Donizetti: Lucie de Lammermoor; Natalie Dessay, Roberto Alagna [Box set]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In the 1830s, Paris was a mecca for musicians, so it's no wonder that successful Italian opera composers wrote or adapted their works for its prestigious stages. Donizetti settled in Paris in 1838. That year, his Lucia di Lammermoor, which had triumphed in Naples in 1835, was produced as Lucie de Lammermoor, a French version that he himself supervised at a new, successful, private Paris venue, the Théatre de la Renaissance. In France, both Lucia and Lucie weren't presented until the end of the 19th century. Then the latter fell into disuse. This is the first studio recording of Lucie.

It is tempting to explore the differences between the two versions. The original vocal lines, apart from some retouching for the prosody, are remarkably intact, though the Italian language seems to melt into the melodic contours more naturally. Many of the alterations affect the text more than the music. Characters are excised or changed: Normanno, an ambiguous opportunist, becomes Gilbert, a corrupt, amoral villain, ready to betray everyone for a price; Enrico becomes an unmitigated brute. Arthur's role is expanded, Lucia's maid Alisa's eliminated. Chaplain Raimondo's is shortened, at the cost of his moving duet with Lucia. Also omitted are Lucia's first aria and the storm scene with Edgardo's recitative, as well as the harp solo introducing Act II. To understand the political background and ancestral feud, one must still consult Sir Walter Scott's novel, The Bride of Lammermoor.

The chorus and orchestra here are very good, with outstanding wind solos and ensembles. Among the singers, Tezier as Henri and Marc Laho, Nicolas Cavalier, and Yves Saelens in the smaller roles are excellent. Dessay sounds lovely and expressive in the lyrical parts, but a bit labored and shrill in the coloratura passages. Her vibrato is very wide, and she tends to swell long notes. Alagna has a beautiful voice with a fine, ringing top, and his French diction is exemplary, but he "emotes" with scoops, slides, and sobs, and his fermatas last forever. --Edith Eisler

Donizetti: Lucie de Lammermoor; Natalie Dessay, Roberto Alagna, Music, Natalie Dessay, Roberto Alagna, Gaetano Donizetti, Evelino Pido, Orchestre & Choeur de l'Opera National de Lyon, Classical, Classical Music, Italian Romantic Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta

Average customer rating:

Not the best "Lucia" recording, but interesting nonetheless

Lucie, una Lucia sin sobreagudos, pero con encanto.

Always Better In Italian...But Still Enjoyable

Info

French Version: 1839; Original Italian Version: 1835

Donizetti: Lucie de Lammermoor; Natalie Dessay, Roberto Alagna
Roberto Alagna , Gaetano Donizetti , Evelino Pido , and Orchestre & Choeur de l'Opera National de Lyon
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2002-12-23

Tracks:

Acte I, No.1-Introduction & Choeur: Couronnez La Crete Des Montagnes - Evelino Pido
Acte I, No.2-Scene & Aire Avec Choeur: Quel Air Sombre - Yves Saelens
Acte I, No.2-Scene & Air Avec Choeur: D'un Amour Qui Me Brave - Evelino Pido
Acte I, No.2-Scene & Air Avec Choeur: A Moi Viens, Ouvre Tes Ailes - Evelino Pido
Acte I, No.3-Scene & Choeur: J'arrive Le Dernier Au Rendez-vous - Evelino Pido
Acte I, No.4-Scene & Cavatine: Gilbert! - C'est Moi, Mademoiselle - Natalie Dessay
Acte I, No.4-Que N'avons-nous Des Ailes - Natalie Dessay
Acte I, No.5-Scene & Duo: C'est Moi Lucie, J'ai Voulu - Natalie Dessay
Acte I, No.5-Scene & Duo: Sur La Tombe De Mon Pere...Qu'une Lettre En Ma Misere - Natalie Dessay
Acte I, No.5-Scene & Duo: Qu'une Lettre En Ma Misere - Natalie Dessay
Acte II, No.6-Scene & Duo: Ainsi Tu viens De France? - Yves Saelens
Acte II, No.6-Scene & Duo: Je T'attendais, Approche - Natalie Dessay
Acte II, No.6-Scene & Duo: Pleurant Son Absence, Du Fond De Ma Souffrance - Natalie Dessay
Acte II, No.6-Scene & Duo: Entends-Tu Ces Chants De Fete? - Natalie Dessay
Acte II, No.7 - Finale: Suivons L'amant Qui Nous Conduit - Evelino Pido
Acte II, No.8-Scene & Sextuor: Eh Bien, Lucie? - Natalie Dessay
Acte II, No.8-Scene & Sextour: J'ai Pour Moi Mon Droit - Evelino Pido
Acte II, No.9-Suite & Stretta Finale: Loin De Nous, J'ordonne - Natalie Dessay
Acte II, No.9-Suite & Stretta Finale: Non, Du Serment Tu Trahis La Foi! Anatheme... - Evelino Pido

Tracks:

Acte III, No.10-Entracte - Evelino Pido
Acte III, No.11-Recitatif & Duo: Oui Mon Seigneur, A La Petite Porte - Roberto Alagna
Acte III, No.11-Recitatif & Duo: Souviens-Toi Qu'en Ce Domaine - Roberto Alagna
Acte III, No.11-Recitatif & Duo: J'aurai Ton Sang - Roberto Alagna
Acte III, No.12-Choeur Sur Le Theatre: Elle A Quitte Ces Lieux - Evelino Pido
Acte III, No.13-Scene Avec Le Choeur: Malheur! Malheur! - Evelino Pido
Acte III, No.14-Scene & Air: Elle S'avance, Helas, Pauvre Victime - Natalie Dessay
Ah! C'est L'hymne Des Noces - Natalie Dessay
Acte III, No.14-Scene & Air: Ashton's S'avance - Natalie Dessay
Acte III, No.14-Scene & Air: Je Vais Quitter La Terre - Natalie Dessay
Acte III, No.15-Scene & Air: Tombes De Mes Aieux - Roberto Alagna
Acte III, No.15-Scene & Air: Ravenswood, A Ton Attente - Roberto Alagna

Amazon.com

In the 1830s, Paris was a mecca for musicians, so it's no wonder that successful Italian opera composers wrote or adapted their works for its prestigious stages. Donizetti settled in Paris in 1838. That year, his Lucia di Lammermoor, which had triumphed in Naples in 1835, was produced as Lucie de Lammermoor, a French version that he himself supervised at a new, successful, private Paris venue, the Théatre de la Renaissance. In France, both Lucia and Lucie weren't presented until the end of the 19th century. Then the latter fell into disuse. This is the first studio recording of Lucie.

Customer Reviews:

Not the best "Lucia" recording, but interesting nonetheless.......2004-01-14

I don't care a fig which came first, the French or the Italian version of the greatest of Donizetti's operas. The question here is whether or not this recording merits a place in your collection. As the first recording of the French version, it has enough appeal to most admirers of Donizetti's operas. I will agree that the absence of "regnava nel silenzio" is regrettable, since the substitution aria is far less distinctive (although Dessay sings it beautifully). I also hate that Alisa is missing from the French version, for two reasons. First, it eliminates part of the appeal of Lucia's first aria- Alisa's singing in the opening aria in Italian adds dramatic weight. Also, it leave Lucia by herself to fend off the male characters.

As far as the recording itself, I think that Dessay is let down by her tenor, Roberto Alagna. Just listen to sulla tomba, the famous Lucia/Edgardo duet (which is the same in French). It is clear that he doesn't measure up, by no means, to Pavarotti. True, Natalie Dessay isn't exactly Joan Sutherland, but she has her own appeal. Her voice is like a pearl- shimmering, luminous, and iridescent. Unlike most opera singers these days, she has a genuinely unique voice, not a cookie-cutter one like so many others. In fact, she's one of the very few that I feel compelled to listen to on record. I do think that her Lucia is not as ravishing as her Lakme, recorded some four or five years earlier. Dessay was rumored to have gone through a minor vocal crisis, which might explain why she isn't absolutely perfect on this recording. All in all, however, she does a good job here.

Alagna, on the other hand, is simply irritating. It would have been so much better if they had chosen Marcelo Alvarez for this recording. But, he isn't French, so go figure.

By no means should this be anyone's introduction to Lucia. That should be either Sutherland's second recording, with Pavarotti, or any of Callas's, depending on your tastes. But, this Lucie is a worthwhile addition to your collection.

Lucie, una Lucia sin sobreagudos, pero con encanto........2003-10-21

La llegada de la version francesa de la Lucia, con la diva de la opera francesa Natalie Dessay encabezando el reparto obtiene, como no podía ser de otra manera, una alta calificacion por mi parte. Esta version francesa incluye varios cambios con respecto a la italiana, los mas significativos son la sustitucion del aria de la soprano en el primer acto por otra diferente, pero de todos modos muy bella, la desaparicion del dialogo de Lucia con Raimondo en el acto II y la union de los personajes de Normanno (tenor) y Alisa (mezzosoprano) en uno solo: Gilbert (tenor). Algunas frases sueltas faltan, y los sobreagudos suelen aparecer transportados a la baja, con lo que la obra no solo no pierde en belleza de la musica, si no que ademas gana en belleza musical y fluidez argumental.
Absoluta triunfadora del registro es NATALIE DESSAY, una Lucie delicada, refinada, sensible... de agudos bellos y luminosos y una voz uniforme en toda la tesitura; Una creacion de la soprano francesa que es obligatorio oir.
Como Edgard, ROBERTO ALAGNA se encuentra algo incomodo vocalmente en su duo con Lucie del Acto I, pero va mejorando, para conseguir una escena final de notable calidad.
El baritono LUDOVIC TÉZIER sabe sacar partido inteligentemente al rol de Henri. Como Raimond (que al desaparecer su duo con Lucie vee como su parte queda muy reducida) cumple correctamente el bajo NICOLAS CAVALLIER. Tanto MARC LAHO (Arthur) como YVES SAELENS (Gilbert) cumplen con suficiencia en sus breves y poco complicados papeles.
La ORQUESTA Y CORO DE LA OPERA NACIONAL DE LYON rinde muy bien al mando de un EVELINO PIDO que dirige la obra con tempi mas bien lentos.
Definitivamente, una interesante version que vale por si sola gracias a la exibicion maravillosa de Dessay, pero ojo, nunca se la compren como primera opcion de Lucia di Lamermoor, porque recuerden que LuciE no es LuciA.

Always Better In Italian...But Still Enjoyable.......2003-08-04

Donizetti was the undisputed bel canto master in Italy. Whatever possessed him to compose an already famous Italian opera Lucica Di Lammermoor into a French version for the Paris Opera ? The answer is simple. French opera was popular, equal in success as Italian Opera. Frequently, singers who sang bel canto operas in such prestigious opera houses as the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, La Scala and San Carlo of Naples would travel and present their operas in Paris (there was a Theater Italiens where Italian operas were produced for a French audience who either read the libretto and perhaps were familiar with Italian as a foreign language). The French were a warm welcome to artists of every sorts, since Paris has long held the trophy for being the most cultural place in the world. So to have a French audience enjoy an Italin opera was a great ego boost as well as smart career move for a bel canto composer such as our forementioned Donizetti. Even Wagner was known to have wanted to reach French fans for his operas but proved unsuccessful with his Tannhauser which was a failure in Paris due mostly because Wagner put on the traditional ballet sequence of a grand operas in the first act instead of the third much to the dismay of the Jockey Club patrons. Donizetti's "Lucie De Lammermoor" produced in Paris was also subject to change in the involvement of a ballet sequence (perhaps during the Wedding Feast scene). We know Donizetti must have spoken French being a cultural and intellectual man himself and his opera completely changed in the process of French influence.

Lucia is now Lucie, a melancholic beauty who sighs and yearns for her Edgarde who is off in France in war time. Lucie's scheming brother Enrique (formerly Enrico) is still the villainous, ambitious and vengeful character he was in the original bel canto version only this time Normanno is also in on the scheme. Lucie and Edgarde's situation is much like that of Romeo and Juliet in case no one has yet made that connection. They come from opposing families that have feuded over the course of many years, seem never to be together throughout the opera except for the extended sequence of their duet in the gardens. In French, the bel canto so expressive, so dramatic and so poignant is not as effective in storytelling a great dramatic work as this. The French language is beautiful, as lovely as Italian, but Lucie is best enjoyed in its original Italian. Gone is the haunting mood of Lucie's aria Regnava Nel Silenzio (it does not even appear in this version) nor the coloratura magic of Quando Riposi en Estasi), both arias being very signficant in expressing the mental and emotional instability of Lucia's character. In this aria she tells her maid Alisa (who also does not appear in this version) of a ghost she saw by a fountain that spurted blood and served as an ill omen that would foreshadow Lucia and Edgardo's doomed romance). The rich voice of Natalie Dessay, in particular her lyricism and coloratura in the Mad Scene is still beautiful, but again not as effectively dramatic in French. The Mad Scene is Donizetti's most celebrated operatic moment (as Shakesperean as Ophelia's Mad Scene) and it's certain Donizetti wanted to show off this scene to the French and to attract more Parisians to hear other of his operas. Since most of his operas were in Italian (with the exception of the other operas he composed for the highly acclaimed Paris Opera La Favorite and La Fille Du Regiment both being comedies, perhaps this was a way to get Italian-speaking French people to see his operas regularily performed in Naples.

Info.......2003-03-06

This site's database doesn't work yet...
So, this is the information about this wonderful CD.

Gaetano Donizetti
LUCIE DE LAMMBERMOOR
Opéra en 3 actes
Version française de 1839 supervisée par le compositeur
Livret de Salvatore Cammarano, d'après Walter Scott
Adapation française d'Alphonse Royer & Gustave Vaës
Edition critique Ricordi, 2000

Natalie Dessay (Lucie Ashton)
Roberto Alagna (Edgard Ravenswood)
Ludovic Tézier (Henri Ashton)
Marc Laho (Arthur Bucklaw)
Nicolas Cavallier (Raymond)
Yves Saelens (Gilbert)

Orchestre & Choeur de l'Opéra National de Lyon
Evelino Pidò (conductor)

French Version: 1839; Original Italian Version: 1835.......2003-02-17

I enjoyed the new French-version of "Lucie de Lammermoor" and agree with Jeff of Frederick, MD that it should receive 5 stars. However, when he states that this version is the original, I felt compelled to write, since someone new to "Lucia" might take him at his word. Lucia had it's premiere in Naples, at the San Carlo Theater, on Sept. 26, 1835, in Italian. In the libretto that accompanies this recording, on p.19, under the title "From Lucia to Lucie", it's history of performance is explained in great detail, mentioning where it was performed outside of Italy and in what other languages it was performed in. In the middle of the paragraph, it states: "...into Czech and French in 1839, then into Slovenian...." But I feel that in the last paragragh there lies the confusion. "In Paris, where the work in its original version had been put on at the Théâtre des Italiens (where operas are performed in Italian)in December, 1837, a French version was first performed on 6 August 1839 at the Théâtre de la Renaissance:That is the version used in the present recording." The mixing of "Paris" and "original version" might have misled someone to the conclusion: French,but as the history books tell us, this just isn't so.

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