Customer Reviews

Lucia Di Lammermoor [VHS]

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TO SEE SUTHERLAND PERFORM THIS ROLE ADDS A WHOLE NEW DIMNSION TO IT. SIMPLY HEARING IS NOT ENOUGH. DAME JOAN DOES NOT EMOTE WITH HER VOICE. SHE RELIES ON FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND GESTURES TO CONVEY FEELING, AS SHE DOES SO ADMIRABLY. THE VOICE OF A 56 YEAR OLD IS UNQUESTIONABLY STRAINED IN SUCH A ROLE, BUT MISS SUTHERLAND IS NONETHELESS BEAUTIFUL. A COUPLE OF THE HIGHER NOTESARE UNEVEN AND THIN, BUT THE OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE COLORATURA ARE SOLIDLY AND BEAUTFULLY DELIVERED. WATCH DAME JOAN AS SHE SPEAKS TO HER BROTHER DURING THE MAD SCENE...HER EXPRESSIONS ARE PRICELESS AND EMOTIONALLY RICH. EDGARDO IS DELIVERED IN A FORCEFUL AND ELEGANT WAY. ALFREDO KRAUS WOULD BE THE ONLY "CATCH" IN THIS...HE MATCHES SUTHERLAND IN AGE, BUT NOT IN VOICE. ONE MUST FORGIVE THIS IF ONE IS TO ENJOY ONE OF THE GRAT MOMENTS IN OPERA. OVERALL, IF YOU HAVE HEARD THE 1972 VERSION ON CD, AND HAVE ENJOYED IT, AND CAN FORGIVE THE FAULTS OF KRAUS, YOU WILL FIND THIS A TREASURE WORTH SEEING.

The ghost Lucia sees rising from the well is not the only ghost in this production. When the singers move onstage, they leave a shadow trail. This was very distracting.