I Puritani by Bellini at The Metropolitan Opera in New York - A bel canto masterpiece broadcasted live

On January 10^th, 2026, from 8:00 P.M., Radio România Muzical is broadcasting one of the most important shows of the season live from The Metropolitan Opera in New York: I Puritani by Vincenzo Bellini. It is the newest first production of this opera at the famous New York theatre in almost 50 years. The show marks the directorial debut of Charles Edwards at the Met; Edwards being previously known for his impressive set designs. The production brings together an international quartet of stars: the soprano Lisette Oropesa and the tenor Lawrence Brownlee are Elvira and Arturo, united by love, but separated by political conflicts during the English Civil War, whilst the baritone Artur Ruciński is playing Riccardo, engaged to Elvira against her will, and the bass-baritone Christian Van Horn who is performing the score of Elvira's benevolent uncle, Giorgio.

The Genesis of a Masterpiece

I Puritani is the last opera composed by Vincenzo Bellini before his early death at the age of just 33, in September 1835. The opera premiered at the Théâtre Italien in Paris on January 24^th 1835, only eight months before the musician, born in Catania, Sicily, died in tragic circumstances, leaving the artistic world to wonder what other masterpieces he might have created. When Bellini arrived in Paris in August 1833, he had intended to stay only for a few weeks to finalize the negotiations with the local Opera. However, the short-stay lasted a whole year, during which the composer became a constant presence in Parisian salons and composed relatively little. Finally, in January 1834, Théâtre Italien offered him a favorable contract for a new opera - the one that would turn out to be his last creation. The Puritans was initially written in two acts, but the dramatic structure was modified into three acts right before the premiere, on the advice of Gioachino Rossini, with whom the composer had formed a friendship. The music is based on a libretto by Carlo Pepoli, an exiled Italian poet, whom Bellini had met in one of Princess Belgiojoso's salons, a meeting place for many Italian revolutionaries. After the opera's premiere, Bellini wrote to his friend, Francesco Florimo: "The French were all absolutely struck by it: there was so much noise and so many cheers that they were astonished at how easily they had let themselves be carried away… In short, my dear Florimo, it was something unheard of, and since Saturday, Paris has been talking about it with amazement". The opera was composed specifically for four of the greatest singers of the era, later known as the "Puritani Quartet": the soprano Giulia Grisi as Elvira, the tenor Giovanni Battista Rubini as Arturo, the baritone Antonio Tamburini as Riccardo, and the bass Luigi Lablache as Giorgio.

The new production at The Metropolitan Operaremains anchored in the historical context of the English Civil War of the 17^th century, but it reveals the psychological intensity at the core of Bellini's last opera. The director, Charles Edwards, has also created the unique set - an impressive puritan meeting house, which serves in this production as both a public gathering place and a church, and as a courtroom and an improvised fortress. For Edwards, this production represents a battle with the expansive plot and its numerous plot twists. "There's a misconception about bel canto operas - that only the singing is excellent, while the stories are ridiculous," says he. "I believe that these operas are true psychological thrillers".

The 42-year-old soprano, Lisette Oropesa, declares that she has always wanted to perform as Elvira. "I think its Bellini's best work". The Cuban-born American soprano has established herself in the last years as one of the most important bel canto voices of her generation, having won over Europe's most important stages before returning to the Met. Peter Gelb, the general manager of The Metropolitan Opera, said about Oropesa: "She reminds me a bit of Beverly Sills. I think she has the same kind of charisma". I am pleased to be able to offer you an interview I conducted with the famous American soprano just two days before the premiere of this The Puritans shows series. I invite you to listen to it during the break of our live broadcast from the MET, this Saturday.

And here, at the MET, Lisetta Oropesa's partner, who performs as Arturo, is tenor Lawrence Brownlee, one of the most important bel canto contemporary tenors, known for his remarkable agility and his ability to impeccably take on some of the most difficult parts of the repertoire. The two singers have also performed a series of ten shows with The Puritans by Bellini at the Opera in Paris, at the beginning of the year 2025. Moreover, Oropesa and Brownlee have also recorded an album of this opera - a disc released in December 2024 and broadcasted by me, as well, during the show Opera in Reference Interpretations, shortly after.

On the rostrum is maestro Marco Armiliato, a well-known Italian repertoire specialist.

I, therefore, look forward to seeing you, so that we can enjoy together the extraordinary melodies of Bellini, performed by some of the best artists of our time, in an opera which is quite rarely staged, primarily because of the difficulty of the four main roles.