Lucia of Lammermoor

Donizetti (Artist), Futral (Artist), Rice (Artist), Chaundy (Artist), Parry (Artist), Opie (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 10, 2002)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Chandos
• ASIN: B00006FSPI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #355,875 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 24-SEP-2002

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elizabeth Futral On Fire: Lucia Sung In English, February 21, 2004

By 

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

This review is from: Lucia of Lammermoor (Audio CD)

If anything, the Opera In English series ease a layman and newbie to the world of opera. If you want to get into opera, start with English-sung translations. Others in the series include Verdi's La Traviata, Bizet's Carmen, Handel's Julius Caesar and Wagner's Ring Of The Nibelung. This recording features the talented soprano Elizabeth Futral, who is still actively performing in opera houses and recitals worldwide. Mind you, Elizabeth Futral has sung the Donizetti Italian version of Lucia Di Lammermoor. But for some reason, she provided her unique talents in singing English to this recording. We are glad she did for she delivers an incredible performance- intensely dramatic, vulnerable and melancholy and her Mad Scene is sensational. Her full lyric voice is beautiful to hear and she commands coloratura with ease and annoted perfection. On the plus side, in English, she is able to act as if she were in a film or in a stage play.

This is Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia Di Lammermoor, considered his greatest opera. Lucia is drawn from the Sir Walter Scott Gothic novel, "The Bride Of Lammermoor" and supposedly inspired by an actual 19th century account. Set in the bleak moors of Scotland, Lucia Ashton is in love with Edgardo Ravenswood, but a la Romeo and Juliet, their love is forbidden since their families have been feuding for years over property and land ownership. Edgardo is the last of the Ravenswoods, all his family is resting in the ancestor's cemetery. Part of the conflict is that the Ravenswoods and the Ashtons are of opposing religions- Catholic and Protestant. Lucia's brother Enrico devises a plan to thwart their love. While Edgardo is off fighting a war in France, Enrico forges his letters and convinces Lucia that he is betraying her. Lucia is forced into a marriage of convenience with Arthur Bucklaw. However, Edgardo arrives only to see Lucia marry Arthur (The Sextet) He is enraged and heartbroken at once while Lucia's sanity is shattered. Not herself, she murders her husband on her wedding night (The Mad Scene). In the conclusion, Edgardo takes his own life when he hears that Lucia has died and that she had really loved him after all.

While the opera is always better in its original Italian, this version is nothing to laugh at. It's beautifully done. Elizabeth Futral performs a sensational Lucia. If you get the chance to see Futral performing, please do so, you won't regret it. I will be seeing Elizabeth Futral performing recital arias asCleopatra in Handel's Julius Casear this late February.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Futral does it again!, December 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Lucia of Lammermoor (Audio CD)

After hearing Lucia in person, it has been a very interesting to hear this opera in English. The performers do a excellent job, their diction is perfect. Of course Ms. Futral is outstanding and the absolute choice to play the role of Lucia.

Bravo!!