Customer Reviews

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor / Netrebko, Beczala, Kwiecien, Metropolitan Opera

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I almost didn't purchase this based on some of the negative, nit-picking reviews I've seen here at Amazon. I own many other Lucias including Anna Moffo, Sutherland, Bonfadelli, Devia, Rancatore and Ciofi. Some of these are very good. But Netrebko's performance is something else again. She is indeed a Lucia for the ages. She has youth, vivacity, presence, sparkle, charisma, visually and aurally that delights the senses. This is full blown MET spectacular. Scenery, costumes, direction, sound, everything comes together in a gorgeous, iconic production. Don't let the nit-pickers dissuade you from owning and delighting in this gem!

I am a great fan of Donizetti's 'Lucia di Lammermoor', harking back to the late 1950's Dame Joan Sutherland portrayal of Lucia.
I do not care for the Sutherland DVD of the early 1980's, though, and any one who considers that 'that' performance represents Dame Joan's Lucia would simply be way far off the mark.
Of the available DVDs, Jose Carreras/Katia Ricciarelli/Leo Nucci/Gardelli offered a very first rate performance recording in the 1982 Bregenze theatre. Even though Ricciarelli's voice was already on the downhill trend in that performance, she is still the BEST Lucia on DVD in terms of vocal acting, stage presence, and ultra-fine stage acting. I would even say in terms of looks, she had a definite edge over Anna Moffo. The best all-round portrayal of Edgardo, Lucia and Enrico in that Bregenze performance, even if Ricciarelli did not have the high notes to perfection.
This is NOT to mention Maria Callas' 1953 recording with Giuseppi di Stefano under Tullio Serafin, which remained the benchmark of performance despite Dame Joan Sutherland's illustrious portrayal later.
There is a third DVD of this opera that is worthy of mention - the La Scala recording in 1992 of Mariella Devia. Though not visually a great Lucia, Devia's coloratura is simply the BEST around in this era. Hers is the idiomaticity, the nuances, the width and breadth of expressions required of this title role. A spine tinging performance in the first Act and the Mad Scene.
Back to this MET 2009 production.
Musically it isn't bad at all.
Even though Anna Netrebko in the title role failed to deliver a distinguished Lucia, hers is still a sterling performance in that the top notes are loose and free, and the vocal delivery of the Mad Scene among the most secure EVER, and rightfully the best CURRENTLY available.
What troubles is her characterisation in the first Act. Netrebko is a trival too vivacious as the Lucia mourning her mother, troubled by her love, and apprehensive of her own future, even though she is very much in love with Edgardo. The light-heartedness as portrayed in this Act is clearly off the mark.
The duet in the second Act with Enrico is one of the high lights of this production, and Kwiecien and Netrebko rise to the occasion admirably. even though they do not surpass the absolutely great performance by Nucci and Rcciarelli in the Bregenze live performance.
The sextet is the biggest flop of this MET production. The dramatic tension, the pathos, the conflict...all worn down by the photographer in the form of an aimless busybody. WHAT A WASTE!
Then the great Mad Scene. Netrebko is great here vocally, but again, not so great visually. Instead of mapping out her actions with the music, Netrebko has adopted other gestures and movements that are theatrically sound, but musically distracting. If you compare her gestures with those of Katia Ricciarelli, you would be surprised that how much more 'with the music' was the latter's movements and gestures. In this respect, early bel canto specialists like Leyla Gencer, Monserrat Caballe, and even Katia Ricciarelli, were more attuned to the musical script AS WELL AS the libretto's demands in their portrayals, a feat that is seldom seen these days on stage or on DVD any more.
Last but not least, Piotr Beczala's Edgardo is some what of a revelation these days, as a beautifully timbered tenor and ardent interpretor. His last scene rounds off an otherwise mediocre production with an heroic note that should under no circumstances be taken for granted.

I saw this originally during the Live in HD presentation and loved it. Other people (more experienced than I, probably) may not like it all that much, but I think it was fantastic (much more enjoyable than the Joan Sutherland version I first saw). I loved the update to the Victorian period and the sextet in Act II just gave me chills (not a common experience for me).

Mariusz Kwiecien is now one of my favorite baritones, due to this role (and hopefully will maintain that in the Live in HD's Carmen). His voice, his acting, his looks... I think they fit the role really well, and I can really see him as brother to Netrebko's Lucia.

Anna Netrebko? I think she was wonderful, despite all the criticism she receives. Perhaps not the best ever, but I think she has the talent (and the looks, of course) to really draw new people into opera and get them hooked.

Whether you enjoy this video or not I think depends on what you value when you listen to opera. Anna Netrebko is a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice. It is big, round, lush, and instantly recognizable. She has an arresting stage presence. That being said, to me, vocally, she is not up to the demanding role of Lucia. Trills are non-existent, coloratura scales are fudged, pitch is suspect, and diction could rival Joan Sutherland at its worst. Also, there's very little vocal inflection, which is crucial for bel canto roles. Her mad scene was strictly by the numbers, except she couldn't manage the scales or cadenzas with any degree of accuracy, and her stabs at the traditional e-flats (unwritten in the score) fell flat, literally. The reason I return over and over to Maria Callas's recordings of Lucia is that she could make a phrase express longing, pain, or joy. Netrebko tends to sing in a flatline. Her face is also curiously inexpressive -- she certainly is beautiful, but I don't get the feeling she understands the psychological troubles of Lucia. Overall I'd deem Netrebko's Lucia an interesting failure.
The video was supposed to have starred Rolando Villazon as Edgardo but he dropped out of the run after two disastrous performances, and tenor Piotr Beczala was his replacement. Bezcala's singing is stylish, idiomatic, and impassioned. This is an all-around great performance. Most of all, whereas I felt like Netrebko was trying to be Netrebko the superstar, Beczcala was more interested in creating a character onstage.
The production by Mary Zimmerman has its quirks, many of which I dislike. For instance, during the septet, there is a paparzzi photographer and one of the most sublime musical climaxes is marred by this stage business. She also updated the production to the Victorian era, which is inoffensive enough except that it gives the women rather unflattering costumes. Lucia enters in a high-colored, bustled brown traveling dress that reminds me more of "Little Women" than "gothic romantic melodrama." Other touches I liked, like the ghost of Lucia following Edgardo during the tomb scene, and the staircase set in the Mad Scene. The outdoor scenes also are nicely evocative of the Scottish countryside.

Production: Dark, eerie and actually how I always envisioned it. The entire mood fits the music perfectly. I love the addition of the ghost.

Lucia: Anna Netrebko offers a more than adequate rendering of this difficult role. In my humble opinion, Sutherland, Devia, Callas and June Anderson are among the best Lucias with Mariella Devia and June Anderson being my personal favorites. Keeping in mind that every singer misses notes on occasion, I think people get hung up on how many notes Ms. Netrebko misses and seem to forget that she not only has a beautiful instrument with superb breath control but she's also a fine actress. She's smart in her vocal interpretation as she carefully maneuvers around the difficult coloratura passages. In the mad scene, I was particularly impressed with her staccato notes, and am thankful for her attempting to, and subsequently nailing the high note at the end! Thanks to her riveting acting and singing, the mad scene does not disappoint.

Edgardo: Piotr Beczala has an elegant and almost regal sound to his voice and his acting skills are exceptional.

Enrico: Mariusz Kwiecien is menacing and kind of creepy. He has a sturdy and strong baritone voice and is also an excellent actor.

Raimondo: Ildar Abdrazakov is sympathetic and convincing with a great voice!

Bonus: Natalie Dessay is the best hostess in each of these Live in HD series.

Bottom line: A fantastic recording of Lucia that I highly recommend!

This is a pretty good performance of the opera. The first Met version had Netrebko with Villazon. The latter had a very very bad night and soon afterward retired temporarily from singing. So the Met found a new tenor, really quite good, to match Netrebko. She is not the finest Lucia ever since her coloratura abilities are not of the first order, but she is good looking and sings very well in general. So I'd give this version a B+ rating.

The two Met's DVDs, 2009 by Netrebko and 1982 by Sutherland, are played back to back. Bel Canto or not, Netrebko's voice is passionate and highly credible. Her acting comes across fabulous on DVDs. Her facial expressions are well synchronized with her beautiful singing. Her Mad Scene is outstanding. In my memory, it is the best Mad Scene since another Anna half a century ago. That was Moffo. Beczala, while already an international star, could be a household name before long. I prefer Villazon and his robust voice. The Netrebko-Villazon chemistry is hard to match. Zimmerman does a superb job on the background scenaries (simple photos in Scotland), but the photographer and the injection can be done without. A strong plus is having Dessay serving as hostess. She is wonderful. I wish she sings couple short notes.

Sutherland is vocally calculating as an old pro. Lucia is more about passion and less about a canary singing contest. She is not cut out for DVDs. Her facial expression, if any, does not convey her emotions.... unlike Netrebko. Krauss is superb, as always. This is a three star DVD.

Seems that the best Lucias are not borne in the MET...
This production begins with some good prognostics, but gained less and less momentum as the story moves on, culminating in the big chaotic sextet scene.
The final bit of Edgardo singing by the grave with the ghost of Lucia approaching is perhaps the best bit that this production could offer.
I don't know if La Trebka is a coloratura or not - I am not an expert in this field. However, I have seen and heard her in much better performances in bel canto than this one, viz. the Bellini opera on Youtube with Joyce Didonato. Here, despite having the right sort of timbre, her Lucia failed to take flight both vocally and dramatically, despite all her effort. The first aria (or duet) is some what ordinary in that Netrebko failed to tackle the underlying psychological complexities of Lucia. Hers is a straight-laced portrayal. The inner struggles, the uncertainties, put in juxtaposition with her overwhelming love for Edgardo, are simply not there.
I tend also to agree that vocally this is not Netrebko's best performance. May be she has other nights when she sang better Lucias at the MET's production, but definitely not in this recording. Her runs are a bit approximate, and the high notes not really as secure as she would have them elsewhere.
The male leads fare much better. Kwiecien is a very evil Enrico, while Beczala is a very tragic Edgardo. Both singers are from Poland, it seems.
The staging aren't really that bad, with a Scottish countryside backdrop that befits the story well. It is only the direction that caused trouble:
why should Enrico and Lucia row on the floor? If Lucia is a child that readily engages in browls with her brother, she would have fled with Edgardo instead of submitting to the torture. Then, of course, the unwitting photographer that wasn't in the score - it throws some light on the mindset of the director - that this whole thing is JUST FOR SHOW. And that tells a lot.

I've seen dozens of Lucias starting in the 40's with Lily Pons (still one of the most exciting) but the opera Lucia became tugid and dull; only a vehicle for a soprano that had (or thought she had) a coloratura voice. Good ones Moffo, Callas, Sills etc. and bad ones Ricciarelli, Scotto and many others who continued to sing long after their voice had gone. In most performances the other cast members were mere automatons that parked and bellowed with an arm extended. The present performance was superior to all others I've seen because it was a total theatrical experience. All the cast was involved in the drama and drama it was. This was due to the genius of Mary Zimmerman. Her concept initially turned me off when I first read about it. But when I saw it was revelation. The cast sang and acted! The tenor Piotr Beczala as Edgardo, M.Kwiecin as Enrico (what an evil!), and the Raimondo of I. Abdrazakov were all stellar in their roles. In most past performances who remembers anyone but the soprano. In this one we remember them all. No, Netrebko is not a full bel canto but she is a great actress and a fantastic singer. It was a great evening. And yes I loved the Victorian ghost story.

This opera is going to lie close to my heart, not least because of its story brought to life by an excellent cast and principal characters. There's much that impressed and little that didn't. Transferring the storyline from early eighteenth century to the Victorian period was in my very humble opinion, a believable move.

The setting of gloom - bare trees in a darkened landscape set the tone for the pending tragedy that would unfold. There's always drama behind the drama, so I feel I should mention here that Piottr Beczala stepped in for an "ailing" Villazon. I have never heard Villiazon, so I had no frame of reference, except to note that I hear Beczala in other operas. To step in at short notice and produce what would be a standout performance is what professionalism is about. Beczala steals the show for me.

Netrebko has a beautiful clear lilt which I liked and her "mad scene" about which so much has already been written, quite powerful. While some here may have reservations about her almost playfulness in Act 1 in the light of her mother's recent demise, her love for Edgardo places her in a situation where's she displays conflict - the vacillation between joy and sadness is palpable. The descent into madness must be gradual and the scene between Lucia and Enrico solidifies this aspect.

I must once again say that Piotr Beczala with this performance entrenched his position as one of the finest lyrical tenors today. His aria "Fra poco a me ricovero" was delivered with such powerful passion, the enthusiastic applause at the end of it was very well deserved.

Now I feel justified in having purchased this DVD.

Viva Beczala!