From: vnguyen@husc11.harvard.edu (Vinh Nguyen)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Lucia de Lammermoor
Date: 9 Nov 92 03:43:26 GMT
Reply-To: vnguyen@husc11.harvard.edu
Originator: vnguyen@husc11.harvard.edu

In article <1992Nov3.181040.6654@linus.mitre.org>,
 rwilmer@gateway (R. Wilmer) writes:
> In article <1992Nov2.234035.14470@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
 elm2a@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Earl Lipscomb Martin) writes:
>>
>>	Or is it Lammermour?  Anyway, are there any suggestions as to a 
>>good performace on CD of the above?
>>	TIA!
>>
> 
> I find Lucia di Lammermoor particularly interesting from a vocal
> standpoint.  As a teacher, I have used it as a method for some
> talented sopranos.  That is because Lucia presents a thorough
> range of challenges of agility and phrasing in all parts of
> the soprano voice with melodies that call for purity and
> simplicity of vocal quality.  Although the role is written
> for a coloratura soprano, nearly all sopranos can profit
> from working on part (thought not all) of this role.
 
Ah well, not to forget the chance (too often neglected nowadays)
to ornament the vocal lines to the hilt!  Lucia can be a technical
dazzler, as demonstrated by La Stupenda, but also a treasure trove
for interpretive insights, as demonstrated by La Divina.  Very few
sopranos have been able to come close to the elusive ideal combination
of these two aspects of the role by these two exponents.

> Lucia was tremendously popular throughout the nineteenth century.
> In the early twentieth century the great rivalling divas, Melba
> and Tetrazzini, both sang the part.
> 
> Between the world wars, the popularity of bel canto declined.  Dramatic music
> of Verdi, Richard Strauss, and Wagner was admired by critics and
> audiences, while the lush melodies and orchestration of
> Puccini were popular with audiences (though not critics).
> Mozart, too, became more popular.
> 
> In contrast, bel canto, seemed thin and mindless---a vehicle
> for an acrobatic soprano to accomplish feats of vocal
> athleticism that were not thought to contain musical
> interest.  In the 1950's Maria Callas sang Lucia (and other
> bel canto operas) in a way that showed how coloratura
> could make valid musical and dramatic points, and bel
> canto opera revived.  (Lucia never disappeared no matter
> how often it was disparaged.)
> 
> So I recommend Maria Callas's recording.  I have heard the
> one conducted by Tullio Serafim.  Jon Conrad, along with
> others, has commented that Callas is a singer to be
> admired, but not imitated.  In Lucia, however, I find
> that she gives a lesson in taste, musicality, drama, and
> (surprisingly to some perhaps) healthy coloratura
> vocal technique.  Singing Lucia, Callas's vocal
> registers blend smoothly (in contrast with roles
> where they sound torn apart like Lady Macbeth,
> Carmen, and La Gioconda).
 
The preferred Callas recording, in my opinion is the famous
1955 Berlin "live" Lucia under Karajan, now available finally
on EMI CDs.  Her two studios recordings are also fine but 
falls just short of that magic electricity of a live performance.

> The revival of bel canto flourished after Callas with
> Sutherland, Caballe, Sills, and Scotto (all of whom, I
> believe, recorded Lucia).  Sills was responsible
> for reviving interest in operas about three queens,
> Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Queen Elizabeth (in
> Roberto Devereux) whose scores had been gathering
> dust.
 
The most technically accomplished Lucia recording ever, and it
should be listened to by all means, is the second Sutherland
recording on London opposite Pavarotti.  This recording, more
than anything else, clearly demonstrated why Sutherland is in
a class of her own when it comes to vocal pyrotechnics (for
not even the golden ager Amelita Galli-Curci could challenge
her in this very role -- even though Galli-Curci could conceivably
blow Sutherland to the dust with her own vocal pyrotechnics in
some other roles).  It shows why despite the Callas legacy, 
Sutherland has justly made a name for herself in this role
with which she came to overnight fame back in 1959.  I don't
know if Scotto has ever recorded a studio Lucia, even though
there are CDs of her "live" Lucia around.  

> The Lucia days of those four has ended, and I am not
> sure who is the best Lucia of today.  I would imagine
> that Ruthanne Swenson (whom I have only heard singing
> Gilda in a Met broadcast) could sing the part well.
 
The best Lucia -- if not the only Lucia -- of today is the
much maligned Edita Gruberova whose second studio recording
has just been released on Teldec.  Her first Lucia on EMI
(never made it to CD, alas) opposite Alfredo Kraus (in 1983?)
catches her a bit early and tentative.  Nicola Rescigno's
uninspired conducting didn't really help matters that much 
either.  I haven't heard her new Teldec Lucia -- for I haven't
seen it in any Boston store yet!  But gramophone gave a polite
review of it (without even mentioning her FIRST Lucia on EMI!)
while putting it down by the standards of Callas and Sutherland!
(What a meaningless review!)  Well, having bowed out of the
MET this season (in Semiramide), Gruberova won't be heard in
New York this year!  And not even in Lucia!  I am not too 
thrilled about the steely-and shill-voiced June Anderson as
Lucia, but I might as well try to hear her out just for the
hell of it, but Sumi Jo's venture into the virtuosic coloratura
territory should be an interesting experience, and Alfredo Kraus
will return as Edgardo (last heard in 1982? opposite the last
appearance of La Stupenda at the MET in this immortal role of hers).
Too bad, Ruth-Anne Swenson, having made her debut as a SPECTACULAR
Gilda last year (opposite the crude Duke of Richard Leech), has no
plan of singing Lucia yet .... (She will sing Zerbinetta inthe 
spring, something to look forward to!) .... but I hope that in
time she will try out this role for which she holds the most 
promise .... but she'll need the time and experience to crack 
this hard nut of a role ....  Well, the wait will be worth it,
I think!

> Richard

Vinh Nguyen
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical