LA Opera Presents LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, 3/15-4/6

(Los Angeles) December 19, 2013 - General Director Plácido Domingo announced updated details for LA Opera's first production of Lucia di Lammermoor since 2003. Conducted by Music Director James Conlon and directed by Elkhana Pulitzer in her LA Opera debut, the new production stars Albina Shagimuratova in the title role as the dagger-wielding Scottish lass and Saimir Pirgu as her secret lover, Edgardo. Lucia di Lammermoor will open on Saturday, March 15, 2014, and run for a total of six performances through April 6 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

"Despite its enormous popularity, Lucia di Lammermoor isn't easy to produce," said Mr. Domingo. "There is little point in scheduling this opera without a truly special leading lady. That's why I am so thrilled to welcome Albina Shagimuratova back to our stage in this iconic role. The score's many challenges hold absolutely no difficulties for her. She also has an exceptional ability to draw our hearts into the passion of the drama. LA Opera hasn't presented Lucia since our 2003 production with Anna Netrebko, but I think that our audiences will find that it will be well worth the wait."

About the opera:
Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor is one of the cornerstone works of the bel canto repertoire.Based on an 1819 novel by Sir Walter Scott, who took inspiration from actual events that took place in 17th-century Scotland, the opera tells the story of a woman coerced by her family to marry against her will and betray the man she loves. Descending into madness, she brutally murders her new husband in the bridal chamber before returning, covered in blood, to her wedding guests. One of the foremost examples of Italian Romantic opera, Lucia di Lammermoor melds beautiful music and incredible dramatic power. Lucia's harrowing mad scene, an astonishingly demanding tour de force for coloratura soprano, has become one of the most famous moments in all of opera.

About the cast:
The fast-rising Russian coloratura soprano Albina Shagimuratova, who will sing the title role, made her LA Opera debut in 2009 as the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. She most recently reprised that role this month at the Metropolitan Opera, in performances hailed by the New York Times as "technically flawless, luscious-toned and chilling." Her return to Los Angeles as Lucia will immediately follow six performances of Lucia di Lammermoor at Milan's Teatro alla Scala in February 2014. Albanian tenor Saimir Pirgu, whose previous Los Angeles roles include Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi (2008) and Ferrando in Così fan tutte(2011), will perform the role of Lucia's secret lover, Edgardo. The production will also feature baritoneStephen Powell (Sharpless in Madame Butterfly, 2008; Germont in La Traviata, 2009) as Lucia's domineering brother Enrico. Bass James Creswell returns in the role of Raimondo, after many LA Opera appearances including, most recently, Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin (2011) and Daland in The Flying Dutchman (2013).

The cast will also include three members of LA Opera's prestigious Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program. Tenor Joshua Guerrero will perform the role of Normanno, his mainstage LA Opera debut after appearing as a concert soloist in An Evening of Zarzuela and Latin American Music last season. SopranoD'Ana Lombard, who made her Company debut last season as Kate Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly,returns as Lucia's confidante Alisa. Belorusian tenor Vladimir Dmitruk will perform the role of Lucia's ill-fated bridegroom Arturo. Mr. Dmitruk made his LA Opera debut this season as the First Armored Man inThe Magic Flute.

About the creative team:
Director Elkhanah Pulitzer makes her mainstage LA Opera debut with Lucia after previously staging the company's 2008 community production of Handel's Judas Maccabaeus at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. The production will feature the extensive use of state-of-the-art projections designed by Wendall K. Harrington, who created the elaborate projections seen in LA Opera's 2010 production of Franz Schreker's The Stigmatized (Die Gezeichneten). The scenery will be designed by Carolina Angulo, who will subsequently design LA Opera's 2014 production of Jonah and the Whale at the Cathedral. Christine Crook will make her LA Opera debut as costume designer and Duane Schuler will return as lighting designer. LA Opera's Resident Conductor, Grant Gershon, will serve as chorus master.

Performance dates and times:
LA Opera will present six performances of Lucia di Lammermoor at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion:

• Saturday, March 15, 2014, at 7:30pm
• Thursday, March 20, 2014, at 7:30pm
• Sunday, March 23, 2014, at 2pm
• Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at 7:30pm
• Saturday, March 29, 2014, at 7:30pm
• Sunday, April 6, 2014, at 2pm

Location:
All performances will take place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion,135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012.

Tickets:
Tickets for Lucia di Lammermoor start at $19 and can be purchased in person at the LA Opera Box Office at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, by phone at 213.972.8001 or online at www.LAOpera.com. For disability access, call 213.972.0777 or email LAOpera@LAOpera.com.

Additional information:
Lucia di Lammermoor will be sung in Italian with projected English translations.
For artist bios, synopsis and background material, visit www.LAOpera.com/Lucia.
For photographs of the principal artists, visit the LA Opera press gallery here.

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