[Met Tour] CID:221220



Lucia di Lammermoor
Hynes Civic Auditorium, Boston, Massachusetts, Thu, April 23, 1970




Lucia di Lammermoor (374)
Gaetano Donizetti | Salvadore Cammarano
Lucia
Roberta Peters

Edgardo
S?ndor K?nya

Enrico
Mario Sereni

Raimondo
Raymond Michalski

Normanno
Rod MacWherter

Alisa
Carlotta Ordassy

Arturo
Leo Goeke


Conductor
Ignace Strasfogel


Production
Margherita Wallmann

Designer
Attilio Colonnello

Choreographer
Alicia Markova

Stage Director
Patrick Tavernia





Lucia di Lammermoor received fourteen performances this season.

Review 1:

Review of Louis Snyder in The Christian Science Monitor

Miss Peters' 'Lucia'

The melodic woes of Lucia and Edgardo, the Italo-Scottish Juliet and Romeo of Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," occupied the Metropolitan Opera company Thursday evening at Hynes Civic Auditorium. Roberta Peters was the unhappy heroine, Sandor Konya her thwarted lover and Mario Sereni the vengeful brother, determined to restore the family fortunes by marring off Lucia to anyone but the scion of the arch-rival clan, Edgardo.

Needless to say, the combination of this widely romantic plot, suggested by the Scott novel, and Donizetti's theatrically tuneful treatment of it again made its impact, just as it has regularly since 1835, when it was first performed.

The Met's 1964 production, designed by Attilio Colonnello, is heavy with Gothic arches and thick-textured costumes which, in some cases, appear to be choking off the singer's supply of breath and also hamper ease of stage movement to match the flow of the music. But, authentic it undoubtedly is, and the performers rose above it, or rather from under it.

Miss Peters has grown up in the title role, and had added much in the way of characterization to her conception of it. From the first ominous aria, "Regnava nel silenzio," she hints by a gesture or a wild-eyed glance, the foreboding she feels and a carefully studied coloration in the voice has replaced the former unsullied youthful sheen. Miss Peters, whose instincts from the day of her debut, have always been to do the right and intelligent thing onstage, is still doing it. The "Mad Scene," while not vocally opulent, evoked tremendous sympathy, rapt attention, and fervent applause for its tasteful, virtuosic accomplishment.

Mr. Konya's tall-standing Edgardo was dramatically and vocally impetuous, credible in appearance, if occasionally uncontrolled musically. The concluding Tomb Scene - how eagerly every tenor must wait for this - was passionately acted and sung, more vehemently than even an Italian tenor might be expected to do, in fact.

As brother Edgardo, Mario Sereni sang with strength and conviction, and the warm large bass sound of Raymond Michalski made Raimondo an impressive part of the doleful proceedings. Rod MacWherter as the crafty Normanno was outstanding, and as Alisa, Carlotta Ordassy, for the second night in a row, gave aid and comfort tothe heroine and the listeners.

Ignance Strasfogel did a vigorous conducting job in the pit, pulling together a few recalcitrant passages with aplomb when a singer or two went his own way onstage. The chorus sang traditionally well, and acted traditionally, as they were no doubt instructed to do.



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