This year, the Donizetti Opera Festival presents a somewhat rare title: the French version of his most famous masterpiece, entitled Lucie de Lammermoor. In the years of his full maturity, Donizetti, like many of his contemporaries, spent much time in Paris, where he prepared this version of Lucia for the Parisian public. The libretto, by Alphonse Royer and Gustave Vaëz, is not a mere translation from the Italian: several modifications have the result of changing the atmosphere of the opera, making it even more gloomy and bleak. The character of Alisa, Lucia’s confidante, is completely cut, making the protagonist even more alone and isolated in a world populated by men all trying to exploit her to their advantage. Raimond, Lucie’s spiritual guide, is less benevolent towards her, while Arthur, her husband, has a larger part and a deeper character development. From a musical point of view, the main difference is the substitution of Lucia’s cavatina “Regnava nel silenzio” with the one from Rosmonda d’Inghilterra (translated into French), probably because in the Italian version she sings directly addressing Alisa, who is missing in the French version.
Before the show, artistic director Francesco Micheli addressed the audience, dedicating the performance to all the “Lucie” victims of male abuse (the murder of a young woman by her ex’s hands was discovered the day before and Italian public opinion was still shaken). Director Jacopo Spirei gave a reading of the story in this direction as well; from the very beginning the chorus of the hunters is depicted as them hunting young women in the forest with very clear nefarious intentions; the same four women are shown dead and disheveled under a tree in the finale of the opera. The women in the wedding party are ordered around by their male companions in a vaguely humiliating fashion. The idea seemed a bit underdeveloped, trying to elicit a gut response more than anything else.
The sets, by Mauro Tinti, were the same throughout: a forest, mostly painted on panels to which tables, chairs and other minimal props were added to represent the Ashton castle. In the final scene, which should be in the Ravenswood graveyard, a burned car was added. Overall, the whole production seemed flimsy and uninteresting.
The orchestra Gli originali played on period instruments with mixed results. The horns seemed to lose their way for the whole evening and the whole brass section had problems (to be fair, playing a period brass instrument is fiendishly difficult). The strings seemed more focused and often played smoothly, occasionally producing a harsh, very dry sound. Conductor Pierre Dumoussaud seemed at ease in this music, driving the action forward with sensible tempi; at times he could have relished in the fabulous details of the score a bit more, he seemed a little rushed, such as in the sextet (or rather, the quintet, in this version!).
Caterina Sala had already impressed two years ago in this festival, singing L’elisir d’amore. Unfortunately, she was sick on the opening of Lucie. Heroically, she sang the first two acts, with clear difficulties, some frogs in her throat, some almost-cracking high notes, and a general sense of instability. I felt for her. She still produced some wonderful sounds – especially in the middle range, supple and powerful – and acted with commitment. After the pause, director Micheli came back to tell us what we already knew: she could not finish the performance, and Vittoriana de Amicis would read the part from a corner of the stage. On any occasion, it must be very difficult to jump in, singing from a music stand in front of an audience, but having to do that with Lucia’s Mad Scene just seems like an impossible feat. De Amicis took it with great courage and sang with a light, sweet soprano, while Sala acted on stage, completely drenched in blood (the movie Carrie came to mind).
Edgard was Patrick Kabongo, his tenor perhaps too light for the part. He had very easy high notes and a remarkable technique, but he seemed too stiff on stage. The finale “Tombe degli avi miei” and “Bell’alma innamorata” were the most successful. Henri, Lucie’s evil brother, was Vito Priante, who was at ease in the part and on stage. His baritone was at times cloudy, but his performance was overall enjoyable. The singers in the “minor” parts were perhaps the most appreciated in the evening. Julien Henric was a strong Arthur (Lucie’s unfortunate husband), with a light, brilliant tenor; David Astorga, with a stronger, slightly darker tenor was a suitably duciplitous Gilbert, and Roberto Lorenzi made an impression as Raimond with a powerful, well-set bass.
