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That respite came in the famous Mad Scene, in which Dessay turned what is usually an extravaganza into a concentrated burst of subdued anguish.
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But it wasn't hard to understand why Lucia might have longed for a little respite. To judge from Tuesday's debuts, these are both singers with a vivid, red-blooded approach to opera - always on the edge emotionally, and never happier than when unleashing a furious fortissimo or making a headstrong push against conductor Jean-Yves Ossonce's rhythmic pulse.īoth performances made for gripping theater, and both men sang with plenty of tonal assurance and stylistic flair. On the other were two Italian singers of the old school, tenor Giuseppe Filianoti as Lucia's ill-fated lover, Edgardo, and baritone Gabriele Viviani as her brother Enrico. On the one hand there was Dessay, giving a precise, luminous and impeccably controlled performance that portrayed Lucia as a spirited but moody girl undone by love. It also came from the stylistic divisions among the singers, which had the effect of making Lucia seem even more isolated and abandoned than she usually does. For information about upcoming events, visit our event page.The wrenching impact of Tuesday's performance came not just from the efforts of a strong cast and a focused, if not especially attractive, production. Tours of the Memorial Opera House are available Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. The interior boasts red, white and blue stained-glass windows, as well as ornate viewing boxes high above the stage. Listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, this two-story red brick building has turrets at each of the front corners and a wide arched entrance.
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It has also been used for concerts, public meetings, weddings, funerals, presentations, school plays and graduations. The 364-seat Memorial Opera House has been a venue for hundreds of theatrical events and has hosted the likes of Teddy Roosevelt, John Phillips Sousa, the Marx brothers and Beulah Bondi. Learn more about its connections with the Civil War here. This stunning hall was built to pay tribute to the Union soldiers and sailors who fought in the Civil War, in addition to being a resource for the entire community. Valparaiso's beautiful and historic Memorial Opera House was constructed in 1893 by the local chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic.
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