La donna del lago
is the 29th in the sequential
list of Rossini’s operatic titles. Written
for the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, it
was the first opera to be based on any
of Walter Scott’s romantic works. Although
the most famous in our time is Donizetti’s
Lucia di Lamermoor, Scott’s popularity
as a source of operatic libretti expanded
rapidly after Rossini’s example. By
1840, a mere 21 years after La donna
del lago, there were at least 25
Italian operas based on Scott plus others
by German, French and English composers
(The Bel Canto Operas. Charles Osborne.
Methuen 1994. p.94). In my
review of Rossini’s Armida
of 1817, number 22 in the sequential
list, I outlined how the composer was
encouraged to produce a spectacular
work for the rebuilt San Carlo stage
facilities and also to venture new musical
forms. Of the six works Rossini composed
between Armida and La donna
del lago, three were written for
the Naples theatre. It was here that
the composer could let his musical invention
find expression without recourse to
the more static and traditional operatic
conventions that still pertained elsewhere.
Although none of Scott’s
works had been published in Italian
at the time, Rossini had read The
Lady of the Lake in French translation
and been inspired by it. He returned
to Naples in the beginning of June 1819
and by early September had completed
the composition. At the premiere on
September 24th the opera
had a lukewarm reception that warmed
at subsequent performances. The work
remained in the San Carlo repertory
for a further twelve years. Within five
years of its composition La donna
del lago was heard all over Italy
and in Dresden, Munich, Lisbon, Vienna,
Barcelona, and St. Petersburg, Paris
and London. The Act 2 rondo, Tanti
affeti, roused Naples audiences
when sung by Isobel Colbran, Rossini’s
mistress and in 1822 his wife. She was
the foremost dramatic coloratura soprano
of her generation and that is the voice
type the role demands. By 1860 the work
was forgotten until its revival in Florence
in 1958. It was heard at the Camden
Festival, London, in 1969 and at Houston
in 1983 in a production that was also
seen at Covent Garden. The Rossini Opera
Festival at Pesaro presented it in 1983.
The recording from Pesaro, featuring
Katia Ricciarelli as Elena, Lucia Valentini
Terrani as Malcolm and Samuel Ramey
as Douglas in a very affecting overall
performance was issued by CBS on their
Masterworks Label (M2K 39311 nla). An
audio recording from this sequence of
La Scala performances appeared on the
Philips label (PH 438 211-2 nla). I
believe the CD set will be re-issued
shortly to join the other recordings
on that label, at mid price, of Rossini’s
Neapolitan Opera Seria. Like the Pesaro
performance, this recording uses the
critical edition made by the Rossini
Foundation of Pesaro.
The story is set in
15th century Scotland at
a time of border warfare and insurgency.
Elena lives with Douglas, her father,
near the shores of Loch Katrine. Although
her father has promised her to the rebel
chief Rodrigo di Dhu, she loves the
young highlander Malcolm, a ‘trousers’
role. After rowing over the Loch Elena
meets and offers shelter to Uberto who
had become separated and lost from his
hunting party. Uberto is in fact the
King against whom Douglas and Rodrigo
are in conflict. He falls in love with
Elena and later gives her a ring promising
that if ever in difficulty or danger
it will secure the help of the King.
After the defeat of the rebels and the
death of Rodrigo Elena seeks out Uberto
and discovers his true identity. The
King keeps his promise, pardons Douglas
and gives Malcolm Elena’s hand in marriage.
The opera concludes with much rejoicing.
The opera opens without
an overture, the only one of the composer’s
operatic works to do so. Instead, Rossini
seeks to conjure up the atmosphere of
the Scottish Highlands in sixteen bars
of orchestral introduction. A light-hearted
chorus follows this as Elena appears
in her boat on the Loch and sings the
lovely O mattutini albori (Act
1 Ch 3) that is her motif with even
and well supported tone. In this production
large cliffs surround the Loch and there
is little sign of shoreline or woods.
As she alights from the boat one gets
the impression that she is walking on
water. This basic rather dark and somewhat
overpowering set serves, with slick
additions of stairs and wall décor,
as Elena’s home where she gives Uberto
shelter. However, the whole has a pervading
gloominess. No colour is added by the
costumes that are universal peasant
with not a sign of plaid. Neither the
dress nor the ridiculous looking headgear
gives any indication of Scottishness
or period. The slickness of the scene
changes, the direction of Werner Herzog,
together with Rossini’s music, the solo
and choral singing and Muti’s vibrant
conducting keep the watcher and listener
interested. As Elena, June Anderson
keeps a pure vocal line with secure
legato, plenty of tonal colour and secure
coloratura. Hers is an affecting performance
that is effectively the vocal rock of
the whole. Her Tanti affeti of
the Act 2 conclusion (Act 2 Ch. 14-15)
is a coloratura tour de force and is
rapturously received ... deservedly
so. As Uberto/King James, Rockwell Blake
starts a little unsteadily and has moments
of dry tone at the start of Act 2. However,
he is soon into his stride in each case.
The tessitura of the part uniformly
lies fiendishly high with florid runs
that he brings off with aplomb. There’s
even vocal elegance as he declares his
ecstasy at finding Elena (Act 1 Ch.
9.) and also in his Act 2 O fiamma
soave (Ch. 2). As Malcolm, Martine
Dupuy sings most beautifully with even
tone and fine legato (Act 1 Ch. 11).
Her singing of Ah! Si pera is
even and expressive whilst in its cabaletta
Fata crudele, e rio her coloratura
is secure and without aspirates; a highlight
of Act 2 (Ch. 8). She hasn’t quite got
the vibrant strength in her chest tones
of Marilyn Horne or Lucia Valentini-Terrani
the presence of which can give some
dramatic credibility to the masculinity
of the role. In this respect she also
has the disadvantage of a small rounded
very feminine face whose features are
accentuated by a head covering which
looks like a gold version of that worn
by Lawrence of Arabia in the films of
my childhood. Whatever the limitations
of dress, or femininity of appearance,
Martine Dupuy as Malcolm and June Anderson
as Elena sing together most beautifully
and expressively in the Act 1 love duet
(Ch 15). As Elena’s father Douglas,
Giorgio Surjan is physically imposing
and carries his draped fur coat well.
Vocally he is steady (Act 1 Ch. 13)
but lacks the sonority of Ramey on the
CBS recording. The rebel leader Rodrigo
di Dhu is sung by the dramatic coloratura
tenor Chris Merritt. The demands of
this role may well have contributed
to the neglect of this work in the regular
repertoire. The range is very wide with
florid high-lying coloratura display
passages descending quickly to declamations
requiring strong chest tones (Act 1
Ch. 16-17). No one would suggest that
Chris Merritt’s voice is a thing of
beauty, but he encompasses the vocal
demands with meaningful expression albeit
with the odd missed note. His rather
bulky physical presence doesn’t add
to his amorous pretensions and nor does
his costume. His headgear would raise
a laugh in any production. There are
many opportunities for the La Scala
chorus to show their strengths and their
contribution adds to the enjoyment,
particularly in the highly dramatic
conclusion to Act 1 (Ch. 21-22).
The accompanying booklet
gives a brief synopsis. References to
meetings in the forest refer to the
original stage directions rather than
what is on stage here. There is a full
libretto in Italian and like the synopsis
there are no cross-references to the
Act ‘Chapters’ which would have been
helpful. There are of course English
sub-titles available to make the action
easier to follow. The stage direction
keeps the whole drama moving and the
TV director catches the group and individual
actions and drama well. This DVD gives
a rare opportunity to experience a work
of musical individuality and interest
in a well-sung and conducted performance.
It is mature Rossini at his best and
most demanding of participants. I welcome
its availability and recommend it to
other enthusiasts of Rossini’s opera
seria that are, through their musical
quality and dramatic potential, slowly
gaining a foothold in the repertoire.
Robert J Farr
Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro alla Scala,
Milan/Riccardo Muti 
OPUS
ARTE DVD VIDEO OA LS 3009 D [98:03] 
