Everything that makes grand opera grand – passion, lies, betrayal, madness, murder, and suicide – are on tap for this week’s Sunday Opera (9/8 3:00 p.m.) in Gaetano Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” from the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Lucia and Edgardo are from two feuding families in 17th century Scotland, but they are in love. This love is thwarted by Lucia’s brother Enrico who lies to her that Edgardo has been unfaithful so that she will marry another to benefit him, and the tragic events are set in action. You’ll hear Albina Shagimuratova as Lucia, Piotr Beczala as Edgardo, and Quinn Kelsey as Enrico with Enrique Mazzola leading the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus.
After the opera, join Michael Kownacky for more music of Donizetti including an orchestral arrangement of his String Quartet No. 17 in D major, his Concertino for Oboe and Chamber Orchestra in F Major, and a Sinfonia in D minor. We’ll also have music from two of his lesser-known operas, the Act 2 ballet from “Dom Sebastien” and the sinfonia to “Il Falegname di Livionia.”
