@ Lucia Di Lammermoor
Vancouver Opera at
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Remaining show, Sat.,
Oct. 21, 8 pn.

Louisa Phillips

Contributing Writer

HER white gown

streaked with her bride-

' _ groom?’s blood, her dag-

“.” ger crimson to the hilt,
Lucia di Lammermoor
is an avenging angel
whose sanity is slipping
past redemption.

Opera’s most famous mad
scene is a tour de force for a
> Sensitive soprano who can cre-
ate chills with her ills. Well
performed, it elevates melo- °
drama into tragedy. In the tithe
role for Vancouver Opera,
- young, American Elizabeth
Futral causes icy shivers of
delight and horror that have
nothing to do with the
drau,
-her character inhabits. Her
girlish Lucia has it all: a Ivric
soprano virtuosity that deftly
shades arias with coloratura
uns, and an acting ability
devoid of manneriem yet brim-
*- ming with passion.
It’s as well, since Gaetano
Donizetti’s 1835 opera is one
of the great theatrical chest-

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nuts, an over-the-top wallow
in every melodic cliché known
to 19th century Italian opera.
Ic survives mainly due to two
hummable showpieces: the
exquisite sextet of Act Two,
and the heroine's extraordi-
nary third act descent into
madness.

Futal hints at Lucia’s
unbalanced state from the
opening. When she finally
appears with the bloody dag-
ger, beginning the series of
arias that make up the mad
scene, she alternates deluded
rapture with incurable grief.
Futra! takes Lucia down her
sad spiral of despair with deli-
cacy and power.

Until then the audience
revels in skilful duets and trios
— florid declarations of undy-
ing love and vengeance — and
strangely cheerful choruses
that are at odds with the
theme of the piece.

While the truth of the orig-
inal highland teud that
inspired Sir Walter Scott’s
novel, The Bride of
Lammermoor, has long
evanesced into the mists of
time, Vancouver Opera’s new
production of the opera does
justice to the tragedy of the
romantic fiction.

Half a dozen vast, grey sets
(from Florida Grand Cpera),
textured by Alan Brodie’s
alchemical lighting, conjure

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Onera sears into new season

bleak castle interiors, made
golden at times when sun-
beams filter through arched
leaded windows; a family
erypt; and a ruined fountain
where a dangerous liaison seals
the lovers’ fate.

In the tenor role of che
amorous Edgardo, rightful
master of Ravenswood castle,
John Fowler is dashing and
intense. His voice on opening
night, however, sounded
forced and lacked emotional
nuance, as if volume were his
sole concern. As a result, while
he held his own in the
“Veranne a te sull’aure” duct
with Futral and in the cele-
brated sextet, “Chi mi frena,”
his important final act — a
series of solo arias — sounded
strained and unnatural.

Faring better, baritone
Zheng Zhou as mean Enrice
Ashton, Lucia’s conniving
brother, relaxed into the role
with an impressive delivery
after a wooden start. Bass
Gary Relyea, imposing and

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measured, lent a measure of
soul-searching to the chaplain.
Kurt Lehmann brought a
pleasanc mellow tenor and
stunning physical presence to
the unlucky husband.

The chorus, too, was
strong, and eloquent after a
hesitant, static start. Once past
the stagey first act, conductor

Steven White kept the orches- -

tra in near perfect syne. The
flute accompaniment to
Futral’s mad scene, the harp
that precedes her entrance,
and the cello that introduces
Edgardo’s last aria were espe-
cially fine. And visually, the
show’s a knockout, from the
sumptuous costumes (by Utah
Opera) to the swashbuckling
swordplay. When director
Pamela Berlin deploys the cast
of dozens in the wedding
scene, the effect is of a Van
Dyck tableau vivant.

Vancouver Opera’s box-
office should take flight with
this astute choice for a season
opener.

: Photo Tin Wathenon
JOHN Fowler and Elizabeth Futral star. in Vancouver
Opera’ 's Lucia Di Lammermoor.

Or Susan Haigh ne
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