Lucia is that rare beast: a good film that manages to blend experiment and tradition. An outrageous mix of contemporary romance, 18th-century tragedy and lush opera, Lucia is inspired by Donizetti's Lucia Di Lammermoor and based on a classic Sir Walter Scott tale.
The plot follows Kate (Boyd), a young opera singer obliged to marry to save her family home. But while rehearsing a performance of Lucia, she falls for her co-star. Soon, the line between reality and fiction becomes bizarrely irrelevant.
There are no fat divas, wobbly sets or over-the-top performances in sight. Every note is sung live by a cast that acts as well as it sings, and the proceedings are laced with the director's delicious wit. A leftfield delight.
