Oh Lucia, she was good!
Somehow on last minute, I decided to procure some discounted tickets to the production of Lucia di Lammermoor in the Deutsche Oper Berlin. This production wasn't on my shortlist, yet as it happened that I was alone one evening during a weekend, I decided to find something to entertain myself, hence the ticket purchase. It turned out to be a good choice.
The story is based from a novel by Sir Walter Scott, and is set in Scotland. It recounts a political tale where a marriage is used to strengthen political influence. However, as is always, there is also love involved, but the political match and the match as the heart would want it doesn't really align. Lucia is in love with Edgardo, and he with her, yet Lucia's brother Enrico wants Lucia to marry Arturo instead to strengthen his family's political position. Edgardo goes to France for some reason, and Enrico plots this marriage in the meantime. Lucia is forced to marry Arturo, and of course Edgardo comes back. Tragedy ensues: Lucia goes mad and kills Arturo, then she dies. And when Edgardo sees that she is dead, he commits suicide.
The story is slightly jarring, as the story is set in Scotland, yet everything sounds Italian. I suppose I had a hard time imagining Edgardo and Arturo as names in Scotland. But going past that, the music was spectacular. There were plenty of arias that definitely made the soloists shine. There were even mid-production curtain calls. I was definitely impressed by the vocal skills of the soloists that evening, and that made for a spectacular show.
Overall, I enjoyed this performance. Bel canto operas isn't my most favourite genre, as I tend to enjoy contemporary classical music more, but nevertheless, these productions are still something I think I like watching on an occasional basis, and when I do so, I always get amazed.
