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AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL OPERA REVIEW
Donizetti, Lucia di Lammermoor:
Soloists, Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna.
Conductor: Antonello Allemandi. Teatro Comunale di Bologna. 29.
2.2008 (MD)
New Production by Teatro Comunale di Bologna
Director: Walter Le Moli
Sets and Costumes: Santi Centineo
Lighting: Franco Marri
Cast:
Lucia: Jessica Pratt
Edgardo: Giacomo Patti
Enrico: Massimo Cavalletti
Raimondo: Oren Gradus
Arturo: Ivan Magri
Alisa: Elena Borin
Normanno:
Francesco Denaro
The world première of Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano
Donizetti (1797 – 1848) took place on September 26, 1835.
Donizetti was a hard worker. He composed about 70 operas and he
wrote ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ in 36 days. For the Paris revision of
1839, which has been reconstructed recently, he rewrote the opera
rigorously. Richard Wagner condemned Donizetti’s poor integration
of his libretti with the music, the classical structure of his
arias and acrobatic tendencies of the vocal lines, the but fact
is that Donizetti created a new kind of melodramatic opera.
Bologna appears to have no real association with ‘Lucia di
Lammermoor’ for there seems to be no single studio or live
recording from this city of this opera. This season Teatro
Comunale di Bologna has seven performances running until March 5th
and there are two casts. Unfortunately, the promising coloratura
soprano Katarzyna Dondalska was indisposed as Lucia and was
ultimately replaced by the Australian Jessica Pratt.
Jessica Pratt was a convincing Lucia in a close to non-existent
mise en scène
by Walter Le Moli. The décor was an empty stage with some iron
cubes and all singers were dressed in casual suits. Here Pratt
could show her natural acting capabilities. She has a big voice
with decent coloratura possibilities. Her high notes, however,
were sometimes a bit sharp and too open. Giacomo Patti is a thin
toned Edgardo, but with a beautiful and unforced head register.
Massimo Cavalletti already sang Enrico at La Scala and has a
solid, ringing baritone and perfect coloraturas. The American bass
Oren Gradus has sung various roles at The Met already and is a
solid Raimondo. His voice reminded me of a young Samual Ramey.
However, this ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ was nothing more than a
provincial performance and that was mainly due to the conductor
Antonello Allemandi. Allemandi used fast and rigid tempi and
cadenzas and cut all fermatas short. Completing the second
act in less than 35 minutes must definitely have been a world
record. The Bologna audience treated him to loud boos and one
person even yelled “Povero Donizetti”. And he was right:
Allemandi’s conducting might be suited for Rossini in Pesaro, but
not for Donizetti in Bologna.
Mark
Duijnstee
Mark
Duijnstee is a medical specialist in Amsterdam, Holland whose
research interests are concerned with vocal problems. Very
appropriately, he also writes about opera.
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