The immense jubilation is the wedding choir performed in “Lucia di Lammermoor”, one of the most famous works by Gaetano Donizetti.
Based on a novel by Walter Scott, the three-act opera is set in Scotland and tells of Lucia’s love with Edgardo.
The action takes place at the end of the 16th century in Ravenswood Castle, in Scotland.
Lucia and Enrico Ashton are brothers and their family has usurped the property and the castle of the Ravenswood family whose legitimate and only heir is Edgardo.
Lucia and Edgardo secretly love each other.
Lucia’s love is thwarted by strong political struggles and, to save the family that had serious financial problems, Lucia is forced to marry Lord Arturo Bucklaw, a rich and powerful man.
The work ends in tragedy. Lucia, after having succumbed to Edgardo’s pressure and signed the marriage contract, kills Arturo during the wedding night and goes mad with grief, then takes her own life.
Edgardo hearing the death bells announcing Lucia’s disappearance also takes his own life.
The first of this opera was performed at the Real Teatro San Carlo in Naples on 26 September 1835. This work was a huge success and Donizetti also made an edition in French for a performance in Paris.
Although the opera is truly a unique tragedy, the wedding choir is however a very beautiful lyric piece and is offered in several lyric recitals.
Today lyrical recitals are very important to be able to pass on arias, romances, cavatine choirs and songs of the lyric tradition to the new generations. In a recital the most important operas are sung and, as we do, explained. This show formula should be encouraged by the competent authorities to prevent people from suffering the televised violence of idiotic and totally empty programs.
Video: Per te d’immenso giubilo
Un abbraccio/ a big Hug
Marcus Dardi
