Donizetti: Lucie de Lammermoor (Naxos)

Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848)
Lucie de Lammermoor (1839)
Henri Ashton – Vito Priante (baritone)
Edgard Ravenswood – Patrick Kabongo (tenor)
Lord Arthur Bucklaw – Julien Henric (tenor)
Gilbert – David Astorga (tenor)
Raimond, Protestant minister – Roberto Lorenzi (bass-baritone)
Lucie, Ashton’s sister – Caterina Sala (soprano)
Coro dell’Accademia Teatro alla Scala, Orchestra Gli Originali/Pierre Dumoussaud
rec. live, 1 December 2023, Teatro Sociale, Bergamo, Italy (Donizetti Opera Festival)
French libretto with English translation available online
Reviewed as download
Naxos 8.660578-79 [125]

The French language version of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor has never reached the universal popularity of the Italian original, even in France. It is played from time to time, and has also been recorded at least twice, but most opera houses turn it down. Is that because it is inferior to the original? I think not, but it is different, and I agree with Pierre Dumoussaud, the conductor of this recording, who says in an interview in the booklet: “I would say that we can speak of two similar but different operas. What Donizetti produced in 1839 for the Théâtre de la Renaissance in Paris was not a simple translation but a complete adaptation of the opera, also making it suitable to the more limited means of the Théâtre de la Renaissance, which was a privately owned theatre, not subsidised by the state. This remake produced a clarification of the dramaturgy, which became more cohesive and consistent. The list of dramatis personae also changes: now Lucie is the only female character, which accentuates her condition as a woman captive of a male and patriarchal world, used as a bargaining chip for political reasons. Donizetti adds several recitatives, cuts some pages, replaces some passages, simplifies others, eliminates the storm in Act III, and strips the action of some secondary intrigues. The overall effect is a certain simplification of the opera.”

Any listener familiar with the Italian original will feel at home in the French version, though the words may sometimes sit a bit awkwardly. All the well-known vocal numbers are there: the sextet, the mad scene, Edgard’s long final scene and so on – with one conspicuous exception: Lucie’s cavatina in the first act, Regnava nel silenzio, which is replaced by the cavatina from Rosmondo d’Inghilterra. This is no random whim from Donizetti. The original Lucia, Fanny Persiani, used to do so, and Donizetti obviously endorsed her choice. Another big difference is Raimond’s aria, which is replaced by a simple recitative. On the whole Raimond’s role is drastically reduced, while Gilbert is a much bigger role than Normanno, and supports both Lucie and Edgard.

I don’t intend to make a deeper analysis of the differences between the two versions. Suffice it to say that Donizetti was involved in a complete make-over of the Italian original and the outcome was a French half-sister or maybe cousin. They can proudly stand side by side, and I do urge those who so far haven’t met the French girl to give her a chance.

She hasn’t been completely neglected by the record companies. Presto Classical lists two, one on Dynamic, conducted by Maurizio Benini, with Patrizia Ciofi, Alexandre Badea and Nicolas Rivenq, and one on Erato, conducted by Evelino Pidò, with Natalie Dessay, Roberto Alagna and Ludovic Tézier. I haven’t heard the former, but I own the latter, and it is a winner in every respect. However, the present live-recording, from the Donizetti Festival in Bergamo in December 2023 is a worthy alternative. The sound is OK, stage noises mainly discreet and the applause faded out relatively quickly. The young conductor Pierre Dumoussaud came only recently to Lucia in Italian, then to this French production, so was well prepared. The cast is also youngish. Veteran Vito Priante debuted in 2002 but is still only in his mid-forties and vocally in prime condition. All the others are fresh-voiced and obviously enthusiastic. Caterina Sala in the title role was only 23 when the recording was made, and she impresses greatly with a beautiful voice, brilliant top notes and secure coloratura. The first act cavatina is sensitively sung, and she seems to be a good actor as well. The long duet with Edgard that concludes the act is also splendid. The stumbling block is of course the mad scene, which makes almost inhuman demands on the singer, technically as well as emotionally. She has the required stamina, but it must be said that in the end she is pressed to the very limit of her resources.

Edgard is sung by Congo-born Patrick Kabongo, whom I have admired as a light lyrical tenor with fluent technique, and beautiful tone, made for Rossini, but lately he has also taken on heavier roles. He impresses in the duet with Lucie in the first act, but even more in the last scene in the opera, in the churchyard where he takes his life. It is deeply emotional, and he wrings the last drops of sentiment from the final phrases without becoming lachrymose in the Gigli manner. Vito Priante is a stern, uncompromising Henri, but he also shows feelings when he realises that his machinations have made Lucie go mad. The other roles are also well sung, and I regret that Raimond’s role is so curtailed in the French version as I would have loved to hear Roberto Lorenzi sing his aria.

This latest addition to the rather meagre discography of Lucie de Lammermoor has a lot to offer, and I don’t think anyone buying it will feel shortchanged. I will certainly return to it – but I will not discard Natalie Dessay and Roberto Alagna.

Göran Forsling

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