Janice Hall finds delicacy and drama in Lucia's mad scene

THE SONGBIRD: Janice Hall grew up in Denver, studied music at Boston Conservatory, and while still a student made her debut in St. Louis as Monica in "The Medium" in 1976. In 1979 she joined the New York City Opera, debuting as Belinda in "Dido and Aeneas," and made her European debut in 1982 in Hamburg as Rosina. She has sung leading lyric-coloratura roles such as Violetta, Gilda, Lucia, Dalinda, Micaela, Leila, Amina, Giulietta, Norina, Mimi, Zerlina, Pamina, and Poppea with companies including Houston Grand Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Central City Opera, and the Washington National Opera, as well as with European houses in Vienna, Venice, Hamburg, Zurich, Munich, Berlin, and Köln where she was a principal soprano in the 1980s.
THE MUSIC: Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor" has become one of the quintessential operas for a coloratura soprano -- it's one of the most widely produced bel canto operas in the world and the title character is a benchmark role for this voice type. Donizetti composed it in 1835, which was a peak of his artistic and popular success -- Rossini had recently retired, Bellini had just died, and Verdi had not yet had his first premiere ("Oberto" in 1837). Based on Walter Scott's novel, the opera premiered in Naples. The plot in a nutshell: after being tricked into marrying a man she doesn't love, and lied to that her true love has betrayed her, Lucia loses her mind and murders the groom on her wedding night. The mentally unstable young woman appears in a bloodied gown and sings a long, complex, and haunting "mad scene" mixing delusion and grief that is a musically and dramatically innovative tour-de-force of bel canto vocalism and gripping tragedy. The primary section of the mad scene culminates in a long cadenza with a flute (and occasionally the glass harmonica). Apparently that wasn't enough warbling for one diva, so Donizetti succumbs the era's operatic conventions and gives Lucia even more to sing: a traditional cabaletta "Spargi d'amaro pianto."

[@BrianJosephMorgan]

Brava.

[@vanmillin4236]

Very nice. I had not heard her before and that was really quite fine. A propos of nothing relevant, I bought the cd of Cimarosa’s L’Olimpiade, and was blown away by much of the music. I found this elsewhere on UA-cam and decided to post the link here as I’m sure it is right up our host’s alley. Sounds like a cross between Aspasia and the Queen of the Night! Ms Rocio Perez does an admirable job with such daunting music. ua-cam.com/video/lutxNVFC4H0/v-deo.htmlsi=HWbX5x12TlLiWEwX

[@songbirdwatcher]

Now that’s bravura! And not what I’d expect from Cimarosa. Thanks for sharing.

[@vanmillin4236]

Check out the duet that ends the first Act, it’s Act 1, Scene 9. A real roller coaster ride.