LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR to Open at Berkshire Opera Festival This Summer
Christine Lyons stars as Lucia at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington.
BERKSHIRE OPERA FESTIVAL (BOF) has announced its 2026 summer mainstage production, a new mounting of one of the most celebrated works in the operatic canon, Gaetano Donizetti's LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR. Conducted and directed by BOF's Co-founders Brian Garman and Jonathon Loy, three performances take place August 22-28 at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington.
Conductor and Artistic Director Brian Garman says: "For our mainstage production this summer, BOF returns to the wonderful world of Bel Canto with what is certainly the jewel in the crown —Donizetti's towering Lucia di Lammermoor. Full of suspense, pathos, and vocal acrobatics, it's an opera that demands the very greatest singers, and that's exactly what we have in store for you."
Director Jonathon Loy adds: "I'm extremely excited to produce what I consider my favorite opera. Of the entire Bel Canto repertoire, Lucia has the most fleshed-out characters, and perfectly captures the romanticization of the Scottish culture with its brooding and gloomy atmosphere. This production will also explore the supernatural in depth."
Set amid the foggy moors and ancient castles of Scotland, Donizetti's masterpiece tells the tragic story of Lucia, whose forbidden love for her family's sworn enemy drives her to the brink of madness. When her brother forces her into a loveless marriage, Lucia's heart—and mind—shatter in one of opera's most unforgettable scenes. Renowned for its breathtaking drama and virtuosic singing, Lucia di Lammermoor remains a timeless showcase of the full power and passion of the human voice.
In the lead role of Lucia is soprano Christine Lyons, winner of the 2025 Princess Grace Award, and described by Broadway World as "a true virtuosa, dazzling us with her mastery of all those Bel Canto coloratura fireworks." She returns to the BOF stage after performing in the company's 2025 gala and the role of Echo in the company's 2017 production of Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos. Opposite Lyons as Edgardo is Terrence Chin-Loy, whom Opera News described as having a "beautiful lyric tenor voice." Chin-Loy has recently performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Arizona Opera.
In the role of Enrico is Dean Murphy, a leading singer at the Deutsche Oper Berlin whom Online Merker described as a "dazzling American baritone." Raimondo is played by Stefan Egerstrom, a regular artist at Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Metropolitan Opera. And, in the role of Arturo is tenor Luke Norvell, recognized by Parterre Box for his "dramatic intensity and evenness of line.” "Maestro Brian Garman wrung every last magnificent, sensuous drop out of a superb orchestra from start to finish.”
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