The 2023 video recording of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor from Milan’s La Scala is quite interesting. The production is not especially exciting but the singing; especially the partnership of Lisette Oropesa, as Lucia, and Juan Diego Flórez as Edgardo is. The rest of the singing is excellent as is the orchestral playing. It’s also given without the usual cuts.

The production/direction is by Yannis Kokkos and the timeframe has been moved for some reason to the 1920s. Since the opera doesn’t really rest on the intricacies of early 18th century Scottish politics that doesn’t matter much but I don’t think it adds anything. It’s also not at all Scottish. It looks like it might be set in Southern France or Northern Italy. Most of the visual interest seems to lie in very large projections which don’t show up much on the recording and when they do are quite blurry on DVD. There are also some impressive giant statues in the final graveyard scene. (I’m reviewing this on DVD though Blu-ray is available and certainly preferable.)

The singing and acting is a bit special. Lisette Oropesa is a good actor who really gets into the character. She supports that with impeccably stylish and accurate singing. Her coloratura and runs are spot on and she has a genuine trill. The mad scene is compelling with a particularly fine “Spargi d’amaro piante”. It’s an amazing performance. She’s well matched by JDF. He has matured in recent years. The voice is still there with wonderful high notes but his acting has improved. It’s still a bit mannered but it’s way more convincing than his early days when every role became a goofy version of himself. Here he’s genuinely affecting. Together they deserve the epithet “dream team”.

Boris Pinkhasovich is strong and solid as Enrico with just the right amount of menace. Michele Pertusi as Raimondo is also excellent; becoming quite a force as the plot develops. The other characters are all perfectly well done and the chorus sings well, even if it doesn’t do much. There’s some very sprightly orchestral playing and Riccardo Chailly’s conducting brings out the nuances of the score very well.

Arnalda Canali’s direction for video is unflashy. Maybe we could have seen a bit more of the set. Eric Duranteau’s projections don’t get much of a look in. The picture and sound (LPCM and DTS 5.1) are adequate for DVD though the dark scenes (of which there are many) get a bit muddy. Subtitle options are Italian, English, German, French, Korean and Japanese. The booklet has a brief synopsis, a very brief blurb and a track listing.

Well worth taking a look at for exceptional performances by JDF and, especially, Lisette Oropesa but I’d suggest getting the Blu-ray.

Catalogue information: C Major 772403