these combined unusual elements, thankfully, made/make, to me, the horrific conclusion of “Lucia”, somehow, surprisingly, extraordinarily, compelling and moving.
Wow!
So let’s get into more plot details:
In Act 1, we discover Enrico Ashton (Lucia’s brother), whose family fortune is unraveling. We learn quickly that only a marriage of his sister Lucia, to Arthur (Bucklaw) can save Enrico and Lucia’s family fortune. We also learn that Lucia is still mourning her mother’s death, and is also concealing a great love for Edgardo, leader of the Ashton’s enemies. Enrico is furious and swears vengeance.
Oh boy!
Just before dawn, Lucia and her friend Alisa, are awaiting Edgardo by a lake, and Lucia relates how she has seen at this very spot, a ghost of a girl, who was stabbed by a jealous lover.
Oh boy!
Alisa urges Lucia to forget about Edgardo, but Lucia insists that her great love for Edgardo, not only brings her great joy, but will lead her to overcome all her difficulties.
Oh boy!
Edgardo arrives and explains he must leave on a political mission. Before he leaves, he wants to make peace with Enrico, but Lucia asks Edgardo to keep their love a secret.
Oh boy!
Edgardo agrees, and the two lovebirds exchange rings and vows of devotion.
Oh boy!
In Act 2, a few months have passed, and Lucia is to marry, later that day, Arthur (Bucklaw).
Oh boy!
All correspondance between Lucia and Edgardo has been intercepted, and a forged letter (procured by a friend of Enrico), has even been given to Lucia, indicating that Edgardo is involved with another woman.
Oh boy!
Lucia is heart broken, and Enrico insists that Lucia marry Arthur to save the family. Lucia is reminded of her duties by a local priest /chaplain. Lucia, out of duty, finally agrees to go ahead with the wedding.
Oh boy!
Enrico explains to the groom-to-be Arthur, that Lucia is that day morose, as she is still mourning her mother’s death. Lucia then, signs the marriage contract.
Oh boy!
At that point, Edgardo arrives, and petulantly tries to claim Lucia, his “bride”, insisting that they are engaged. The guests are all shocked.
Oh boy!
When Edgardo sees Lucia’s signature on the marriage contract, he loses it, curses Lucia, tears his ring from his finger, and leaves in despair and full of rage.
Oh boy!
In Act 3, Enrico visits Edgardo at his dilapidated home, and taunts him with the news, that Lucia and Arthur, have just gone through the entire wedding ceremony.
Oh boy!
Enrico and Edgardo then and there, immediately, both agree, to meet at dawn, for a duel.
Oh boy!
Back at Lucia’s house, the wedding party is interrupted with the news that Lucia has gone mad and killed Arturo. Lucia appears covered in blood, and recalls her meetings with Edgardo, and imagines that she is with him, on her wedding night. She sees him in Heaven, with her.
Gasp. Just tragic. And incredibly sad.
When Enrico returns, he is enraged against his sister, but realizes Lucia has lost her senses. After a confused and violent exchange with her brother, Lucia collapses.
Gasp. Just tragic. And incredibly sad.
Edgardo laments that he has to live without Lucia, and while he awaits his duel with Enrico, he learns from a wedding guest, that Lucia has called his name, and as Edgardo is about to rush back to her, he then, alas, learns suddenly, of Lucia’s death. Determined to join Lucia in Heaven, Edgardo stabs himself.
Gasp. Just tragic. And incredibly sad.
What to say about the singers?
That they were all incredibly well conducted, as was the orchestra, with verve and energy, under the baton of Italian conductor, Riccardo Frizza.
Yay!
And my two favorite performers last Tuesday, were American Latina (Puerto Rico) soprano Nadine Sierra, as Lucia: fabulous, a beautiful singer and great actress, incredibly believable as both a smitten Lucia (great chemistry between her and Mexican tenor extraordinaire, Javier Camerena, as Edgardo, and what great technique, warmth and charm, emanated from both of them), and a mad Lucia.
Just wonderful!
And now, let’s admire Donizetti’s musical genius, and listen to just one exceptional excerpt of the opera, sang a few years ago, with great command, by Natalie Dessay, it is 20 minutes long, and you will be dazzled by the music’s beauty, the incredible technique and acting needed, to sing this mad and incredibly moving aria, and pay attention as well, to the beauty of the chorus.
Wow! wow! wow!
And yay! yay! yay!
And for all you sci-fi fans out there, you will recognize, in the first three minutes of the aria, an excerpt sang by an extra terrestrial diva, in Luc Besson’s 1997 movie “The Fifth element”.
Yay!
Enjoy that fun reminder, and especially, the gorgeous music throughout this astounding and exceptional aria, which has captured opera audiences imagination, for centuries.
Wow! wow! wow!
And yay! yay! yay!
So incredibly moving.
So to sum up my feelings about Donizetti’s fantastic “Lucia di Lammermoor”: How romantic, dark, mad, and devastating, and still relevant in many ways, to today’s complex world, even if, fortunately, many democracies these days, thankfully, choke less individual freedoms, than they did in the past, so we can hope for more sanity; and also, finally and as importantly, in “Lucia”, what gorgeous enduring music as well, from beautiful, hopeful, melodious love arias, to mesmerizing chorus creations!
Yay! and wow wow, wow!!!
Just grand!
Until next time friends!
Soft…
Fluttering…
Sunny…
Joyful…
Happy…
Loving…
Eternal butterflies 😊