Ópera de Oviedo 2019-20 Review: Lucia Di Lammermoor

Jessica Pratt & Celso Albelo Give Stellar Performances in Donizetti’s Masterpiece

By Mauricio Villa

The Ópera de Oviedo closed its 2019-20 season with Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor.”

“Lucia di Lammermoor” is one of the most popular in the repertoire but also known for it challenging roles. Thankfully for this new production, Oviedo counted on some of the greatest interpreters of the work. With a surprising production, this was an evening to remember.

The Diva

Jessica Pratt is arguably the Lucia of the moment. She has surpassed more than 100 performances of the role and with every production since her role debut in 2007,  her interpretation has grown. And this was most evident in her musical choices. For this production Pratt sang her first aria “Regnava nel silenzio” and Act two duet with Enrico in their original keys, one semitone and one tone higher. However, for the Mad Scene she chose to sing it in the published key as opposed to the original F Major which she did in Bilbao and which were Donizetti’s original intentions. The result of using the original keys in the aforementioned sections gave Pratt’s voice a brighter and more dramatic timbre.

In her entrance aria “Regnava nel silenzio,” Pratt sang with thrilling dramatic intent and showcased Lucia’s mental instability. Her bel canto style was also impressive as she sang with long legato phrases, an impeccable mezza voce, and a strong chest voice particularly in the phrase “l’ombra mostrarsi.” One could sense her despair and fear as she descended into her lower range. She also brought out some exquisite pianissimi high notes particularly in the interpolated high B natural at the end of the cavatina and interpolated a virtuosic high E flat on the phrase “ è conforto al mio pensier.” During the cabaletta “Quando rapita in stasi,” Pratt showcased her gleaming higher register as she sang high C and B flats with ease and dynamic range. On the second repeat she interpolated a high E flat and sang the complete coda with smooth coloratura adding another high E flat on the repetition and ending the piece with a ringing high E flat.

In her subsequent duet with Edgardo, Pratt and Celso Albelo’s voices blended beautifully and created a moving love scene. Perhaps the most dramatic moment of the opera is the Act two duet with Enrico and this also proved to be the most suspenseful of the evening. As noted, Pratt sang the duet one tone higher giving her voice a brighter timbre and stronger middle. At the opening of the duet Pratt’s Lucia was both defiant and strong during the lines “Il pallor funesto, orrendo.” But as Andrei Kymach’s Enrico overpowered her in his phrases “A ragion mi fe’ spietato,” that unstable Lucia returned. In “soffriva nel pianto,” one could sense how devastated she was as Pratt sang with a delicate mezza voce. And in  “Se tradirmi tu potrai,” Pratt’s Lucia enfeebled and that was best highlighted by her thunderous High E natural at the end of the duet.

The dramatic tension grew during the wedding scene in Act two where Pratt showed a stronger side to Lucia and brought a powerful voice that easily resonated over the orchestra and chorus. But by the end of the Act, one could feel that Pratt’s Lucia had gone mad ending the scene with a ringing and sustained high D.

Act three is probably the most famous act of the opera as it contain Lucia’s mad scene, a scene that is anticipated throughout the evening. It is a test for any soprano both vocally and dramatically. On this evening Pratt was up to the challenge. From the moment she walked on stage she was physically involved running freely around different rooms of the mansion represented in this production and even interacted with Arturo’s dead body. Completely submerged into the madness, Pratt also showed off immaculate vocals with soaring pianissimi and a strong frightening chest voice particularity in the phrase “Il fantasma, il fantasma.” She also showed resonant high Cs in lines like “Oh gioia che si sente,” and an exquisite mezza voce. In “Ardon gl’ incensi ” she showed brilliant legato phrases with interesting new variations. In the cadenza she brought clean scales, a piannissimo sound on her high B flats and high Cs, staccato high notes and a final sustained high E flat. While it was beautifully sung, what made this cadenza unique was her dramatic intent and the contrasts she gave to every scale. It was not only a display of vocal fireworks, but a demented dialogue with the flute, where every line had a purpose and a different meaning. During her cabaletta “Spargi d’amaro pianto,” she showcased impeccable trills, clean octave jumps to high B flats and high Cs, polished scales, and a final extended high E flat that she maintained to the very last bar of the orchestra before collapsing dead.

After seeing Pratt on numerous occasions, the soprano is arguably one of the best Lucias of the decade. Pratt has noted that she will continue to sing the role in its original written keys, so it will be interesting to see how the part continues to evolve in her voice.

Ópera de Oviedo

Dramatic Contrasts

In the role of Edgardo, Celso Albelo gave a strong performance showcasing a superb middle and resonant low notes as well as powerful stratospheric high notes. He showcased an aggressive and strong side as well as a sweet and lyrical side throughout the evening displaying the numerous facets of Edgardo. His entrance recitative “Lucia perdona” was strong and determined while his “Sulla tomba che riserra” was sung with long legato phrases that showed off immaculate crescendos and diminuendos as well as his first strong high B flat. He then displayed astonishing breath control by singing the line “verrano a te sull’aure” in a single breath. But the virtuosic singing didn’t end there, as he interpolated the High E Flat as written in the score at the end of the duet. Unlike most who have attempted the note with a falsetto timbre or strident sound, Albelo’s E Flat was well supported and balanced.

In the Act two sextet “Chi mi frena in tal momento,” Albelo’s voice was present and and never hidden by the other soloists and at the end of the famed piece, he took the high D flat along with the soprano. In his subsequent line “son tue cifre, rispondi,” he created a chilling and suspenseful moment as he took the line piannisimo. One could feel the desperation in the characterization which was then juxtaposed with a forceful tone and thunderous high notes in “Maledetto sia l’instante.” His high B flat in “ Ah vi di sperda” was also strong and resonant throughout the auditorium. Following the demands of the staging he only sung half of the stretta, as Edgardo is brutally beaten and runs out halfway.

Albelo would not appear until the end of the opera as the duet with Edgardo and Enrico was cut. In his final scene, Albelo showcased an impeccable bel canto line making it sound effortless. Something that was quite astonishing was his attention to the dynamics in the score and his stylish legato phrases. Some of the most memorable moments in this were his crescendos and diminuendos during a high A natural as well as a high B natural during the final cadenza of his aria. At one moment the note nearly broke twice but rather than cutting it short, Albelo held it out and resolved it with a strong timbre. During the phrase “Lucia più non è,” Albelo sang in mezza voce highlighting the pain and sorrow in Edgardo and in many ways it was more effective than the forte singing that is usually heard.

But perhaps the highlight of the evening was his interpretation of “Tu che a dio spiegasti l’ali”  which was sung with incisive drama. His opening verse showcased contrasts between a forte and mezza voce especially in the phrases “Oh bell’alma inammorata.” And in the second verse after stabbing himself, he sang with dramatic pianissimi.  As he repeated the lines “Oh! bell’alma inammorata,” he floated high G, A flats and A naturals in mezza voce all while lying on the floor.

Credit: Opera de Oviedo

Solid Support

The Ukrainian baritone Andrei Kymach sung the role of the treacherous Enrico. He has a powerful dark voice, with a guttural timbre, and good projection. That permitted him to bring dramatic and frightening qualities to the character. He sang his first scene and cavatina “Cruda funesta smania” with anger and determination and also interpolated two showstopping high Gs which filled the entire auditorium. In the Act two duet with Lucia, Kymach brought his virtuosic power by singing the famed scene one tone higher, something which makes Enrico’s tessitura harder for any baritone as he is constantly singing between E natural and F sharp. He was also potent in the Act two sextet and concertante.

The Spanish bass Simón Orfila portrayed Raimondo, Lucia’s confessor and mentor and had a mixed evening. Throughout the years Orfila’s voice has developed a distracting wobble in most of his registers, except in the lower notes where the vibrato is natural and supported. That natural sound was most evident in his low F in “la tremenda maestà” which was well projected, and showed an immense sound. But overall his interpretation went out of the style as his two arias “Ah! cedi, cedi” and “Dallle stanze” sounded more like verismo than Bel Canto. Throughout his arias he seemed more worried about making his voice loud than coloring and phrasing the lines. He also relished the use of rubati by extending lines like a high E as long as he could. While audiences seemed to enjoy these held notes as there were spontaneous applause when he finished “Dalle stanze,” his interpretation lacked the bel canto style.

In the short but crucial roles of Arturo, Normanno and Alisa, Albert Cassals, Moisés Marín, and María José Suarez made notable turns that stood out in their scenes. The theater’s chorus also sounded potent and uniform during the several chorus scenes that this opera demands.

The Leader

The young Italian conductor Giacomo Sagripanti chose fast tempi for most of the evening adding urgency to the score. However, it was sometimes excessive particularly in the chorus ”Oh qual funesto,” which became an Allegro rather than the originally written Maestoso. However, he knew how to create a great atmosphere for the piece using silences to create great tension. This was demonstrated in the opening Prelude, the duet between Lucia and Enrico, and the mad scene. He also gave special attention to the tremolos in the strings just before the sextet which created even more drama in the score.

The one qualm with this interpretation was the omission of the Edgardo-Enrico duet in Act three. Perhaps this was part of the production but this is a cut that in modern standards seems old fashioned and unacceptable to Donizetti’s score.

The Production

The production directed by Nicola Berloffa with sets and costumes by Justin Arienti is set in Scotland in the early 20th century. The production contains luxurious hyper realistic sets and takes place inside the Ashton’s Mansion. Throughout the evening audiences are brought into several environments from a kitchen, a dining room, a dormitory to a big Hall with a fireplace. What is impressive is that Arienti’s designs show different angles that allow for different perspective. But perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening comes during the mad scene. The sets are on a turntable that rotates allowing Lucia to run from one room to another, including the bedroom where she kills Arturo.

While the production was unique, Berloffa’s directing was very specific and created some raw moments. He was very keen on centering his production on the abuses Lucia suffers from all the male characters. In her duets with Edgardo and Enrico, Lucia is brutally grabbed and thrown to the floor and brusquely grabbed by Arturo at the end of Act two.

However, the production did not work entirely. In the first act as Lucia made references to a fountain in Act one, the scene happened in a hallway. The fountain is an important motif throughout the opera and it felt awkward to hear her describe the fountain in great detail while she was inside a house. But perhaps the most questionable directorial choice was during Edgardo’s last aria. It took place in the same hallway. During this scene Edgardo sings about a graveyard and tombs. But in this production he walks freely through the Ashton’s house, opening doors and entering several rooms. It ended up being a distraction.

Overall it was a very successful “Lucia di Lammermoor,” thanks to the incredible performances of its two leads.

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