Donizetti: Lucia Di Lammermoor

Donizetti (Artist), Anna Moffo (Artist), Carlo Bergonzi (Artist), Mario Sereni (Artist), Ezio Flagello (Artist), Georges Pretre (Conductor), RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra and Chorus (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra and Chorus
• Conductor: Georges Pretre
• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000003EPL
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,384 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Percorrete le spiagge vicine

2. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Tu sei turbato!

3. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Cruda, funesta smania

4. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Oh, giorno!

5. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: La pietade in suo favore

6. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Ancor non giunse!

7. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Regnava nel silenzio

8. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Quando, rapito in estasi

9. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Egli s' avanza! La vicina soglia

10. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Sulla tomba che rinserra

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Per te d' immenso giubilo

2. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Dov'č Lucia?

3. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Chi mi frena in tal momento?

4. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: T' allontana, sciagurato

5. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Orrida č questa notte

6. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Qui del padre ancor respira

7. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: D' immenso giubilos s' innalzi

8. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Deh! cessate quel contento!

9. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Oh! qual funesto avvenimento!

10. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Ohimč! sorge io tremendo fantasma

See all 18 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lucia with Moffo and Bergonzi--a neglected gem!, May 22, 2004

By 

L. E. Cantrell (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Donizetti: Lucia Di Lammermoor (Audio CD)

Somehow this performance has gotten lost amid the variously competing versions from Callas, Sutherland, Sills and Caballe. That's too bad, for this is an intelligently planned, precisely executed and beautifully sung essay on Donizetti's grand old warhorse of an opera.

Too often we judge a performer of Lucia by the degree of her adherence to or departure from the standard laid down by our favorite diva. Try to put aside memories of the sacred one long enough to judge Moffo purely on her own merits. I believe that you will find in her an essential rightness of characterization, vocal quality and dramatic arc.

Bergonzi is in fine form, singing like a slightly berserk angel. His Edgardo, at the very least, equals that of any tenor who has ever recorded the role and is better by far than most.

A quite unexpected virtue of this set lies in the excellent casting of the secondary roles. The tenor portraying Lord Arturo Bucklaw, for example, actually sounds capable of dealing with that intruding lout, Edgardo. For once, the big confrontation scene achored by the famous sextet makes dramatic sense.

This re-issue seems once again to have faded away. If you find it second-hand, by all means snap it up!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lucia Lucia: Legendary Album, December 16, 2004

By 

Rudy Avila "Saint Seiya" (Lennox, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Donizetti: Lucia Di Lammermoor (Audio CD)

This is a real treat for fans of opera. Soprano Anna Moffo as Lucia, tenor Carlo Bergonzi as Edgardo in a well-preserved, digitally remastered recording. The album may also serve as a companion/soundtrack to the 1971 film also starring Anna Moffo, with tenor Lajos Kozma. Lucia was probably Anna Moffo's greatest role. She sang a rather terrific Madame Butterfly but I believe she probably considered Lucia as a role of a lifetime. It suited her perfectly. Anna Moffo was one of the first sopranos who "glamorized" opera, along with Maria Callas. In the 50's and early 60's, directly after World War II, it seemd that Maria Callas was the definiative diva but people forget that many stars were also on the rise.

Anna Moffo looked like Audrey Hepburn, could have been an actress if she wanted to but she was one heck of an opera singer. Her voice was lighter and higher than Maria Callas, not heavy and dramatic or fiery and furious. This is the right kind of voice for certain "dying heroine" roles in opera. And believe me, that's a repertoire in itself- Madame Butterfly (dies in the end) Lucia (dies in the end) Mimi from La Boheme (dies)Violetta in La Traviata (dies). Get the picture ? Anna Moffo's innocent, charming and sweet voice is capable of inducing tears in the love scenes and death scenes.

Opera is a universe within itself. To the unenlightened, it's big people singinig with big voices and elitist cakes for the rich to eat. None of this is true. Opera is an inspiring and whole art form, in which music feeds the soul. The stories are of tragic love because only through death can we appreciate love in our own lifetime. Lucia is the story of a doomed Scottish noblewoman, forced to marry against her will and betray her true love Edgardo by her scheming brother. The result- she goes crazy and kills her husband on their wedding night, which leads to her own death which motivates the grieving Edgardo to commit suicide. As mentioned, there's a rather outstanding old film in 1971 starring Moffo as Lucia and Lajos Kozma as Edgardo. This album may have been recorded earlier. Certainly, Moffo is making the better performance here. Carlo Bergonzi is a lot better than Kozma. Bergonzi was a tenor who passionately devoted himself into the integrity of the music and the drama of the text. He becomes Edgardo whole-heartedly. He is the greatest Edgardo ever on record or stage. The sound is good and the chorus is clear and powerful. The music is sublime. Highly recommended. Fans should be delighted. Other Lucias have included Maria Callas (dramatic interpretation, darker, bigger voice, more Italian-sounding) as well as Joan Sutherland (less dramatic, ornate but heavy and dramatic, very showy and flashy) Beverly Sills (along the lines of Anna Moffo- beautiful in the more romantic scenes, a lyric, high coloratura soprano -note how Moffo and Sills shine in such arias as "Soffriva Nel Pianto" "Regnave Nel Silenzio" and the "Mad Scene". Other sopranos include Cheryl Studer as Lily Pons (going way back to the 30's and 40's) and in recent years Lucia has been wonderfully performed by Inva Mulla Tchako ( she sang Lucia in the film "The Fifth Element" starring Bruce Willis in which she dubbed for the opera alien diva). I have seen Russian soprano Anna Netrebko as Lucia and I would love to see Renee Fleming as Lucia. If she has sung it, I wouldn't know but I am sure she would be phenomenal being a lyric soprano and bel canto specialist not to mention a big star in the opera world today.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the most romantic Lucia, June 17, 2001

By 

Michel (Montreal, Quebec) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Donizetti: Lucia Di Lammermoor (Audio CD)

Anna Moffo is a highly romantic Lucia very much the young and vulnerable heroine. The warmth and sweetness of her voice are a real delight and she also exhibits considerable agility and a secure top. In its simplicity and unaffected sincerity her performance is very touching. At her side the noblest of Edgardo in Carlo Bergonzi singing superbly. Mario Sereni and Ezio Flagello offer excellent support. This 1965 recording offers the score complete with no cuts and Georges Pretre conducts with brio this bel canto masterpiece. A very fine version.