Accessibility Tools

  • Content scaling 100%
  • Font size 100%
  • Line height 100%
  • Letter spacing 100%

Lucrezia Borgia

A lively performance of a Donizetti rarity
Melbourne Opera
by
ABR Arts 30 August 2022

Lucrezia Borgia

A lively performance of a Donizetti rarity
Melbourne Opera
by
ABR Arts 30 August 2022
Helena Dix (Lucrezia Borgia) and James Egglestone (Gennaro) (Photograph by Robin Halls/Melbourne Opera)

Few opera composers were more prolific than Gaetano Donizetti, and 1833 proved to be no exception in his relatively short career, with four separate premières in as many cities, culminating in Lucrezia Borgia, first heard at La Scala on 26 December. That season ran for thirty-three performances. The opera went on to become a popular vehicle for prima donnas (some nearing the end of their careers). Melbourne Opera’s reliably good program informs us that Lucrezia had its Australian première at Melbourne’s Theatre Royal in 1855 and remained popular for forty years, becoming Donizetti’s most performed opera in Victoria after Lucia di Lammermoor.

The opera was something of a rarity in the twentieth century until its revival by sopranos such as Montserrat Caballé, Joan Sutherland, and Beverley Sills. Maria Callas – a natural for this tempestuous role – never sang it, but there is a late, frail ‘Com’è bello’ (EMI, 1964).

From the New Issue

Comment (1)

  • Excellent review from Peter Rose. His in-depth knowledge of this opera has enhanced my understanding of a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon from Melbourne Opera.
    Posted by Roslyn Byrne
    30 August 2022

Leave a comment

If you are an ABR subscriber, you will need to sign in to post a comment.

If you have forgotten your sign in details, or if you receive an error message when trying to submit your comment, please email your comment (and the name of the article to which it relates) to ABR Comments. We will review your comment and, subject to approval, we will post it under your name.

Please note that all comments must be approved by ABR and comply with our Terms & Conditions.