Customer Reviews

Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)

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Lucia di Lammermoor has serveral wonderful recordings... it can be a hard choice.... the mighty Callas, the smooth voice of Sutherland or the florid singing of Sills? Each have soprano and thier respective recordings have their own virtues and fall backs... lets start with Maria Callas... picking a recording for her is always hard to do... the youth and fullness of her voice for her first studio recording in 1953... or the masterful Berlin performance of 1955? Personally I pick the later and you really can't get a better Lucia... she is right on the money... emontionally the most on-key performance in the books... the draw-back (as with any Callas recording) first the mono sound and second the lack of beauty in her voice... yes there is passion and yes there is power, but not a whole lot of beauty.
Second we have Sutherland... for me there is only one Lucia recording for Dame Joan.. and thats her 1961 studio for Decca. This is what made Joan an overnight success! She is flawless! Her Lucia is beauty and charm... but lacks the passion of Callas and emotion.
So that brings us to the recording at hand... 1970 studio with Beverly Sills. This is and always will be THE LUCIA! She has the beauty of Sutherland and the passion of Callas all wrapped up in one expressive masterpiece. Her portrayal in the mad scene is breathtaking. You just wonder where all this magic is coming from? You have to hear this recording to believe what it is all about. Bergonzi is a totally commited Edgardo and Cappuccilli is very alert and responcive to Sills in their duet.
What else can I say... Is this the best Lucia ever? I am not sure there are a few others that are also wonderful... but it has always been my favorite to listen to. When you want to hear vocal splendor and masterful singing then listen to this Lucia.

This recording is just one of a whole arsenal made during the late 1960s and early 1970s that present Beverly Sills at her considerable best. Unfortunately, these wonderful performances were made under the defunct ABC label with production values so inferior they were quickly pulled from the catalogue. It is good news that these brilliantly remastered recordings are being reissued. Sills' "Lucia" is what most collectors have been waiting for because it's not only one of her best performances, it stands as one of the best overall recordings of "Lucia" in the catalogue.

Sills first sang "Lucia" in the spring of 1970 and this recording was made later that same year. By the diva's own admission, it took her a few years to get this part under her belt but it's amazing to hear how much she brings to the role after relatively little exposure. From her first entrance, Sills conveys the heroine's fragility. In the cavatina, "Regnava nel silenzio" Sills projects Lucia's sense of dread as she describes her encounter with the ghost of the murdered girl. At the line "L'ombra monstrarsi, a me!" she utilizes a breathless quality, hurrying to the end of the musical line, the terror in the text clearly mirrored in her excited delivery. In that same cavatina, Lucia describes how the ghost beckoned to her. In the line, "Chiamarmi a se parea" Sills replaces the usual embellishments with a chromatic scale that sounds like a wail, reflective of the specter she is describing. These are just two examples of the myriad of touches Sills brings to her interpretation.

Dramatics aside, this recording is some of the loveliest singing Sills ever committed to disc. To fully appreciate her style, you must consider Sills in the context of her time. In the years since this recording, research has led to an appreciation of authentic interpretations of operas. Old-fashioned bravado has given way to a conscientious effort to reflect the style of a musical era. This is reflected in the way modern interpreters approach operas of the early-nineteenth century where, for too long, the practical considerations of a singer, or impresario, ran roughshod over the composition, leading to distortions in the composers' intentions. This new level of responsibility has led to such recordings as the "Lucia" on Sony with soprano Andrea Rost using period instruments and going back to the original score. While not discounting its achievements, listening to that recording is a rather dry, academic exercise. Sills, however, was the product of a time when singers were encouraged to project their own personalities into a role, straying from precise musical interpretation if it served the drama. Therefore, a singer could interpolate "verismo" techniques into a "bel canto" opera if they felt it better conveyed the emotion they were expressing. Sills was guilty of speaking lines instead of singing them but it's forgivable because she always delivered technically strong, dramatic performances. In this recording, she may ignore the written line and take the high E flat Donizetti intended for the tenor at the end of the love duet but she produces such a ravishing sound, you forgive her. Sills' voice is strong, focused and rich with opulent technique. Her mad scene is everything you could wish for; her notes are secure, her runs breathtaking, and she employs some of the loveliest pianissimos to be heard outside of a Monserrat Caballe recording!

This recording is fortunate to include tenor Carlo Bergonzi as Edgardo. Somewhat overlooked today, Bergonzi ranks as one of the finest singers of the twentieth century. His career began in the 1950s but was soon overshadowed by the twin meteors of Domingo and Pavarotti during the mid-sixties. But I believe that Bergonzi's voice was the loveliest of the three. Pavarotti may have commanded the vocal stratosphere and Domingo may have thrilled with sheer power, but neither could summon the pristine, elegant sound of the young Bergonzi. He is an ardent, vocally resplendent hero for Sills' vulnerable heroine. He is dramatic in the sextet scene and heartbreaking in the opera's finale. He commands our attention with a charm unknown to the "grand-standing" efforts of the recent "Three Tenors" circus.

The other characters are just as opulently cast. Baritone Piero Cappuccilli was always a sensitive singer and his interpretation of Enrico has more depth than usual. This Enrico feels remorse even as he presses Lucia into a loveless marriage. As Raimondo, Justino Diaz's rich bass voice brings a commanding presence to his scenes. The remaining roles are all well sung. The conductor, Thomas Schippers, whose life was cut tragically short, delivers a well-paced performance, utilizing the florid "bel canto" style without ever losing dramatic tension. Much has been made over the fact that this recording uses the glass harmonica in the mad scene. Although Donizetti was initially attracted to this unusual instrument, he abandoned the idea, re-writing the passage for flute soloist. There were two reasons for this decision; first, there were few artists available to play this instrument and, second, its sound was inaudible in a theater. Ever practical, Donizetti decided against an instrument that could be effective only as a novelty. It's fascinating to hear the glass harmonica but it should not be regarded as representative of Donizetti's final intensions.

So is this the best "Lucia" available? The Callas recordings are wonderful tributes to her art but they all have cuts and uneven supporting casts. Joan Sutherland's best recording is her first but it also has cuts and she remains uninvolved dramatically. Anna Moffo's version on RCA comes close but, regrettably, it has been pulled from the catalogue. There is a long list of other recordings with distinguished casts but they all have notable flaws that negate absolute endorsement. Sills' interpretation, therefore, comes as a welcome addition to the roster of "Lucia" recordings. Above all it remains a dramatic, beautifully sung performance. And isn't that what "bel canto" is all about?

At last we have the Sills "Lucia." The wait has been frustrating, but it has now been wonderfully made worth while. From her first utterance, Sills's Lucia foreshadows her end in the tone of mental instability of her every phrase. There are no weaknesses in Sills's performance (or any of the others, for that matter), and Schippers leads a tight, propulsive production, keenly aware of the drama and of the requirements of bel canto opera. Technically, the 1970 recording shows its age, but only in direct comparison with more recent versions. There is one (tiny) flaw: 17 measures of the orchestral introduction to the opening chorus are missing; does anyone know if this was true of the original LP release or may be the result of some carelessness in preparing the CD transfer? As noted, the flaw is tiny and should not by any means discourage anyone from buying this set for all of the splendid pleasures it has to offer, not least in the use of the glass harmonica for the Mad Scene: it really transports you into the world of the demented. Buy it and enjoy bel canto opera at its best.

I owned this recording on vinyl many years ago and have just got around to purchasing it on CD. How I've managed to live so long without this recording being restored to my musical collection is a real mystery to me. It truly is one of the best (if not the best) recordings of that Donizetti favorite Lucia di Lammermoor.
First of all, Thomas Schippers was a wonderful conductor especially of opera; he was a conductor that truly loved opera--it shows in his recordings and in this recording in particular. You are made fully aware from the very beginning that he takes Lucia seriously--he really conducts the hell out of the score (look at some of the recording photographs of him in action and listen to the second half of the sextet--he literally whips the orchestra and singers into a frenzy). He died much too soon! What he does for this opera is make it truly exciting, emotional, vital and dynamic--something not heard too often in recordings of Lucia. (I find him to be far more exciting and thrilling than Karajan's live recording with Callas) Of course, his task was made somewhat easy since he had a spectacular group of singers to work with!
Sills was at her peak!! For those that only can think of her by her nickname Bubbles and have the erroneous idea that she was just funny, nice, bubbly and just so "un-prima donna like" , not being a really serious singer need only to listen to this recording. You fully realize that no matter how many Johnny Carson and Carol Burnett appearances she made she WAS a great singer/musician and took her art VERY seriously. She rings every emotion out of Lucia that can be rung while singing every ornamentation and high note that can be sung, musically, in the role using the ornamentations and high notes to express Lucia's frail state of mind--listen how her trills sound more and more frantic as her "madness" progresses. The glass harmonica is a wonderful touch in the "Mad Scene"--Donizetti certainly had the right idea--it gives a truly eerie feel to the scene far better, I feel, than just the flute. I just love that one gets the the feeling, from Sills' singing in the first act, that Lucia is not too well in the head from the get go so that when we get around to the "Mad Scene" you feel that this poor child has just reached the "end of her rope" and has simply gone completely loopy. (I feel that she would have killed anything that got into her bed that night). Sills certainly sings her that way and it makes perfect sense. This opera, of course, is NOT just written for the soprano star (though, I'm sure, there are those that think so) the tenor and baritone have a lot to do also and what a line-up in this recording--Bergonzi and Cappucilli--kids, it does not get any better than that for a recording of Lucia.
Bergonzi and Cappucilli are thrilling. I really feel that they inspire La Sills to greater heights!. What luxury casting. (There is also Justino Diaz in a small role!!)
If you want a truly exciting and memorable recording of that old "war-horse" of an opera, Lucia di Lammermoor, do yourself a favor and buy this recording. If nothing else, you will discover why Beverly Sills dominated the soprano scene (especially here in America) in the 70s, and discover that there was far more to her than just being "Bubbles"!

In the past, I've been listening almost exclusively to the two Lucias by Joan Sutherland and have enjoyed them very much--the earlier one especially for her performance, the second especially for the excellent performances of Pavarotti and Milnes. Sutherland's singing is technically perfect (or as close to that as humanly possible.) I honestly was not really expecting to like this Sills performance better, I guess because I've been less familiar with her work. But, wow! This is a prime example of the difference a really warm, emotive voice--even if technique might be slightly less "perfect"--can make. I am moved by this performance to a degree I am not used to just listening to a CD. In addition to Sills' wonderfully sensitive and beautifully sung portrayal of this most tragic of characters, there are other little surprises on this rendering--particularly the use of the glass harmonica with the flute in the mad scene, which give it an other-wordly beauty and an additional sense of the break with reality that has occurred, and the masterful Edgardo of Carlo Bergonzi. Also, baritone Piero Cappuccilli's Enrico is at least equal to Milnes'. I cannot imagine a more satisfying listening experience with this opera than the one given here. I've noticed that a few other Sills performances have been remastered and released in recent months (what were they waiting for??)and I'm now very eager to hear what lies in store in the rest of them!

I have four "Lucia"s on my shelf, and this is the one I always listen to when I want to experience the full drama of this bel canto classic. (We can safely ignore the opinions of those tin-eared listeners who don't grasp the shattering drama delivered by bel canto at its best.) Granted I may be somewhat influenced by having seen and heard Sills in the opera house, but her superiority in all "departments" in conveying Donizetti's dramatic achievement is not bettered anywhere, not by Callas and certainly not by Sutherland, whatever the glories of her singing. Sills conveys Lucia's incipient madness with the first notes she utters and her performance traces an uninterrupted arc from the fountain scene until she's led away after the Mad Scene. And she's fully seconded by everyone else who takes part, especially Bergonzi and -- best of all conductors in this score -- Thomas Schippers. If you want to know why bel canto opera has such a large body of fans, immerse yourself in in this recording as soon as possible.

This is a recording of Beverly Sills singing Lucia. Need I say more? Her voice is exactly as I imagine Lucia's should be. Sutherland's is more beautiful, but we miss out on the character. Callas does a good job with Lucia, but her voice is probably too big for most Donizetti, as well as she sings it. I prefer Sills' voice when she was a bit younger, but she is still fabulous here. She actually portrays the character of Lucia above merely singing the arias beautifully, which, by the way, she does. Her ornamentation seems to add to the work in some undiscernable sense, and we get plenty of high notes--she even ends Disc II by holding out a high "F"!!! At all times, she retains musical integrity. Bergonzi is an apt match, though he seems to have something of a lisp. This recording also sports the glass armonica found nowhere else on disc, which greatly contributes to the Mad Scene with its otherwordly sound, even though the player misses some of the notes. The sound could be better, and Arturo's voice isn't very good in comparison to the other singers, but that's just fine--it doesn't have to be. We don't want him to outshine Edgardo. If you like Sills, Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti, Bel Canto operas, or opera in general, get a copy of this.

As a fanatic of bel canto and coloratura, it amazes me that Ms Sills recordings of Lucia have not been readily available. Her accuracy and technical mastery can be taken for granted; and here we have her fulfilling the demands of a dramatic and difficult role with that consummate warmth that is hers alone. Her voice is marvellous, touching the highs with effortless assurance; delivering passion when need be yet capable of great tristesse in the quieter, reflective passages, notoriously in Act II. She is so dramtaically 'at home' with this role that one can only speculate as to why the recording has remained obscure so long. We have benefitted by her recordings for EMI (and more recently, her Anna Bolena and other Donizetti favourites - some brought out under the Universal label, others on this Westminster label), why not this? Is it because the market has been relatively flooded with wanabe Lucias, good and bad?
I have never been fond of the screamers nor the glissando merchants who won fame at this role, great though their names may be, so the appearance of this set raised my pulse quite a bit. I waited a long time.
Technically, the recording suffers slightly from age but it still manages to preserve the sparkle and presence of the singers. Bravo.
Great shame a performance was never filmed. Or was it? If so let's hope it makes an appearance soon!

Sills is a great Lucia. For those who say her voice is too small for the role, especially compared to Sutherland and Callas, I say it is the right size for this role. Lucia, after all, was written for Fanny Persiani, who was a soprano with a light coloratura voice. Also, for those who say Sills' coloratura pales in comparison with Sutherland's, I say hogwash. Sills' coloratura is superb. She does smudge some staccati, but only does so for dramatic effect. Her trills and runs are breathtaking.

This role is NOT merely a display of stratospheric high notes and complicated coloratura. It is also a greatly dramatic role which must be ACTED with the voice. In this regard, Sills succeeds with flying colors. Her solo scenes are magnificent, just listen to her Mad Scene (her singing here reaches the highest pinnacle of vocal acting). Her work with her colleagues is also superb.

The rest of the cast is made up of great singers, especially Carlo Bergonzi as an elegant and passionately restrained, but still affecting Edgardo. One must hear his double-aria finale to realize his greatness. He sings with beautiful tone and magnificent phrasing and diction. He is truly in a class of his own.

The conducting of Thomas Schippers is great. He propels the action forward and gives every passage its dramatic due. His pacing of the three duets that follow "Regnava nel silenzio" is very exciting and makes for thrilling listening.

In short, this recording is truly one of the best on the market.

Arguably the best. Tune in to this recording and you'll see why. Beverly Sills in fine singing voice, the great Carlo Bergonzi is generally regarded as the finest interpretor of Edgardo and a superb cast, orchestra as well as tribute to Thomas Schippers a formidable conductor who tragically died of cancer in the late 70's. There have been many outstanding Lucia studio recordings dating back to the LP Era long before digitally remastering and cd recordings. Lucia is the most famous opera of the Donizetti repertoire. It is a great vehicle for the soprano singing Lucia and tenor singing Edgardo. Over the years, many remarkable singers have come across Lucia Di Lammermoor - Lily Pons, Maria Callas, Roberta Peters, Joan Sutherland, Edita Gruberova, Anna Moffo, Cheryl Studer and many others dating back to the early phonograph/victrola days of the early 1900s among them Adelina Patti, Dame Nellie Melba, Louisa Tetrazzini and Amelita Galli-Curci. It is almost a rite of passage. During its day, Donizetti's Lucia became so popular that Donizetti had to rewrite the opera in French to cater to the French opera lovers in Paris. Donizetti's music is a colorful array of emotions and melodrama perfomed in the typical romantic flair that the Romantic Era was so famous for, The tragic story is drawn from the Walter Scott novel supposedly inspired by actual events. A young woman, with a penchant for romance, falls in love with her family's enemy a la Romeo and Juliet. The Ashtons and the Ravenswoods have long feuded over property and social position in the bleak Gothic moors and misty woods of Scotland. Lucia, the quintessential tragic heroine, is forced to marry a man she does not love (Arturo) in accordance to her brother Enrico's wishes. Enrico has plotted and schemed by forging letters and managed to seperate Lucia and Edgardo. During Lucia's wedding to Arturo, she loses her mind and stabs him. Edgardo commits suicide at the opera's finale. It's tragic drama at its best.

On this recording, Thomas Schippers and the London Symphony Orchestra produce a high calibre score in much the same dramatic vein that Herbert Van Karajan pulled in the classic recording with Maria Callas. Plus, it provides a chilling, frightening effect in the Mad Scene with the use of the glass harmonica in addition to the orthodox flute that accompanies the scene. There is also a "storm" effect, both musically and with the studio sound of thunder and lightning in a latter scene in which Edgardo broods melancholically in his castle the night of Lucia's wedding. Dramatically and vocally this studio recording is the finest. Beverly Sills proves that you don't have to be a large voiced Maria Callas or Joan Sutherland clone to sing the role of Lucia. Beverly's light but well-schooled and well-trained voice becomes aptly dramatic and convincing in all the range of emotions Lucia turns on - haunting and raving in "Regnava Nel Silenzio" and full of ecstasy in the coloratura showpiece "Quando Rapito", tearful, sorrowful and resigned in her duet with Enrico "Soffrivi Nel Pianto". Note also that during the recitatives and dialogue exchanged between Sills and baritone Piero Cappuccilli- specifically in the lines "Al'otro uomo e giurado mia fe" "To another man I have already pledged my love" she inflects pure drama when she pushes her voice to a chest register. Piero Cappuccilli's finest moment is in this duet and in the preceding Vengeance Aria. As for Justino Diaz, his baritone vocals are equally as masterful as today's Samuel Ramey. Justino Diaz voice is rich and full and blends gorgeously with Beverly Sills in their duet "Cedi Cedi"- a duet which Sills tops off with a high F.

The Mad Scene is incredible. It is not unrestrained, nor hysterical, but deeply moving in its pathos and unbearable sorrow. We feel pity for Lucia's condition and Sills does not overact. Carlo Bergonzi is a superb Edgardo, joining the ranks of Enrico Caruso who was personally fond of the role and dubbed it his best. Carlo Bergonzi has a masculine, ringing, earthy and dramatic voice that is perfect for the role of the tragic hero Edgardo. Only Placido Domingo sings it as good. The moving finale, in which Edgardo has learned that Lucia has died and true to her love for him, he commits suicide by stabbing himself, determined to join Lucia in the afterlife. His poignant "Tu che a Dio " is lyric, emotional and the sad effect enhanced by the repetition and dominant use of the strings. There is nothing left to say but go out and buy this recording.