Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848) composed his operas in an era dominated by great exponents of bel-canto singing, and his works are filled with arias and ensembles that demonstrate the formidable range, stamina, and technical facility this great vocal tradition required. The composer based Lucia di Lammermoor on Sir Walter Scott's popular novel The Bride of Lammermoor and fashioned the leading roles of Lucia and Edgardo for two of the greatest virtuosi of his day. Brimming with melody, lyrical expressiveness, and bravura passages, the opera was a great success at its debut at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples in 1835. Today Lucia di Lammermoor, considered by many the paradigm of Italian Romantic opera, remains the most frequently performed of Donizetti's works and a brilliant showcase for singers equal to its technical challenges, Singers, musicians, music students, and opera lovers will find in this authoritative full-score edition rich evidence of the prodigious talent and Romantic spirit that made Donizetti one of opera's most celebrated composers.