LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
8 – 16 NOVEMBER
For the first time in almost 40 years and for only the second time in the company’s history, State Opera South Australia is bringing Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor to Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide next month.
Known as the opera that launched Australian soprano Dame Joan Sutherland to stardom after her 1959 Covent Garden performance, Lucia di Lammermoor later became her signature role, solidified by John Copley’s 1986 production.
Australian Director Laura Hansford leads the revival of this revered production that has been gracing stages ever since, breathing new life into the gothic Scottish tragedy.
“I feel such a huge responsibility to do justice to both Donizetti’s music and Copley’s production and I think it’s important to honour the legendary foundations of this piece. I’m not looking to flip this opera inside-out, but I am excited to explore aspects of these characters, particularly Lucia, through a contemporary lens that has not been seen before,” Hansford said.
Lucia di Lammermoor tells a tale of love, loss and tragedy and has all the drama of a classic grand opera. Lucia is a young woman who is manipulated by the men in her life. Caught in a family feud when she falls in love with the son of her family’s sworn enemy, Lucia is pushed to her limit and finally decides to take control of her life with tragic consequences.
“There is scope to explore Lucia’s story told from a female perspective” Hansford said “The ‘mad scene’ this opera is famous for is the pinnacle of Lucia’s story. I’m interested in a version where instead of pity and horror the audience might find common ground and understand Lucia’s decisions,” said Hansford.
The ‘mad scene’ in this opera is a highly technical and difficult aria to sing. Often referred to as the ‘Olympics of singing’, it runs for about 20 minutes and is filled with incredibly complex notes and symphonies, making it a true challenge and triumph for any singer who can perform it. A piece with many ties to pop culture: jumping from the stage to the silver screen, the version of this aria sung by Diva Plavalaguna in Luc Besson’s 1997 cult The Fifth Element is almost as iconic as the opera itself.
State Opera’s Artistic Director Dane Lam says he is looking forward to bringing one of the classics back to the Adelaide stage.
“This is a piece of Australian operatic history and a bel canto masterpiece, an opera rich in stratospheric vocal highs and breathtaking ensembles, that lives and dies by the quality of its singing,” he said. “Lucia di Lammermoor truly requires a superstar lead and cast to perform it, and I believe Adelaide audiences are in for a real treat with an array of incredibly exciting voices,” Lam said.
Australian soprano Emma Pearson, who last appeared in State Opera’s Voss in 2022, will perform Lucia, a role she has performed previously with West Australian Opera with excellent reviews. London-based Morgan Pearse plays Lucia’s brother Enrico, and Indian American Alok Kumar makes his company debut as Lucia’s love interest, Edgardo. The cast is rounded out by Pelham Andrews as Raimondo, Iain Henderson as Arturo, Samantha Rubenhold as Alisa, and Jiacheng Ding as Normanno.
This principal and ensemble cast will be joined by the State Opera chorus and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra under the baton of acclaimed Spanish conductor Lucía Marín, appearing for the first time in Australia to bring this operatic masterpiece to life.
Lucia di Lammermoor will hit Adelaide for a four-show season between 8-16 November at Her Majesty’s Theatre, with tickets starting at $71 and a special offer of only $35 for those under 30. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://stateopera.com.au/productions/lucia-di-lammermoor/ .
