• Gaetano Donizetti. Dramma tragico in three acts. 1835.
• Libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, after Walter Scott's novel The Bride of Lammermoor.
• First performance at the Teatro S Carlo, Naples, on 26th September 1835.

The Ashtons need Lucia to marry well, in order to save the family fortunes. Normanno reveals to Enrico that Lucia has long been in love with his mortal enemy Edgardo, laird of Ravenswood. In the Lammermoor Castle grounds Lucia recalls the enmity between the two families, thinking she has seen the ghost of a Lammermoor girl killed by a Ravenswood. Edgardo, who is to leave for France to support the Stuarts, wants to heal the long-standing breach with the Ashtons. The couple exchange rings. Enrico arranges a marriage for Lucia with Arturo Bucklaw, forging a letter in proof of Edgardo's infidelity. Raimondo adds his persuasion. At the wedding Edgardo returns, bursting in after Lucia has signed the marriage contract with Arturo. While Enrico demands his withdrawal, Edgardo expresses his anger and despair in forcible terms, to the increased agitation of Lucia. By a ruined tower of Ravenswood Edgardo and Enrico meet, the latter challenging Edgardo to a duel. At Lammermoor Castle the wedding is celebrated. Raimondo enters with the news that Lucia has killed Arturo and is asking for her bridegroom. She comes in, now in madness, exciting the contrition of her brother, as he returns from his meeting with Edgardo. In the Ravenswood graveyard Edgardo is to meet Enrico's challenge. Learning that Lucia is dead, he stabs himself.

Lucia di Lammermoor has traditionally provided leading sopranos with an important vehicle for dramatic and vocal display, notably in the mad scene of the third act, Alfin son tua (At last I am yours). At the start Enrico expresses his anger, when Normanno tells him of Lucia's dalliance with Edgardo, in Cruda, funesta smania (Cruel, dreadful longing). Lucia tells her friend Alisa of her forebodings in Regnava nel silenzio (Night reigned in silence). She is later, in madness, to recall the love duet with Edgardo, Verranno a te (My sighs will come to you). Edgardo has a moving final scene, with Fra poco a me ricovero (Soon death will be my refuge) and his outburst when he learns of Lucia's death, Tu che a Dio spiegasti l'ali (You who have taken wing to God).