Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti)

Overview

Lucia di Lammermoor is a dramma tragico in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, loosely based on Walter Scott's novel The Bride of Lammermoor (1819) (Wikipedia, "Lucia di Lammermoor"). It was first performed at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, in 1835 and was one of the most performed Italian operas of the century; Paris gave it in French as Lucie de Lammermoor, the title Marie writes. Its Act II sextet and the mad scene were showpieces for sopranos such as Adelina Patti.

Marie and this work

• 12 March 1873, Nice. At the Opéra, "Lucie de Lammermoor" with Mlle Franchino, with Sophie and Dina (002.0302).
• 19 December 1874, Nice. Foster cries at the last act of "Lucie", and she mocks him on leaving (027.0329).
• 16 March 1880, Paris. At the Italiens, "la Patti dans Lucie" with Nicolini (087.0622). Of the roles she has seen Patti in, "c'est dans Lucie qu'elle est le mieux... extraordinaire. Elle joue avec une passion admirable" (087.0623-0624). On 6 April, "Rigoletto", Patti is better still than in "Lucie" (087.0795).
• 29 March 1884, Paris. At the Italiens with Alexis, Saint-Amand and others, with Gayarre as Edgardo: "Cette musique est divine et ne vieillira jamais... Mélodrame, direz-vous, je m'en fiche, pourvu que je sois émue." She praises his Act II curse of the torn contract and above all the sextet, "Si ingrata, t'amo, t'amo ancora" (103.0605-0606, footnotes).
• 10 May 1884, Paris. "On chante Lucie mais après Gayarre ce ténor ordinaire et froid me fait pitié" (104.0157).

Sources

• Wikipedia, "Lucia di Lammermoor".
• Libretti (Internet Archive), IMSLP.