World premiere: Théâtre Italien, Paris, 1835.
I Puritani was the final work from Vincenzo Bellini, the great Sicilian exponent of the bel canto style of opera. It was written specifically for the talents of four of the best singers of its day, and the opera’s success depends almost entirely on the vocal abilities (and artistic sensibilities) of the performers. Its depiction of madness—both in individuals and in communities—is extraordinary: The opera suggests that the veneer of sanity can slip away at any moment, that madness can plunge a person into a destructive abyss.
Cast
Elvira Walton - Lisette Oropesa
Lord Arturo Talbot - Lawrence Brownlee
Riccardo Forth - Artur Ruciński
Giorgio Walton - Christian Van Horn
Conductor
Marco Armiliato
Composer
Vincenzo Bellini
Sung in Italian with English subtitles
ESTIMATED RUN TIME
3 HRS 45 MINS, WITH ONE INTERMISSION
