Abstract
Lucia’s famous mad scene: not only is it the non plus ultra of a bravura aria for coloratura sopranos, but also one of the most impressive and modern moments in 19th-century operatic literature. For Lucia, the only way out of her dilemma between family obligations and her love for Edgardo is death. Gaetano Donizetti captured the dependences and extreme passions of the principal figures extremely effectively in music. In our revival production of Lucia di Lammermoor, the young Armenian soprano Nina Minasyan will alternate with Venera Gimadieva to sing the difficult and fascinating part. The Spanish tenor Ismael Jordi will interpret the role of her lover Edgardo, who cannot live without Lucia and stabs himself when he learns of her death. Nello Santi, the great master of Italian opera, will return to the rostrum of the Philharmonia Zurich for this revival.