Arts and Entertainment

Photos: Anchorage Opera's Lucia di Lammermoor

"It's a classic tale. Girl falls in love with a good guy, girl is forced to marry a bad guy, girl kills bad guy, girl dies, good guy kills himself," said Kevin Patterson, describing "Lucia di Lammermoor," an opera comparable to the tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet.

"Lucia di Lammermoor," is an Italian opera based in Scotland. Patterson said the show reflects what Europeans were "obsessed" with during the 1800s. Based on "The Bride of Lammermoor," a novel written in 1835, Patterson said the opera was created in a time when Europeans knew very little about Scotland, making it one of the most popular operas of its time.

"In the 19th century going to the opera is what people did," said Patterson. "It was as common as watching Glee or going to the movies. Everyone went."

He also calls the melodies of the music some of the "most beautiful" known to opera. "The music is so complex it takes some of the most talented singers to do it and do it well," said Patterson.

A pop culture reference: The "Diva Dance" from the 1997 feature film, "The Fifth Element," is a performance of music from "Lucia di Lammermoor," which opens Friday night at the Discovery Theatre.

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