Dessay, Beczala, Bannik, Sulimsky, Mariinsky, Gergiev – Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor (2011) [Qobuz FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

Natalie Dessay, Piotr Beczala, Ilya Bannik, Vladislav Sulimsky,
Mariinsky Orchestra & Chorus, Valery Gergiev – Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor (2011)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time – 02:10:51 minutes | 2,21 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Master, Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | Artwork: Digital booklet | © Mariinsky

The Mariinsky label’s opera recordings have garnered acclaim and awards from around the world, most recently for Valery Gergiev’s recording of Parsifal released in 2010. For the label’s fifth opera, Gergiev conducts Donizetti’s masterpiece with a magnificent cast led by Natalie Dessay.

With the 2011 release of Lucia di Lammermoor, Valery Gergiev and the Orchestra and Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre continue the expansion of their impressive recorded legacy beyond the Russian repertoire. Gergiev and his forces had made their way through almost all the important 19th and 20th century Russian operas for Philips before establishing the Mariinsky label in 2009. This recording, along with the 2010 release of Parsifal, demonstrate that the Mariinsky belongs in the ranks of major opera houses that excel in international repertoire. As with Parsifal, most of the cast is Russian, with a few European stars brought in, in this case Natalie Dessay as Lucia and Piotr Beczala as Edgardo. Dessay has recorded the mad scene on a solo album, as well as the complete opera in its French version, but this is her first studio recording of the Italian original. Her voice is not large, but it’s entirely appropriate for conveying the character’s fragility. Her supple, expressive coloratura is flawless and her considerable dramatic gifts make her a believably tragic Lucia; her hell-for-leather mad scene is vocally thrilling, and by the end she sounds like she is thoroughly emotionally unhinged. Hers is an altogether memorable account of the role. Vladislav Sulimsky makes an equally strong impression as a powerfully menacing Enrico. His large, focused, and penetrating baritone and his forceful delivery make him a character who could plausibly intimidate his sister (or just about anyone other than Edgardo) into acting against her better judgment. As Edgardo, Piotr Beczala sings with virile lyricism for the most part, but his highest notes when delivered at a high volume can sometimes sound pinched and tonally imprecise. Among the leads, only Ilya Bannik as Raimondo comes off as somewhat underpowered. Gergiev’s reading of the score has wonderful urgency and momentum, but he is also exceptionally well-attuned to the subtleties of the score, whose details emerge with sparkling clarity. The chorus and orchestra respond with nuanced, colorful performances, at once energetic and thoroughly polished. In a telling detail, the glass harmonica used in the mad scene doesn’t have the celestial purity usually associated with the instrument, but a creepy graininess that contributes beautifully to the disturbing tone of the scene. The sound is clean, warm, nicely present, and well-balanced. This is a version of Lucia that should be of interest to any fan of the opera.

Tracklist:
01 – Act I, Scene 1, No 1 Preludio e coro d’Introduzione “Percorrete le spiagge vicine”
02 – Act I, Scene 1, No 2 i. Scena e Cavatina “Tu sei turbato”
03 – Act I, Scene 1, No 2 ii. Larghetto “Cruda, funesta smania”
04 – Act I, Scene 1, No 2 iii. Coro di Cacciatori “Il tuo dubbio”
05 – Act I, Scene 1, No 2 iv. Allegro moderato “La pietade in suo favore”
06 – Act I, Scene 2, No 3 i. Scena e Cavatina “Ancor non giunse!”
07 – Act I, Scene 2, No 3 ii. Larghetto “Regnava nel silenzio”
08 – Act I, Scene 2, No 3 iii. Moderato “Quando rapito in estasi”
09 – Act I, Scene 2, No 4 i. Scena e Duetto – Finale I “Egli s’avanza!”
10 – Act I, Scene 2, No. 4 ii. Larghetto “Sulla tomba”
11 – Act I, Scene 2, No 4 iii. Moderato assai “Verranno a te”
12 – Act II, Scene 1, No 5 Scena “Lucia fra poco a te verra”
13 – Act II, Scene 1, No 6 i. Duetto “Appressati, Lucia”
14 – Act II, Scene 1, No 6 ii. Larghetto “Soffriva nel pianto”
15 – Act II, Scene 1, No 6 iii. Vivace “Se tradirmi tu potrai”
16 – Act II, Scene 1, No 7 i. Scena ed Aria “Ebben?”
17 – Act II, Scene 1, No 7 ii. Moderato “Al ben de’tuoi”
18 – Act II, Scene 2, No 8 i. Finale II – Coro e Cavatina “Per te d’immenso”
19 – Act II, Scene 2, No 8 ii. Meno mosso “Per poco fra le tenebre”
20 – Act II, Scene 2, No 9 i. Scena e Quartetto nel Finale II “Dov’ e Lucia?”
21 – Act II, Scene 2, No 9 ii. Larghetto “Chi mi frena in tal momento?”
22 – Act II, Scene 2, No 10 i. Seguito e Stretta del Finale II “T’allontana, sciagurato”
23 – Act II, Scene 2, No 10 ii. Moderato “Sconsigliato!”
24 – Act III, Scene 1, No 11 i. Uragano. Scena e Duetto “Orrida e questa notte”
25 – Act III, Scene 1, No 11 ii. Andante “Ashton!”
26 – Act III, Scene 2, No 12 Corro “D’immenso giubilo”
27 – Act III, Scene 2, No 13 Gran Scena con Cori “Cessi, ah cessi quel contento”
28 – Act III, Scene 2, No 14 i. Scena ed Aria “Oh giusto cielo!”
29 – Act III, Scene 2, No 14 ii. Allegretto “Ohime!”
30 – Act III, Scene 2, No 14 iii. Moderato “Spargi d’amaro pianto”
31 – Act III, Scene 2, No 14 iv. Scena “Si tragga altrove”
32 – Act III, Scene 3, No 15 i. Aria Finale “Tombe degliavi miei”
33 – Act II, Scene 3, No 15 ii. Moderato “Tu che a Dio”