Ankara State Opera and Ballet is set to premiere “Lucia di Lammermoor” on Nov. 15 with costumes modeled after the hit series Outlander, aiming to draw young audiences into Donizetti’s 19th-century tragedy.
The production revives Gaetano Donizetti’s 1835 bel canto masterpiece, long regarded as one of the cornerstones of the global opera repertoire.
Directed by Spanish choreographer Carlos Vilan, the staging blends traditional dramatic structure with a refreshed aesthetic that reimagines the opera’s Scottish setting.
Ahead of the general rehearsal, Vilan described Donizetti’s score as possessing “extraordinary beauty,” noting that the emotional force of the music remains undiminished nearly two centuries after its premiere.
Based on Sir Walter Scott’s “The Bride of Lammermoor,” the opera follows themes of love, power, greed and ruin.
Vilan said the work’s enduring appeal lies in its raw emotional narrative. “The power of love surpasses even death, and audiences feel that deeply.”
He added that every character, including minor roles, was shaped with cinematic precision, supported by lighting and staging intended to reflect each figure’s psychological state. “In opera, every detail matters,” he said.
Explaining the choice to redesign the costumes with a contemporary series as inspiration, Vilan said the shift was deliberate. “Although the story is set nearly 190 years ago, Outland-inspired costumes help young viewers connect more easily with the characters.”
Soprano Esra Çetiner, performing the demanding title role, noted that Lucia’s long arias and emotional extremes required months of preparation.
Set amid feuding Scottish families, the tragedy follows Lucia’s forbidden love for Edgardo and the forced marriage that drives her to madness.
