About "Lucia Di Lammermoor"

"Lucia di Lammermoor" is a tragic opera composed by Gaetano Donizetti, with a libretto by Salvadore Cammarano. Premiered in 1835, the opera is based on Sir Walter Scott's novel "The Bride of Lammermoor" and is set in the Scottish Highlands during the 17th century. This dramatic tale revolves around the doomed love between Lucia Ashton and Edgardo di Ravenswood, whose families are bitterly feuding. Their forbidden romance becomes the center of a story filled with passion, betrayal, and madness, leading to one of the most famous and heartbreaking finales in the operatic repertoire.

The plot follows Lucia, a young woman deeply in love with Edgardo, despite the enmity between their families. However, her brother Enrico, determined to restore the family's fortunes, forces Lucia to marry another man, Arturo, in a political alliance. Torn between duty and love, Lucia is ultimately manipulated into signing a marriage contract with Arturo. Edgardo arrives shortly after, leading to a dramatic confrontation where he curses Lucia, believing she has betrayed him. In a state of despair and mental collapse, Lucia descends into madness, leading to the famous "mad scene," a demanding and emotionally charged soprano aria that showcases Donizetti's mastery of bel canto style.

The tragic culmination of the story sees Lucia succumbing to madness and death, followed by Edgardo taking his own life upon learning of her fate. Their deaths are a poignant testament to the destructive power of hatred and familial conflict, making "Lucia di Lammermoor" a powerful exploration of love and tragedy.

In this production, director Louise Bakker emphasizes the characters' emotional struggles and deepens the audience's connection to the timeless themes of love, despair, and fate. The production remains faithful to Donizetti’s original score while highlighting the psychological intensity of Lucia’s descent into madness, providing a fresh yet authentic perspective on this operatic classic.

Director: Louise Bakker

Louise Bakker is a stage director across opera, theatre and musicals. She is Dutch but London-born, and studied Drama with English at Manchester University. She is currently working at the Royal Opera House assisting Simon Stone on his production of Innocence. This summer she will assist Martin Lloyd-Evans on the Grange Festival's production of Così fan tutte, and will act as Associate Director to Stephen Barlow on Opera Holland Park's production of Jonathan Dove's new opera Itch. In Autumn 2023, she will be returning to the Royal Academy of Music to direct scenes with their opera students.

Our cast

Lucia - Solveig Neseth

Lucia - Elisabeth Marshall

Edgardo - Philip Hayes

Edgardo - Grigore Riciu

Raimondo - Richard Perry

Arturo - Stephen McNeally

Enrico - Andrew Sparling

Enrico - Olly Bowes

Alisa - Roberta Singh

Normanno - Joel Heritage

Chorus

Agnes Chauvet, Anne Wiel, Bob Luder, Christine Fahy, Cristina Pharo, Dai Noble, Daria Riz, David Rose, Doreen Morgans, Jaymes Aaron, Mana Pooyamehr, Patricia Gomez, Sara Meadows, Xiaotong Duan

Normanno - David Roberts

Alisa - Christina Fahy

Gallery

Pictures by Leepy Photo