Photo Flash: First Look at LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Opening This Weekend at the Lyric

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the haunting story of a woman in love, her betrayal, and her descent into madness in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor in a new-to-Chicago production with an all-star cast. Often described as a Scottish Romeo-and-Juliet-style tragedy, Lucia di Lammermoor opens on Saturday, October 15, with seven performances through November 6 at Lyric's Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Lucia Ashton (Albina Shagimuratova) and her family's enemy, Edgardo of Ravenswood (Piotr Becza?a), are secretly in love. They exchange rings and pledges of devotion before he leaves for France. Edgardo's letters to Lucia are intercepted by her brother Enrico (Quinn Kelsey) and her tutor Raimondo (Adrian Sâmpetrean, Lyric debut). When Enrico produces forged "proof" of Edgardo's infidelity, Lucia unhappily submits to a politically advantageous marriage to Arturo Bucklaw (Jonathan Johnson). Edgardo bursts in on the wedding and curses Lucia, leading to a series of dreadful events. Lucia di Lammermoor is justly famous for the vocal fireworks of Lucia's dazzling mad scene, with its spectacular coloratura singing.

Enrique Mazzola (Lyric debut) conducts the new-to-Chicago production, directed by Graham Vick and designed by Paul Brown, with lighting designed by Chris Maravich. Michael Black is chorus master.

Running time is approximately two hours and 51 minutes, with one intermission following Act Two. Lucia di Lammermoor will be performed with these alterations. Performance dates for Lucia di Lammermoor are Oct. 15, 19, 26, 29, and Nov. 1 at 7:30pm; and Oct. 23 and Nov. 6 at 2pm. For tickets and information call (312) 827-5600 or go to lyricopera.org/lucia.

Photo Credit: Todd Rosenberg