bravo,Beverly
Bravro, Beverly. God must be in heaven with you there now . Oh, of course, God is already in Heaven---You just made it better !
Tears just flowed at your Mad Scene---And then there was Carlo Bergonzi ! Does it get any better ??? Maybe, but I don't think so--Magnificent !
Thank you Beverly Sills for all you gave us with your Beauty and tenacity
Marcia Hennessy
Owls Head,NY

opera
I bought this as a present for my husband who is an "opera maven". It is considered to be a rare recording as it is not only the complete (unabridged) opera but features Beverly Sills and a glass harmonica (rarely used). He loves the recording

Brilliant
I usually don't write reviews but this is a worthy recording. I have heard about eight different recordings of Lucia Di Lammermoor (including popular Callas and Sutherland ones) and this is by far my favourite. Sills' voice is beautiful, melodic, and dances right on the edge of chaos as every good Lucia should. This is THE performance of Lucia di Lammermoor.

Beverly's Finest Hour ?
Excellent recording of a noteworthy performance. The glass harmonica adds a special charm.

JWH

you DO need THIS recording of "Lucia"!
There are many recordings of "Lucia di Lammermoor", and, many are very good, some are excellent, and then, there are some that would not be missed.

This, luckily, is not one of the last group. Neither, is it from the very good group! Which leaves excellent for our rating!

Sills is truly great in this role. Her coloratura is spot on, her entire personna for Lucia comes through as a living, breathing, person. Now, let's face it, she's not Sutherland (who owns the role), but, nevertheless, she bests Dame Joan in that her Lucia is human, which, Sutherland's was not necessarily. She could spin the notes beautifully, but her characterizations were always wooden, 2-dimensional cut-outs (it's just the way she was). But, Sills gives us a believable Lucia...3 dimensional, and one you can feel for as a real person. She simply is wonderful. Period.

Bergonzi, luckily for us, was before his unravelling, and is in clear, crisp tone here, demonstrating everything that Edgardo should be. He is in charge of himself, and on top of everything. A great characterization and "performance" that can stand up to anyone's.

Cappucilli, here, is in particularly great form. His turn at Enrico is a gnarly, nasty piece of work, perhaps just a touch over the top, but it sure works here, set against Sills and Bergonzi. While I have always "given it up" for Merrill in this role, Cappucilli, in truth, is just wonderful, an admirable performance, for sure.

Schippers, at the head of it all, as always, turns in a wonderfully thought-out, completely cohesive reading of Donizetti's score. Never uneven or "episodic" (patchy) as many conductors are wont to do with this tragic work. Schippers, sadly, passed away very young, and would, surely, have come to have inherited Toscanini's mantle, I believe. We are fortunate indeed to have this reading of this great work with him conducting.

One of the high-points of this recording, and that which makes it special over every other one, is the inclusion of the glass harmonica in the mad scene, as Donizetti wrote it...not the flute. This is the only recording that includes this eerie, surreal instrument, and it DOES work wonderfully! Even if the recording and the singing of the artists were not at the top of the list, you would still need to make room on your shelves for this recording, just for this aspect. If you are not familiar with this set, by all means, do go in with both feet and order it. You will never be sorry after you have heard "Lucia" as written by Gaetano.