Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich, 16 November 2024
Gaetano Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor
It is astonishing that Barbara Wysocka’s production of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, which premiered at the Bavarian State Opera in the 2014/15 season, still sells out almost every season. The action moves from 18th century Scotland to 1950s/60s America, and is set in a very exciting environment with a very clear power struggle. The rivalry between the Ashton and Ravenswood families is fantastically developed, making the production very politically charged. Unfortunately, this political game obscures the main point of the opera: the love story between Lucia and Edgardo, which is only a small part of the whole, is sometimes forgotten.
Of course, with an old production, the spotlight is more on the new cast and conductor, which in this season’s version is quite successful. Vladislav Sulimsky makes a vocally convincing Enrico with a solid baritone, and Xabier Anduaga as Edgardo with a creamy tenor sound. However, despite their admirable technical performances, there is no clear rivalry between them on stage that would have enhanced the whole experience. The Bavarian State Orchestra and Chorus give an excellent performance under the sensitive baton of the young Uzbek conductor Aziz Shokhakimov, who made his debut with the orchestra earlier this year with Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame.
In the role of Lucia, it is not uncommon today to hear a soprano with a beautifully clear voice and perfect coloratura, but lacking the “flesh and blood”: the courage and the willingness to take risks. Romanian soprano Adela Zaharia, who actually made her house debut in this production in 2017, is an outstanding exception in today’s opera world. Not only does she have a voice with great technique, characterised by a rich, warm tone, but she also has the emotional depth in her interpretation that makes for an ultimately authentic portrayal of the role. I have heard many Lucias over the past decade, but this is the first time I have sat on the edge of my seat during the ‘Mad Scene’. A performance that took me back 60 years, to the golden age of opera.
