Lucia di Lammermoor

FORBIDDEN LOVE, POLITICAL INTRIGUE,
AND A SOPRANO GONE MAD.

In the highlands of Scotland, Lucia is deeply in love with Edgardo, whose family are sworn enemies of her clan. Her brother rips them apart and convinces Lucia to marry another man, but neither the wedding ceremony nor the wedding night go according to plan.

Donizetti’s extraordinary music tells a story of longing and betrayal, of love and despair, making it one of the world’s most celebrated operas, and a wonderful way to re-enter the theater.

Friday, November 5 at 8 pm
Sunday, November 7 at 2:30 pm
Overture Hall
Sung in Italian with projected English translations

approximate run time: 3 hours, including two intermissions

Health and Safety Information

Lucia di Lammermoor

by Gaetano Donizetti
libretto by Salvadore Cammarano
based on The Bride of Lammermoor by Sir Walter Scott

Premiered 26 September 1835
Teatro di San Carlo, Naples, Italy

Synopsis

Scotland, 19th century

ACT I
An intruder has been spotted at night on the grounds of Lammermoor Castle, home of Enrico Ashton. Normanno, the captain of the guard, sends Enrico’s men in search of the stranger. Enrico arrives, frustrated that he cannot persuade his sister Lucia to accept a marriage that will save him politically. Normanno tells him his suspicion that Lucia is concealing a great love for Edgardo of Ravenswood, leader of the Ashtons’ political enemies. Enrico swears vengeance, as his men return to confirm that the intruder is Edgardo.

Lucia awaits Edgardo in the woods by a fountain whose legend of a bloody phantom both fascinates and repels her. Edgardo arrives with the news that he must leave for France. He wants to make peace with Enrico before he leaves, but Lucia begs him to keep their love a secret. Edgardo agrees, and the two exchange rings and vows of eternal fidelity, promising to write during their separation.

ACT II
Several months later, Enrico has concluded marriage preparations for the union of his sister with Lord Arturo, but has failed to secure Lucia’s consent. Normanno assures Enrico that he has successfully intercepted all correspondence between the lovers. He also produces a letter, forged to resemble Edgardo’s handwriting, announcing his marriage to another woman. Lucia enters, continuing to defy her brother, who shows her the forged letter and insists she marry Arturo to save the family. He leaves, and the chaplain Raimondo pleads with Lucia to remember her late mother and do her duty. She finally agrees.

As the wedding guests assemble, Enrico explains to Arturo that Lucia is still in a state of melancholy because of her mother’s death. Lucia reluctantly signs the marriage contract, and Edgardo suddenly bursts in, demanding an explanation. Upon seeing the contract with Lucia’s signature, he curses her and her family forever.

ACT III
Raimondo interrupts the wedding festivities with the news that Lucia has gone mad and killed Arturo. In her delirium, Lucia wanders into the hall, covered in blood, and imagines a wedding ceremony with her beloved Edgardo. Enrico returns and realizes his sister has lost her senses. After a confused exchange with her brother, Lucia collapses, begging Edgardo to pray at her tomb.

Unaware of all that has happened, Edgardo imagines Lucia’s happiness with Arturo and berates her for her infidelity. Guests coming from Lammermoor Castle tell him of Lucia’s misfortune. As he is about to rush to her, Raimondo stops him with the news that she has died. Determined to join Lucia in heaven, Edgardo stabs himself.

Photos

Video

Cast

Jeni Houser

Lucia Ashton

Madison Opera Debut: Ensemble, Acis and Galatea (2013)
Recently at MO: Digital 20/21 Season; Opera in the Park 2019; Anne, A Little Night Music; Olympia, The Tales of Hoffmann; Amy, Little Women; Johanna, Sweeney Todd
Recently: The Queen of the Night, The Magic Flute (Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, Central City Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Dallas Opera); Franzi, Die Weiden (Vienna State Opera); Zerbinetta, Ariadne auf Naxos (Austin Opera, Minnesota Opera); La Charmeuse, Thais; Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro (Minnesota Opera); Viv, Companionship (Fort Worth Opera)
Upcoming: The Queen of the Night, The Magic Flute (Opera Theatre of St. Louis)

Andres Acosta

Edgardo of Ravenswood

Madison Opera Debut: Timothy Laughlin, Fellow Travelers (2020)
Recently at MO: Digital Opera in the Park 2020; Digital 20/21 Season
Recently: Father Matias, El Milagro del Recuerdo (Houston Grand Opera); Arcadio, Florencia en el Amazonas (Pittsburgh Opera, Pensacola Opera); Alejandro, Frida (Atlanta Opera); Timothy Laughlin, Fellow Travelers (Minnesota Opera)
Upcoming: Jasper, The Snowy Day (Houston Grand Opera); Royal Herald, Don Carlos (Metropolitan Opera); The Pigeon Keeper, The Pigeon Keeper (Santa Fe Opera); Timothy Laughlin, Fellow Travelers (Florida Grand Opera); Mr. Rodriguez, Awakenings (Opera Theatre of St. Louis)

Troy Cook

Enrico Ashton

Madison Opera Debut

Recently: Merlin, Le roi Arthur (Bard Summescape); Enrico, Lucia di Lammermoor (Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Opera Philadelphia); “Watty” Watkins, Lady, Be Good (Teatro San Carlo Napoli); Sharpless, Madama Butterfly (Washington National Opera, Portland Opera, Central City Opera); Marcello, La Bohème (Opera Philadelphia); Father Palmer, Silent Night (Utah Opera, Austin Opera, Minnesota Opera)
Upcoming: Mark Torrance, The Shining (Opera Colorado); Marcello, La Bohème, (Spoleto Festival) Tom, Fat Pig (Victory Hall Opera)

Kenneth Kellogg

Raimondo

Madison Opera Stage Debut
Recently with MO: Digital 20/21 Season
Recently: Father, Blue (Glimmerglass Festival, Michigan Opera Theatre); Basilio, The Barber of Seville (San Francisco Opera); Commendatore, Don Giovanni (Seattle Opera); Ulderico/Zenovito, Sigismondo (Opera Rara Festival Krakow); Sam Bankhead, The Summer King (Michigan Opera Theatre, Pittsburgh Opera); Father Palmer, Silent Night (Washington National Opera)
Upcoming: Rocco, Fidelio (North Carolina Opera); Father, Blue (Seattle Opera, Pittsburgh Opera); Grand Inquisitor, Don Carlos (Maryland Lyric Opera)

Quinn Middleman

Alisa

Madison Opera Debut
Madison Opera Studio Artist
Recently: Apprentice Artist, Des Moines Metro Opera; Sea Witch/Ježibaba, The Littlest Mermaid (OPERA Iowa); Madeleine, Silent Night; Flora, La Traviata (Utah Opera); Susanna, The Ghosts of Versailles (Chautauqua Opera); Mother, The Scarlet Ibis (Chicago Opera Theater); Songe, Ariane et Bacchus (Haymarket Opera)
Upcoming: Mother, Amahl and the Night Visitors (Opera Louisiane); Alto Soloist, Beethoven Symphony No. 9 (Columbus Symphony)

Justin Kroll

Arturo

Madison Opera Debut
Recently: Marc Blitzstein, I Wish it So (UW-Madison); Narcissus, All Wounds Bleed (Latitude 49); Major General Stanley, The Pirates of Penzance (McLennan Opera); Lensky, Eugene Onegin (Russian Opera Workshop); Spoletta, Tosca; Don Pelagio, La Canterina (Painted Sky Opera); Eisenstein, Die Fledermaus (Baylor Opera Theatre); Mayor Upfold, Albert Herring (Miami Music Festival)
Upcoming: Beadle Bamford, Sweeney Todd (UW-Madison)

Tyrese Byrd

Normanno

Madison Opera Debut
Madison Opera Studio Artist
Recently: Jesse, Undying Love (Hearing in Color); Don Basilio, Bliss (Michigan Opera Theatre); Herr Vogelsang, The Impresario; Miles (cover), Proving Up (Univ. of Michigan SMTD); Le Prince Charmant, Cendrillon; Arpad, She Loves Me (Furman University Lyric Theatre)
Upcoming: Mercury, Orpheus in the Underworld (Madison Opera)

John DeMain

Conductor

Madison Opera Debut: The Magic Flute (1995)
Recently at MO: Digital Opera in the Park 2020, Fellow Travelers, La Traviata, Rusalka
Recently: Blue (Glimmerglass Festival); Candide (Gran Teatre de Liceu); Porgy and Bess (Seattle Opera); Lost in the Stars (Washington National Opera)
Upcoming: She Loves Me, Orpheus in the Underworld (Madison Opera)

Fenlon Lamb

Stage Director

Madison Opera Debut: La Traviata (2019)
Recently: Mozart and Salieri (Opera San Jose); Hansel & Gretel, Tosca (Palm Beach Opera); Don Giovanni (Pensacola Opera); Riders of the Purple Sage; Charlie Parker’s Yardbird (Arizona Opera); Madama Butterfly (Inland Northwest Opera/Papermoon Opera Productions); Carmen (Pensacola Opera, Bar Harbor Music Festival, Annapolis Opera, North Carolina Opera, Dayton Opera); Juliet Letters (Lyric Opera of Kansas City)
Upcoming: The Elixir of Love (Palm Beach Opera); La Bohème (New Orleans Opera); The Barber of Seville (Baltimore Concert Opera, Opera Delaware/Papermoon Opera Productions)