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 Donizetti: Lucia Di Lammermoor / Schippers, Sills, Bergonzi
Release Date: 03/12/2002 
Label:  Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog #: 471250   Spars Code: ADD 
Composer:  Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:  Piero CappuccilliCarlo BergonziAdolf DallapozzaJustino DiazPatricia Kern
Keith ErwenBruno HoffmannOsian EllisBeverly Sills
William Bennett
Conductor:  Thomas Schippers
Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony OrchestraAmbrosian Opera Chorus

Number of Discs: 2 
Recorded in: Stereo 
Length: 2 Hours 27 Mins. 

CD  $22.99
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Notes & Reviews   Works on This Recording  
 Notes & Reviews Back to Top 
This was recorded at Beverly Sills' peak, in 1970. (She had only sung Elizabeth in Roberto Devereux a handful of times and it had yet to take its inevitable toll on her voice.) Here, her slightly narrow tone is at its fullest, the coloratura is accurate, fast, and dazzling, the top notes secure (including an unnecessary high F in the restored scene with Raimondo), and the use of words pointed and intelligent enough to make the manic-depressive character heartbreaking. As if Callas had not proved the point, Sills made it clear that the days of the chirpy, empty Pons and Peters were over, and even the glorious Joan Sutherland, who probably sang the role better than anyone in history, was not in Sills' league. In short, at this point in her career Sills had everything. If you want to carp, you might argue that there are slightly too many embellishments (nary a line is left unadorned)--but why bother? This is a great reading and singing of the role.


Sillis is excellently partnered by the mature Carlo Bergonzi as Edgardo, elegant and outraged, and the brutal Piero Cappuccilli as the cruel Enrico. Justino Diaz is the cast's woolly weak link as Raimondo. The lamented Thomas Schippers leads a tight, exciting, as-if-it-were-new performance, with every cut opened (including a thrilling Wolf's Crag scene), and he uses the glass harmonica Donizetti wanted in the Mad Scene, which adds just the right amount of eerieness. Of course you can't do without a Callas Lucia, but Sills is just as necessary (as, let's face it, is Sutherland). It's great to have this set available again.

--Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com
 Works on This Recording Back to Top 
1.  Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:  Piero Cappuccilli (Baritone), Carlo Bergonzi (Tenor), Adolf Dallapozza (Tenor),
Justino Diaz (Bass Baritone), Patricia Kern (Mezzo Soprano), Keith Erwen (Tenor),
Bruno Hoffmann (Glass Armonica), Osian Ellis (Harp), Beverly Sills (Soprano),
William Bennett (Flute)
Conductor:  Thomas Schippers
Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra,  Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1835; Italy 
Date of Recording: 08/1970 
Venue:  EMI Studios, London, England 
Length: 146 Minutes 53 Secs. 
Language: Italian 
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