LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR - Mad scene

Ruth Welting in Hamilton, Canada in 1980 sings the flute cadenza. The mad scene is performed in the original key of F major

[@jjoh765212]

I sang in the chorus with Ruth Welting as Lucia in Pittsburgh in the late 70's we both were very young. She was such a wonderful Lucia. Acting and singing were outstanding. God Bless you Ruth, I know you're in the big operas of Heaven along with Sills and Moffo.

[@actorshmactor]

The Incredible Ruth! I sang with her at Hawaii Opera Theatre back in the late 70s and was privileged to watch her Zerbinetta every night. Truly Amazing....It make me so sad that the audience reaction to this superb singing in the Mad Scene is luke warm at best. Don't they realize how good this is??? Crazy...

[@ceccopisa]

Stupenda performance e originalissima cadenza!!! grazie

[@gmmix]

Stunning! FIVE STARS...

[@lekkerejongen]

Holy Crap!!!! F Major!!!!! That is crazy and she is totally amazing!!

[@dutchtallguy]

I have never heard the Mad scene performed in this key, and I think it is great, aspecially because it is done by the most capable Ms. Welting with her wide range, and lovely voice. Brava.

[@jimbuxton2187]

Lily Pons also sang it in F

[@KevinSalgadoKevinStene66]

Her range is unbeliavable

[@LindoroRossini]

Please, post more of this wonderful artist!

[@taylorhawley616]

Lazer beam pin point accurate coloratura. She could shatter a Baccarat crystal to a million pieces. Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@polyphemous]

absolutely extraordinary. To my shame Ihad never heard of this woman before. What a fantastic voice

[@Hako2004]

I love Ruth Welting, especially her Amina.....come per me sereno.....pure magic. I was surprised by the audience.....lukewarm applause. I heard she died several years ago, and I was very sad to hear it. Her performance here is wonderful.

[@LindoroRossini]

That was wonderful! I especially loved the cadence: she sings her own version which is very important. Ruth Welting also shows us that she is a good actress (she also looks very much like Lucy from the original novel). There were a few moments when she stopped to catch her breath, but this is still beautiful.

[@Homoclassicus]

Unusual and stunning way to sing the cadenza! I love her voice. With Welting we never feel that her leggero timbre means whitish or unexpressive tones. The singing is amazingly pure, light and agile, but it has inner expressivity. She's got a pretty good technique to sing this music so high (as it's in the original higher tessitura) and so beautifully, with no shrillness at all ... Brava!

[@earlwgreen]

Her Dallas Lucia was even better. The cadenzas were written by she and Nicolai Rescigno and were much more elaborate. She had F's for days. Kraus was Edgardo. They really knew how to sing this opera. This is the original key. I hope someone out there has her La fille du régiment on video. One cadenza was with a trumpet before "Chacun le sait". I beleive there was an F or two in it! Her Lakmé with Kraus is also wonderful. I do miss her!

[@KevinSalgadoKevinStene66]

I love Ruth 😍 her voice is so light and perfect for coloratura

[@puffsplus72]

She is amazing. So sorry she's passed on. While the world mourns the passing of pop stars like Michael Jackson, the passing of so many truly talented musicians like this woman goes virtually unnoticed.

[@rosewelting]

Listen to her Bell Song !

[@Kibouo]

the applause was inappropriately lukewarm for such an amazing performance..

[@OscarGraumusico]

This if a true bel canto soprano. Brava.

[@artdanks]

Wow! At first, I didn't think I would like this. But it is AWESOME! Too bad there isn't more! I love how she really looks like she's gone mad. Great expression! (Is it just me, or does she look a bit like Sally Struthers?)

[@nathandavis3002]

fantastic! where is the rest????

[@WillyWonkaDoCs]

Nathan Davis have you find it?

[@chocolatesouljah]

She sounds amazing. Her tone is very for lack of a better term, very "American" sounding to my ears. Maybe her American South upbring affects her tonality? She sounds almost legit musical theatre to me in the best possible way. I think there is a chestiness to her tone that steers her away from the shrill. She is often short on breath but I would attribute that to her animated movement, and in an era where park and bark were de rigeur, she seems exceptional to me. Also, she may be short on air but sounds better than just about any Lucia of today, I think Lisette Oropesa is the exception for me.

[@jimbuxton2187]

She can obviously sing much higher than an F!

[@sschimel]

I am so glad to know that I'm not the only one who doesn't like Natalie Dessay. This is beautifully sung, and beautifully acted. I only wish they had used the glass harmonica that's in the original score. Dessay used it this season at the Met, but when Damrau took over the role, the flute was back.

[@OscarGraumusico]

magnífica