Donizetti’s tragic love story set on the Scottish border offers some of the most moving operatic moments of bel canto. In the production directed by Máté Szabó and conducted by Kálmán Szennai, the performance is presented four times during the season between 28 February and 8 March 2026, featuring several new talents alongside well-established names.
There is no escape for Lucia: her brother, Enrico, forces her into a political marriage through manipulation and pressure, an arrangement that is a matter of survival for the future of the once influential Ashton family. Having recently lost her mother, Lucia carries a heavy emotional burden, as she is in love with Edgardo, the heir of the rival Ravenswood family. She has no idea that her secret has been discovered: her brother convinces her with a forged letter that the man she is to marry loves another woman. When the truth is revealed on the day of the wedding, Lucia collapses under the weight of the immense pressure placed upon her.
Long regarded primarily as a composer of comic operas, Donizetti reveals an astonishing sensitivity in Lucia di Lammermoor, exploring the most delicate nuances of the human soul, making his heroine one of the most striking female figures in bel canto and in the operatic repertoire. Máté Szabó’s production, timeless in its outward appearance yet traditional in spirit, faithfully serves the composer’s intentions. In the demanding dream role for coloratura sopranos, Zita Szemere makes her debut this season. Adorján Pataki also performs Edgardo for the first time, while Alexandru Agache, who has gained extensive experience as Enrico on the world’s opera stages, including London’s Covent Garden, now debuts in the role at the Hungarian State Opera.
In the double cast, they are joined by artists who have been part of the production since its 2016 premiere: Erika Miklósa, recipient of the Order of Saint Stephen as well as the Kossuth and Liszt Prizes; István Horváth, awarded the title of Kammersänger this season; and Mihály Kálmándy, Kossuth Prize-winning eternal member of the Hungarian State Opera. The role of Raimondo, Lucia’s chaplain and guardian, is performed by Kammersänger István Kovács, who has sung the part for nearly 30 years, while Tibor Szappanos, portraying Arturo, has been part of the production for a decade. Lusine Sahakyan and Balázs Papp make their debut in the roles of Alisa, Lucia’s maid, and Normanno, captain of the guards.
The Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, Chorus, and Children’s Chorus are conducted in Lucia di Lammermoor for the first time by Kálmán Szennai, the institution’s multiple award-winning conductor. Donizetti’s opera is performed at the Hungarian State Opera on 28 February (matinée), 1, 7 March, and 8 March (matinée).
Photo by Valter Berecz
