Mahaiwe Theatre, Great Barrington, MA
https://www.berkshireoperafestival.org/
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| Photo by Matt Madison-Clark |
August 25 & 28, 2026
by Michael J. Moran
As the mainstage production of its 2026 season, the Berkshire Opera Festival presents Gaetano Donizetti’s 1835 tragic masterpiece “Lucia di Lammermoor,” its second Donizetti opera (after the comedy “Don Pasquale” in 2019). Conducted and directed by BOF co-founders Brian Garman and Jonathon Loy and often considered the crown jewel of “bel canto” opera, it turns out to be a “Lucia” for the ages.
Loosely based on Sir Walter Scott’s 1819 novel The Bride of Lammermoor and set in 1703 Scotland, the libretto by Salvadore Cammarano centers around Lucia’s love for Edgardo, an enemy of her family. Her brother, Enrico, convinces her that Edgardo has been unfaithful and forces her into a loveless marriage with his political ally, Arturo. Going mad on her wedding night, she kills her new husband, appears in perhaps the most famous mad scene in all opera, and dies of a broken heart. Edgardo kills himself to join Lucia in death.
Soprano Christine Lyons inhabits Lucia in a career-making performance, combining raw passion with the beauty of tone demanded by the “bel canto” style (literally, “beautiful singing”) of early 19th-century Italian opera. Tenor Terrence Chin-Loy is almost equally intense as Edgardo. Baritone Dean Murphy is a commanding Enrico. Bass Stefan Egerstrom as Lammermoor’s chaplain, Raimondo, and tenor Luke Norvell as Arturo make strong impressions in smaller roles.
Musical highlights include: the orchestra’s brooding, scene-setting overture; Murphy’s powerful Act I aria, “Cruel, Baneful Torment;” a perfectly balanced “Who Restrains Me,” the sextet that ends Act II; and Lyons’ note-perfect and emotionally shattering Act III mad scene, accompanied by the eerie sound of the rarely heard glass harmonica, invented in 1761 by Benjamin Franklin and skillfully played by Dennis James.
Loy’s resourceful direction highlights how Lucia’s ability to see ghosts empowers her, with a brilliant final coup de theatre, and elicits stylish singing and acting from a consistently strong cast. Scenic design by Cameron Anderson, costumes by Brooke Stanton, and lighting by Alex Jainchill contrast mostly dark colors with brighter ones for Lucia. Sensitive performances under Garman by the BOF orchestra and chorus (prepared by Chorus Master Luca Antonucci) bring Donizetti’s compelling score to vibrant life.
This revelatory “Lucia” is unmissable for Italian opera lovers.
