Melbourne Opera presents Gaetano Donizetti’s dramatic and tragic bel canto masterpiece, Lucia di Lammermoor, with award-winning Greek-Australian soprano Elena Xanthoudakis taking on the starring role.
Set on the stormy hills of Scotland, this opera is based on Sir Walter Scott’s gothic romance, The Bride of Lammermoor about the love affair of Lucia Ashton and her family rival, Edgardo of Ravenswood. The two noble families are bitter enemies. The Ashtons are almost broke, so Enrico Ashton, Lucia's brother, has arranged her marriage to a wealthy Lord in the hope this will alleviate their money troubles and save the family. Caught in this feud, and cornered by the men around her, Lucia is driven to madness with the direst consequences for all.
This new production of Donizetti's wildly tragic Scottish opera sees Elena and director, Suzanne Chaundy, reunite for a dramatic and demanding production featuring a string of virtuoso arias and duets and the famous ‘mad scene’ Il dolce suono.