On April 9^th, Lucia di Lammermoor co-produced by NCPA and Mariinsky Theatre made debut in Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, unveiling NCPA Opera Festival 2017.

Lucia di Lammermoor shows a girl crazy for love Photo by WANG Xiaojing

Conducted by veteran Daniel Oren, the opera tells a story about two lovers from two families in feud who can’t get together through the depressing music. With soft and mellow voice, Soprano Venerate Gimadieva vividly sang out Lucia’s sensitivity when seeing spirits, her helplessness when forced by her brother and her heartbreak when “betrayed” by her lover, representing to the audiences an image of a painfully struggling female under the male chauvinism. The second act was the famous and touching “Crazy scene”, which told that Lucia who was loyal to love became crazy. Besides, Edgardo’s famous aria “Before long, my fate is the deserted grave” in the opera was passionately performed by Tenor Stefano Secco. To add up the crazy and cruel stage atmosphere, red was selected as the main colour by director Yannis Kokkos to deeply explore the emotional power of Donizetti’s opera. On April 10^th, the opera will be put on continually by Chinese singers including ZHANG Liping, SHI Yijie, ZHANG Yang, and TIAN Haojiang, and will last till 12^th.

Two lovers from two families in feud can’t get together Photo by WANG Xiaojing

The first round performance of Lucia di Lammermoor unveiled NCPA Opera Festival 2017 themed by “Integration & Echoes”, during which seven operas and one opera concert will be performed. After Lucia di Lammermoor, the classic operas Un Ballo in Maschera and Der Rosenkavalier produced by NCPA will bring vocal artists at home and abroad together during the Opera Festival.

“Before long, my fate is the deserted grave” in the opera was passionately performed by Tenor Stefano Secco
Photo by WANG Xiaojing

As for Chinese national opera, NCPA opera commission FANG Zhimin and chilren’s opera commission Effendi will be staged. In addition, Red Detachment of Women, created by China National Opera House, will be firstly performed as an opera rather than a dance programme. This opera not only respects the classic, but also explores more contemporary presentation. Little Erhei's Marriage originally created in the 1950s will strike a pose on the stage in a totally new way through the elaborate re-creation of China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater. Moreover, China National Opera House will present a fascinating opera concert besides these operas.

Red was selected as the main colour by director Yannis Kokkos Photo by WANG Xiaojing