LibrettoArchive Opera Libretti • Translations • History
Gaetano Donizetti operas
• Anna Bolena (1830)
• Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali (1831)
• L'elisir d'amore (1832)
• Lucia di Lammermoor (1835)
• Maria Stuarda (1835)

“Lucia di Lammermoor” by Gaetano Donizetti

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Lucia di Lammermoor: Side-by-Side Italian–English Opera Libretto
Paperback libretto with side-by-side translation

Read Lucia di Lammermoor with the original libretto and a clear English translation presented side by side.

See on Amazon – $11.99 → 📄 Preview sample (PDF)

Premiere / date of written: 26 September 1835

The opera premiered on 26 September 1835 at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. Donizetti revised the score for a French version which debuted on 6 August 1839 at the Théâtre de la Renaissance in Paris.

Libretti

Italian–English side-by-side translation

# Language Authors
1 Italian Salvadore Cammarano
2 Italian Salvadore Cammarano
3 German
4 English
5 French Alphonse Royer, Gustave Vaëz

original libretto
side-by-side of the original libretto

History

September 26, 1835 Gaetano Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor", with a libretto by Salvadore Cammarano after Walter Scott's "The Bride of Lammermoor", received its world premiere at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples.
December 28, 1841 1841-12-28 — Donizetti’s "Lucia di Lammermoor" was performed for the first time in the United States (New Orleans; in French translation).

You might also enjoy

Similar Theme

  • Norma (1831) — Vincenzo Bellini Both are bel canto tragedies built around a great female role, forbidden love, and a woman pushed toward an unbearable decision.
  • Il trovatore (1853) — Giuseppe Verdi Family hatred makes love impossible in both operas. Il trovatore adds war and hidden family history to an already tangled tragedy.
  • Medea (1797) — Luigi Cherubini Both follow a woman pushed beyond what she can endure after love turns into betrayal. Lucia collapses inward; Medea turns outward in revenge.

Good Next Choice

  • Anna Bolena (1830) — Gaetano Donizetti Anna Bolena is a natural next Donizetti tragedy, with another demanding central female role and a woman trapped by powerful people around her.
  • Maria Stuarda (1835) — Gaetano Donizetti Maria Stuarda gives you another Donizetti heroine under extreme pressure, but the conflict is political and public rather than centered on a forced marriage.

Contrasting Companion

  • L'elisir d'amore (1832) — Gaetano Donizetti The same composer gives romantic misunderstanding a completely different ending in L'elisir d'amore. Lucia has no comic escape from family pressure.

Tags

Style / Movement: Bel canto
Structure: Full-length Number opera
Source: Based on literature Based on a novel
Theme: Tragic love Madness
Discovery: Beginner-friendly Crowd-pleaser
Place: Scotland

Related operas

More by Gaetano Donizetti

Also in Italian

Images

Notable videos

  Anna Moffo and Lajos Kozma in Lucia di Lammermoor (1971)

Episode from the movie Lucia di Lammermoor (1971)
Cast: Lucia: Anna Moffo; Edgardo: Lajos Kozma; Enrico: Giulio Fioravanti; Raimondo: Paolo Washington; Arturo: Pietro di Vetri; Alisa: Anna Maria Segatori; Normanno: Glauco Scarlini
Director: Mario Lanfranchi

Printed Editions

Year Edition Publisher Buy
2025 Lucia di Lammermoor: Side-by-Side Italian–English Opera Libretto DM’s Opera Series Amazon.com

Video recordings

Year Cast Conductor,
Opera chorus and orchestra,
Director		 Label,
Comment		 Buy
1971

DM's pick

 Lucia — Anna Moffo,
Edgardo — Lajos Kozma,
Enrico — Giulio Fioravanti,
Raimondo — Paolo Washington		 Carlo Felice Cillario
RAI Chorus and Rome Symphony Orchestra
Mario Lanfranchi		 VAI, Cat: DVD 4211

 Amazon.com
1982

DM's pick

 Joan Sutherland,
Alfredo Kraus,
Pablo Elvira,
Paul Plishka		 Richard Bonynge
Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus
 Deutsche Grammophon, Cat: 073 4109

 Amazon.com

Related links