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Live from the New York Met, Bellini's operatic depiction of madness, I Puritani.

Brought together by love, and torn apart by the political rifts of the English Civil War, the soprano Lisette Oropesa and tenor Lawrence Brownlee take to the stage of the New York Met as the protagonists - Elvira and Arturo - in Bellini鈥檚 final masterpiece: I Puritani. Baritone Ricardo Jos茅 Rivera plays Riccardo, betrothed to Elvira against her will, and bass-baritone Christian Van Horn takes on the role of Elvira鈥檚 sympathetic uncle, Giorgio, in Bellini's portrayal of madness - both in individuals and in communities - and demonstration both of how sanity can slip away at any moment and how madness can plunge a person into a destructive abyss.

A great exponent of the bel canto (literally, 鈥渂eautiful singing鈥�) style of opera, the Sicilian composer penned his final work for four of the best singers of the period, and the work's success depends almost entirely on the vocal gymnastics (and artistic sensibilities) of the performers. Orbiting long lyrical lines, such as the tenor鈥檚 Act I solo, which develops into the celebrated quartet 鈥淎 te, o cara鈥�, while the soprano鈥檚 ravishing Act II aria 鈥淨ui la voce sua soave鈥� works the same way and depends entirely on the singer鈥檚 ability to spin forth an elegant vocal line. Bellini鈥檚 unique mastery of melody is present, too, in the rousing martial duet 鈥淪uoni la tromba, e intrepido鈥� in Act II and the bass鈥檚 gorgeous showpiece in Act II, 鈥淐inta di fiori.鈥�

Presented from the Met by Debra Lew Harder and Ira Siff.

Bellini: I Puritani

Elvira Walton ..... Lisette Oropesa (soprano)
Lord Arturo Talbot ..... Lawrence Brownlee (tenor)
Riccardo Forth ..... Ricardo Jos茅 Rivera (baritone)
Giorgio Walton ..... Christian Van Horn (bass)
Orchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera, New York
Marco Armiliato (conductor)