Music composed by Gaetano Donizetti. Libretto by Salvadore Cammarano after
Walter Scott’s novel The Bride of Lammermoor (1819).
First Performance: 26 September 1835, Teatro di San
Carlo, Naples.
| Principal Roles: | |
| Lucia | Soprano |
| Enrico Ashton, Laird of Lammermoor, Lucia’s brother | Baritone |
| Edgardo, Laird of Ravenswood | Tenor |
| Lord Arturo Bucklaw, Lucia’s bridegroom | Tenor |
| Raimondo Bidebent, a Calvinist chaplain | Bass |
| Alisa, Lucia’s companion | Mezzo-Soprano |
| Normanno, huntsman, a retainer of Enrico | Tenor |
Setting: Ravenswood Castle, Scotland, during the reign of
Queen Anne (1702-1714).
Synopsis:
Act I
Scene 1. The entrance hall of Ravenswood Castle
Normanno urges the servants to scour the grounds for an intruder. Enrico
is worried because his sister Lucia refuses to marry Arturo, an alliance
which would save Enrico from the consequences of having been on the losing
side in a recent uprising.
Raimondo reminds him that Lucia has not recovered from the grief of her
mother’s death and is not yet ready for love, but Normanno claims that Lucia
is in love – with a man who had saved her from a wild bull, none other than
Enrico’s mortal enemy, Edgardo. Enrico’s rage is exacerbated by the failure
of the retainers to capture the intruder, Edgardo.
Scene 2. The castle grounds
As Lucia and Alisa wait for Edgardo by a ruined fountain, Lucia says that
she has seen the ghost of the fountain, a lady killed by her jealous lover,
an earlier Ravenswood.
Edgardo announces that he is leaving at once for France on State business.
Lucia refuses his request to tell Enrico of their love, rightly fearing his
bitter hatred of Edgardo; and Edgardo reminds her that although he has
neglected for her sake his oath to avenge his father’s death on her brother,
the oath still stands. She calms him and they swear eternal fidelity and
exchange rings.
Act II
Scene 1. A room in the castle
Normanno tells Enrico of the success of his scheme to intercept all
letters between Lucia and Edgardo, now some months absent in France. Even
though the wedding guests are already assembling, Enrico has yet to obtain
Lucia’s consent to the marriage, but he has a forged letter which he hopes
will convince her that Edgardo plans to marry another. When she tells him
that her faith is pledged to Edgardo, he overwhelms her with the letter and
reminds her that only Arturo can save him from ruin. Raimondo, who has sent
letters to Edgardo on Lucia’s behalf, tells her that there has been no answer
and advises her to sacrifice herself for her brother.
Scene 2. The great hall of the castle
The wedding is about to be solemnised. Enrico explains Lucia’s pallor and
listlessness to Arturo as symptoms of her mourning for her mother. No sooner
has Lucia signed the contract than Edgardo bursts in. He claims Lucia, but
Raimondo shows him the contract. He throws the ring she has given him at her
and demands his in return and leaves, cursing her faithlessness.
Act III
Scene 1. The tower of Wolf’s Crag
In a raging storm Enrico comes to Edgardo’s home to challenge him to a
duel, taunting him with the reminder that Lucia now belongs to another. They
agree to fight at dawn near the tombs of the Ravenswoods.
Scene 2. The great hall of Ravenswood Castle
The rejoicing of the wedding guests is interrupted by Raimondo, bearing
the news that Lucia has gone mad and killed Arturo. Covered in blood, she
enters, imagining that she is about to be married to Edgardo. Enrico’s
reproaches turn to remorse when he realises her state. Her wandering mind
becomes more disturbed as she remembers Edgardo’s anger, and she
collapses.
Scene 3. By the tombs of the Ravenswoods
Waiting for dawn by the tombs of his ancestors, Edgardo thinks bitterly of
Lucia’s apparent faithlessness. Tidings of her imminent death are followed by
the death knell. He realises that he has misjudged her and stabs himself,
hoping to join her in death.
[Synopsis Source: Opera~Opera]
Click here for
the complete libretto.
image=http://www.operatoday.com/lucia_di_lammermoor%28Olbinsk.png
image_description=Lucia di Lammermoor by Rafal Olbinski
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first_audio_name=Gaetano Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor
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product_title=Gaetano Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor
product_by=Alisa: Elvira Galassi; Arturo Buklaw: Dino Formichini; Edgardo: Eugenio Fernandi; Enrico Ashton: Rolando Panerai; Lucia: Maria Callas; Normanno: Valiano Natali; Raimondo Bidebent: Giuseppe Modesti. Orchestra e Coro di Roma della RAI. Tullio Serafin, conducting. Live performance, 26 June 1957, Rome.