LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR

Director’s Note:

This piece has been on my directing wishlist for some time, both for the iconic melodies and for the dramatic potential. The opera, based on Sir Walter Scott’s Scottish novel The Bride of Lammermoor which was purportedly based on true events, is a historical fiction that solidly sidesteps reality; the finer points of political history referenced by the show’s characters was incorrectly represented by the librettist Salvadore Cammarano. Since the historical context wasn’t central to the writing team’s vision, I chose not to make it central to my vision, either. For me, the central theme lies at the intersection of Love versus Duty and Familial Love versus Romantic Love—both pulling at Lucia in different directions, and both firmly caging her in and limiting her options. It’s no wonder that Lucia goes mad under the pressure, it would be madness if someone in her position didn’t. 

And if we view Lucia through the lens of ‘sane,’ it offers so many more compelling possibilities: what if the phantoms and spirits she talks of have a real, palpable presence? What if the supernatural pulls and pushes Lucia in the same way as the other forces in her life? At what point does the line between the imaginary and reality blur? With this shift in perception, I see a Lucia emerge who has equal parts strength and vulnerability and who has desires for which she’s willing to reach. 

It’s been an absolute joy to explore these themes with the cast and crew. I invite you to enjoy the beautiful music, behold the grim spectacle, and ponder the differences between a happy ending, and a tragic one.