Customer Reviews

Donizetti - Lucie de Lammermoor (Opéra National de Lyon 2002)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I cannot add much to what has been said by other reviewers. It is somewhat different from the Italian version, but that should not be a detraction. As a stand alone piece it works extremely well. The acting/singing is excellent as is the musical direction and playing.

However, remember the name, Don Kent -- and avoid him if you can. His idea of video direction and editing seems to be having as many closeups as possible. If he could, he possibly would have tried to get a shot of the larynxes in action. As a result, much of the drama was lost and one was left with the sensation of watching a recital through binoculars. During duets and ensembles, he cut mostly from one face to another. An opera production should be an interaction; and not being able to see the other characters during all these closeups detracts. The worst excess of this type of editing was during "the mad scene". We see little of the reaction of the others on the stage. But far worse: this was Ms Ciofi's major tour de force in this production and she was wonderful. However, the editing did not allow us to see her perform -- there were frequent cuts back and forth with no apparent rhythm, to her face alone, her face and neck, her face and upper part of her body, etc. etc. Whenever the camera pulled all the way back, we could see what a consummate actor Ms. Ciofi was, and how she was using her whole body in her performance -- and that whole body was, and should have been shown to be, part of an interacting ensemble.

Putrid is the word for the editing.

I will still give 5 stars because of all the factors mentioned by so many people; and because this is not a version that one is likely to get anywhere else.

In 1839 Donizetti reproduced his great success "Lucia di Lammermoor" for Paris. The opera was renamed "Lucie di Lammermoor." Besides translating the libretto to French, Donizetti inserted a new cavatina for Lucia. "Regnava nel silencio" was replaced with "Que n'avons nous des ailes." The original melody for the "new" cavatina was from a forgotten Donizetti opera "Rosmonda di Inghilterra." Donizetti also reworked the story slightly. Instead of a lady-in-waiting for Lucia Donizetti created the character of Gilbert, a Machiavellian spy type. Thus the first scena with Lucie takes on a more sinister foreboding tone.
The dvd is a performance from 2002 in Lyon. The recording's Lucie had Natalie Dessay, who was slated to be the revival's Lucie. Dessay completed the recording but developed nodes and had to cancel the run, so Patrizia Ciofi is the Lucie in the dvd performance. Alagna is the Edgard in both the recording and the dvd.
This dvd is one of those performances I would not want to be without, ever. The production manages to be both traditional and imaginative at the same time. The stark sets suggest a bleak medieval Scottish landscape. There is no prettified glamor here -- it's a violent, gory story and the production treats it as such.
Patrizia Ciofi may not be the GREATEST Lucia/Lucie on record, but from her first cavatina she's a disturbed, distraught woman. She is a tiny, thin woman, and suggests Lucie's delicacy. Her voice is smallish and crystalline, but never chirpy or monotonous. In the mad scene she takes the original keys (usually the scene is transposed to E so the soprano can end on a big E-flat). If I wanted to nitpick I would say that under pressure her voice can turn a bit glassy, and that she makes some funny facial expressions when she sings that the closeups don't flatter. But overall her Lucie is passionate, disturbed and pathetic.
Roberto Alagna is a controversial tenor. I happen to be a fan, because despite his obvious faults (questionable intonation, a tendency to sing forte rather than modulate his voice, incomplete training as he was largely self-taught), he sings with an innate passion and warmth that I find irreplaceable. His best moment is the final scene in the tomb, where he IMO steals the entire evening. His facility in the French language is also a big plus.
The role of Henry Ashton is fleshed out more in this production. Here he is not a stock villain, but also mentally disturbed and paranoid. Ludovic Tezier adds an almost demonic intensity to his scenes. His interaction with Lucie (leaning into her menacingly, then softly caressing her hair) implies a brother-sister relationship that is very troubled and abnormal.
The lighting could have been better -- the stage was naturally very dark, and at times the singers were totally covered in darkness. But these are minor complaints. I heartily recommend this performance.

This DVD presents the 1839 french version of this well known opera. I like this version in particular because is pretty complete; Compared with the Met version, where the duetto between Edgard and Enrico was skipped, this one has it and most of the scenes are not reduced at all. Is a complete score. Contains a new scene for Lucie in the first act: "Que n'avons nous des ailes", instead of "Regnava del Silenzio"; Normanno dissapears and is replaced by Gilbert, this "Jago" who is more complex and takes more importance in this version, in my opinion.

I have to say, this is a great version in many ways: First, conductor Evelino Pido's interpretation is not just correct, is dynamic and intense as well, getting a good balance in the orchestra. The speed and the brightness is good too.
Patricia Ciofi surprises with her hability and intensity singing the rare aria, and considering that she's singing live on-stage, she does it much better than Natalie Dessay in the CD version of the opera. Ciofi sings with energy and without losing control and dramatism (I have to say, she looks kinda freaky in some way, but it gives us some impression about how this Lucie could be). From there, you will enjoy her performance until the end. Ludovic Tezier deserves and ovation too. He's a good singer and actor (it looks like he could be over-acting in some way, but i think that it was the intention of the character in this production), and is great in the duet with Lucie in the second act. Roberto Alagna is convincing as always, because his shiny voice reflects a good idea about the character of Edgard must be. Very notable performance, Great duet with Ciofi at the end of the first act, and singing his famous aria at the end of the opera.
Marc Laho is good and precise in his short part. I liked his voice and colour when i saw him singing Don Pasquale's Ernesto this year at the Real in Madrid. Good singer.

The Production looks odd at the beginning, but i think is the intention of the directors to give a dark impression about the place and the characters. In some way, giving them some surrealistic form in a obscure and macabre context.

I really recommend this if you like complete version of operas, by now, this is my referencial version of Lucia, the french one. by other hand, this is the most recent version of the opera you will find, the other ones are from the 80's.

Yes, I think we all realize this is Donizettis French revision of his very popular Lucia di Lammmermoor. In the time of the "great" bel canto composers, it was fairly common place to write, rewrite, and sometimes translate popular operas for new singers, censors, or opera houses. Most of the time when they did so the results were less than satisfactory, and thats why the work is usually given in its original format (some high profile exceptions might be Rossini's Maometto Secondo into the french L'Assedio di Corinto and Verdi's I Lombardi into the french Jerusalum). That said, this french Lucie is (in my opinion) not as "great" as the first. Maybe because I am so used to hearing the italian text and charaters?
When I bought the CD with Dessay and Alagna I really wasn't impressed with the new version... although the performance and the singing were wonderful. BUT! After viewing this 2002 performance I have to admit.. this is the BEST LUCIE or LUCIA on DVD today. In french or italian or whatever this is a commited cast that act their parts and sing with total control and color. I have seen Ciofi on a couple of DVD's and I never really thought too much.... I was blown away with her on this disc. How lucky we are that Dessay was sick (hmmmmm that seems to happen to the poor girl alot these days)! She floats threw the high lighing passages with ease and has a wonderful top range. Her mad scene brought tears to my eyes.. and that has never happened. Usually when you hear the mad scene you listen and you gasp at the soprano as they leap across a hurdle of high notes, trills and runs (not to say I don't LOVE a good High e flat at the end thanks Sills and Sutherland).
The rest of the cast are almost as commited... Alagna is of course breath taking as Edgar(do)!
It's just nice to watch a dvd and feel the drama that sometimes is lost in all the over production and high notes.
I have read reviews that didn't feel the same as I did... I have seen some people don't like the facial expressions of Ciofi? Okay well take a good look at any soprano hitting a high D... and they don't usually look very comfortable? I wasn't bothered by this at all... infact I thought it helped the drama. And yes the production is DARK? this is a dark opera and I wasn't a bit bothered by this either.
Oh yeah and the aria that replaces Lucia's act I "Regnava nel silenzio" is from his opera Rosmonda D'inghilterra, and I feel its a good fit.

Hope you enjoy Lucie or Lucia!

I love this DVD. Since I received it I have watched it over and over.

First, the performance is beautifully stage directed. Yes, it is
dark, but castles in that era WERE dark and gloomy. Unlike most productions, this one also manages to look like it was actually
set in Scotland.

The director was able to get wonderful characterizations out
of his singers. Lucie is frantic, nervous, and unsettled from
her first appearance. Edgar is a vulnerable, passionate lover;
no conventional tenor here. Henri is not a conventional villian, he is a desparate man in a difficult situation. He also seems to share a bit of his sister's madness. Gilbert is
a sleazy, conniving slug.

Lucie gets more and more frenzied and out of touch with reality with each scene. By the wedding scene, her mind is gone, after
the wedding contract is signed and she sings that her life is over, it is very believable; she is absolutely at the end of her rope. That she becomes completely unhinged and stabs her
weakling of a husband is totally believable; in the Mad Scene
she seems more completely separated from reality than any other Lucia I have ever seen.

Edgar is also truly broken-hearted and desolate in the tomb
scene; that he ends his life is totally logical.

Ok, the musical side. I think Pido's conducting is very idiomatic. The chorus is absolutely outstanding, and wonderfully directed too. I'm happy to hear a version with the mad scene in the original, higher keys. All the old boring
tradional embellishments are thrown out; replaced with new musically creative ones. The fountain aria is replaced with
the aria from Rosmonda.

The singers are all a little rough at the start, but they warm up quickly. I love Ciofi's performance. She IS Lucie. I like Alagna better in this than anything else I have seen him in; although he does tend to sing sharp.

All in all, this is a compelling performance. I get completely absorbed in it each time I watch it.

I admit to disliking the excision of Lucia's big aria at the start of Act I, scene 2 (the fountain scene), which is my biggest quibble with Donizetti's French rewrite of his essentially Italian (and Italianate) work. But,that's what he did and that is how the Opera of Lyon played it. And well did they play it. Ciofi is a fantastic Lucie. Her voice was never in better shape than here, her artistic interpretation is excellent and her acting exemplary. I though Alagna's voice lacked the plush sound needed for Edgar (sorry - spoiled by the young Jose Carreras as Edgardo) and he strained most of the time in the upper register. I preferred the tenor (I think it was Marcello Giordano) in the broadcast performance when the production migrated to Paris. Ludovic Texier is an adequate but hardly unforgettable in the baritone role. And I wish the camera work did not include closeups near enough to see him expelling beads of saliva as he sang. All in all, though, a must both for the rarity of the French version and for Ciofi as Lucie.

Patrizia Ciofi is outstanding as Lucie in this French version of Lucie de Lammermoor. I'm a big fan of Natalie Dessay and I've seen her do the mad scene with this cast and Ciofi is certainly her equal. Her voice is just plain glorious and she never holds back on her singing or acting. The audience loved her.

Roberto Alagna was equally wonderful as Edgar and he exceeded my expectations of him in this role. Ludovic Tezier sang Henry Ashton with great passion and more expression than I expected from him, too. Marc Laho as Arthur wins the prize for the best French sounding singer, as usual. He was excellent. Actually, there were no weak links in this production. The entire cast was marvelous.

I thought the stark set could have used more light. The music, singing and characterization were atmospheric enough. But, I won't quibble over that.

Overall, this is a production not to be missed.

What a rare treat, to have this release. It is so improbable that any of us will get to see live, the French version of Lucie de Lammermoor. This is a valuable archival edition, and a fascinating one at that.
This version of the opera holds considerable interest, as it differs from the familiar Italian treatment. Besides the language change, there are several intriguing departures. The character of Alisa is missing, so that Lucia has no companion, and in sextet, her part is filled out by Normanno. Normanno - here called Gilbert, and played well by Yves Saelens - himself is given a much more significant hand in the proceedings: in fact he is akin to an Iagoian type of villain. Seeking to profit financially, he is the scheming catalyst for the tragedy. Henri (Enrico) is less of a villain than a frightened, desperate man determined to save the Ashton family from ruin. Raymond has most of his music cut, and in fact seems more like a comprimario role. There are several other differences; Arthur appears with Enrico in the first act; Lucia's dialogue with Raymond is missing; and perhaps most significantly, Lucia's *sortita* is totally different from the Italian. "Regnava nel silenzio...Quando rapito in estasi" is here instead a piece unrelated in any way to the mood of the original. It is in fact the melody of an aria from Donizetti's own "Rosmonda D'inghilterra" - "Perchè non ho del vento..Torna, torna o caro oggetto," and which is often used as a replacement for coloraturas who want a flashier virtuoso piece in Lucia. Joan Sutherland included it (brilliantly sung) as a bonus piece in her first Lucia recording. I find it an interesting piece of music, but more decorative than meaningful; it does not have the atmosphere and haunting foreboding of the original. As well, all of Lucia's music is in the original, higher keys; the duet with Enrico in A, and the mad scene in F. No capping high notes here to arias (there are some variants within the melodies), and no flute cadenza either (there is a very short unaccompanied cadenza at the fermata prior to the section's end). I can't say I miss either (the high note or lengthy cadenza), but have no objections to the familiar variants if they're well done. Instead of the cadenza with flute, we have Donizetti's original, beautiful ending - the harmonic resolution is intensely poignant, and needs no substitution.

I gathered that Evelino Pido, the conductor, was largely responsible for the performance edition here, and he leads his forces with unusual drive and commitment. The drama in the orchestra really comes through.

I love the production. It is dark, grim, and extremely gloomy, which is as it should be. You get the Poe-like atmosphere, the cavernous cold-castle feeling, and the brooding, threatening discord. A chilly, bluish light is effectively used throughout. Some of the "touches" are a bit idiosyncratic: during Henri's cabaletta, in which there are a few dead deer littering the stage, he puts his hands into the animal's wound and fairly washes his hands "madly" with the blood - the "sang" reference in the piece - get the connotation? Duh. While the men's costumes are all historically correct (and they all sport long, scraggly-unkempt tresses and facial hair), Lucia's costumes and coiffures strike a discordant appearance; her hair hangs down in long strands and she's dressed in these simple, unadorned shifts. I don't know if this was an idea of the producer/designer, but it makes Lucia seem too contemporary, too removed from the surroundings. OK, ok, maybe it was the intent to have her isolated, but lost in time she ain't.

Another rendered choice I didn't care too much for was the intent at a "cinematic" effect - the bulk of the shots are in extreme close-up. Singers were not meant to be scrutinized so closely, and many of the broad effects intended for an theater audience can look painfully contrived - the "silent movie" effect occurs in spades here. And frankly, a lot of the singers are ill-flattered by having their faces so omnipresent. All this tight camerawork lends a suffocatingly claustrophobic effect, and the inclination is to want to push the camera back to allow for some spatial perspective. All of the singers are well-versed and directed in their acting assignments, but their efforts are undermined by having their faces so ruthlessly exposed (Ludovic Tezier is several times seen with flecks of saliva barreling out).

Beginning with the lower end of voices, Raymond, played by Nicolas Cavallier, is the youngest looking chaplain I've ever seen. A handsome presence, one wishes he had more of his music restored, for he's got an attractive, warm, well-produced bass-baritone.

Ludovic Tezier, looking very much like a relative of John Wilkes Booth, is a committed, involved actor, and really carries across Henri's intensity and desperation. Some of his bug-eyed reaction shots are disconcerting, though (through no fault of his own). Tezier has a serviceable baritone, beautiful in tone quality, ringing, and strong, though fast music brings out some gruffness (but may be considered dramatically appropriate).

Roberto Alagna is of course entirely at home in the language, makes a fine impression dramatically, and really looks the Byronic hero. Though he is singing in French, he proceeds more like an aggressive Italian tenor with a penchant for pushing, especially on high; one wishes he could produce an authentic French head tone. Though he shows a great deal of repose and long-lined phrasing in his last scene, he's unrelievedly loud. His finest moments occur in what would be "Tu che a dio spiegasti," which is heartfelt and eloquently sung.

Patrizia Ciofi, taking over from an indisposed Natalie Dessay, is the Lucie. She has an angular, bony-spindly appearance; her face startlingly recalls portraits of 19th century Italian sopranos, in particular Fanny Tacchinardi Persiani herself - huge, almond shaped blue eyes. I had a very difficult time, though, enjoying Ciofi's performance. If there was any singer not meant to be caught for the camera, it is she. Watching her sing is a real trial in itself. Ciofi frequently looks as if in acute pain producing a tone. Tense neck, screwed-up face on high, hideous facial contortions, bug-eyed expressions. She curls her lips over her teeth in a tight, round-mouthed 'O' - so the effect is almost alarmingly vulgar looking. She works very hard in giving her portrayal, and it seems it; her busy, unrelievedly 1000-expressions-a-second performance grows weary after awhile. Twitches abound; think Sandy Dennis at her most mannered. The voice itself is rather monochromatic and without much dynamic variety; the tonal production is a "mouthy" sound, and the highest notes (which Ciofi registers in her face as if someone stabbed her in the back) are larrupped into place, and are bleaty, caterwauled and painfully tight. No trill. I don't know whose idea it was to stage the mad scene the way it's presented here, but it sure is overdone. This production has Lucia busily writhing on the floor, flailing arms, near-crashing into the scenery. The effect of this misguided Looney Tunes-Carol Burnett approach is to render Donizetti's music spectacularly ineffective. Gone is the intense pathos and deep tragedy inherent in the scena. I have always hated this mad hatter sort of approach, and this is perhaps the worst extreme. One reads accounts of Callas's Lucia, how she allowed the music to shine through very little physical movement; though I never saw her actually do it, it seems to me that a sensitive artist might have the capacity to hear the overriding poignance in the mad scene, which excessive physical gimmicks should not be allowed to sully. Though there are many who enjoy this kind of flashy, mindless melodrama, I for one can't stomach it, nor do I find this approach to have credibility. I wish, for such an historical release, that all of Ciofi's hard work and apparent dedication promised more residuals, but technically and histrionically she misses by miles.

It's unlikely that we'll have this version of the opera at any time in the near future (maybe never), so this release is definitely recommended fo Donizettians and Lucia admirers. One will have to settle for the fact that Ciofi needs indulgence, though I'm sure there are those who will enjoy her hyper-spastic performance.

I found the dessay version of this opera production on the web. It is exactly the same production taped in 2002 as well and presented in much the same way. Dessay is wonderful. The tenor, unknown to me is OK. There are Korean? subtitles.
Interesting that this was never released commercially as far as I know.