Review: LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR at Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Friday 8th November 2024

The press release for this opera reminds us that, “For the first time in over 30 years and for only the second time in the company’s history, State Opera South Australia presents Gaetano Donizetti’s iconic Lucia di Lammermoor”, a three-act tragic opera, composed in 1835, which is loosely based on Sir Walter Scott’s 1819 novel, The Bride of Lammermoor. This production is a superb recreation of the famous 1986 production by British Director, John Copley CBE, under the unerring guidance of Revival Director, Laura Hansford.
 
Donizetti was alone in his field when he wrote this opera as the two other great Italian opera composers of the time had already written their final operas. Gioachino Rossini had retired, and Vincenzo Bellini had died.

The Bride of Lammermoor, is based on a true story that Scott heard from a great-aunt. In 1699, Janet Dalrymple became secretly engaged to a Royalist, Lord Rutherford, and was forced by her family to marry a man of their choosing. She went insane and attacked him on the wedding night, seriously injuring him. She died two weeks later without recovering her sanity. Scott set his novel in 1707, just prior to the Union of England and Scotland, and moved it from the West of Scotland to the Lammermuir Hills on the Eastern Borders, where a Jacobite uprising was threatened.

Donizetti’s librettist, Salvadore Cammarano, then Italianised the names of Lucy Ashton/Miss Lucia; Edgar, Master of Ravenswood/Sir Edgardo di Ravenswood; Francis, Laird of Bucklaw/Lord Arturo Bucklaw; Norman, the Ashton’s forester/Normanno, Enrico’s huntsman; Reverend Bide-the-bent/Raimondo Bidebent, a Calvinist chaplain; and Alice, a blind servant/Alisa, Lucia's handmaid. Lucia's father and mother do not appear, their actions in forcing Lucia to marry being carried out in the opera by Lord Enrico Ashton, Lord of Lammermoor, Lucia's brother.

Paraphrasing, “Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Lammermoor, where we lay our scene”. Some parallels with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet are noticeable. The Ashtons and the Ravenswoods share an enmity, and Enrico is furious when Normanno informs him that Lucia and Edgardo have fallen in love and meet regularly. Enrico decides that she must marry Arturo, as aligning the Ashton and Bucklaw families will help him regain his fallen status in society.

From those first unison pianissimo beats from the timpani, in B flat, and the bass drum, and then the foreboding notes from the four French horns, Donizetti has already set the mood, in just half a dozen larghetto bars of the Overture, for the tragedy to come. It is immediately clear in their playing of the Overture that the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, under conductor, Lucia Marín, are completely in command of the wonderfully rich score.

The first scene in Act 1 finds Normanno and Enrico, accompanied by Raimondo and a host of huntsmen who have been seeking a man seen with Lucia, who Normanno reveals to be Edgardo. Tenor, Jiacheng Ding, as Normanno, with the male chorus, begins the action with Percorriamo le spiagge vicine, a rousing start to the story with a powerful initial appearance by the chorus balanced against Ding’s bright, clear voice.

Normanno is then joined by Enrico and Raimondo with Cruda, funesta smania. London-based baritone, Morgan Pearse, is stupendous as Lucia’s brother Enrico, a commanding figure, with a voice to match. He has immense stage presence and was so convincing as the villain of the piece that, in the final applause, a couple of people actually booed. Bass, Pelham Andrews, as Raimondo, presents another of those fine performances that have endeared him to Adelaide audiences.

Scene 2 introduces three more of the characters. Lucia and Alisa enter, Alisa warns Lucia of the danger of pursuing a relationship with her family’s enemy, and Lucia sings about a legend of a woman murdered long ago whose ghost supposedly still haunts the area, in Regnava nel silenzio. Edgardo arrives to explain that he must leave for France, and he and Lucia sing of their love in Sulla tomba che rinterra.

Having made her name in the 1959 production, this 1986 production was created specifically for that great Australian soprano, Dame Joan Sutherland. The role of Lucia in this production is taken by another Australian soprano, Emma Pearson, who received glowing reviews for her previous performance in the role with West Australian Opera. The title role in Lucia di Lammermoor is a challenge for any coloratura soprano, not only because of the technical difficulty of the role, but for the vast emotional range that Lucia encompasses. Pearson gives a magnificent performance throughout, and excels in the extended mad scene in Act 3, where she is accompanied by that wonderful work from the flute.

Mezzo-soprano, Samantha Rubenhold, is sympathetic as Lucia’s companion, Alisa, showing concern that they might be discovered with Edgardo and, later, shows that she is distraught at Lucia’s demise.

Indian-American tenor, Alok Kumar, as Edgardo, shows a great rapport with Pearson, giving a convincing performance as her lover and, later, displays a mixture of sadness and anger when he discovers she has married Arturo, then collapses in devastation at her death. It is an emotion-filled performance with acting that is reflected in his singing/

Tenor, Iain Henderson completes the list of principals as Arturo, who arrives for the wedding to Lucia and cuts an impressive figure as the rich and powerful bridegroom, adding yet another impressive voice to the production.

When the entire State Opera Chorus comes together as guests in the wedding scene, singing and dancing gaily at what they believe is a joyous occasion, it is a spectacular few minutes, reminding us what a remarkable group of singers we have here. Chorus Master, Anthony Hunt, has every reason to be proud of them.

The updated set, originally designed by Henry Borden, is stunning, and it is impressive as it transforms into the many different locations during the performance. It is atmospherically lit by Mark Oakley, revising the original lighting design by Donn Byrnes. Tracey Richardson has made many effective modifications to the original costumes, making them more comfortable, and increasing the ease of movement, as well as modernising their appearance. The production looks as good as it sounds.

There are only three more performances, on Sunday 10th, Thursday 14th, and Saturday 16th November, so book quickly. You are not likely to have another opportunity to see this opera again in the near future.

Photography, Andrew Beveridge.