Charles Edwards's new production of Vincenzo Bellini's 'I Puritani' at the Metropolitan Opera is a visually stunning yet disjointed exploration of love, madness, and war during 17th-century England. The opera's historical context serves as a backdrop for the star-crossed lovers Elvira and Arturo, whose romance is fraught with division, internal conflict, and ultimately, a forced reprieve.
The production's blend of period-specific details and fantastical elements creates an atmosphere of intense emotional turmoil. Edwards employs extensive projections, including maps of Plymouth under siege and ghostly doubles of the characters, to heighten the sense of urgency and desperation that drives Elvira's downward spiral into madness. However, this approach sometimes detracts from the central romance, with the historical context feeling overemphasized and the plot becoming convoluted.
The production's visuals are undoubtedly its strongest aspect, courtesy of Edwards's collaboration with lighting designer Tim Mitchell. The set design is noteworthy for its ability to evoke both a sense of austere Puritanism and dramatic spectacle, while Mitchell's painterly sensibility imbues the opera with an air of drama that recalls Caravaggio.
The vocal cast delivers commendable performances, particularly Lisette Oropesa as Elvira and Laurence Brownlee as Arturo. While Oropesa shines in the opera's slower moments, her mad scenes sometimes feel like a showcase for technical fireworks rather than genuine emotional expression. Brownlee brings a rich, forward sound to his portrayal of Arturo, which is well-suited to the role.
Artur Ruciński steals the show as Riccardo, the opera's primary antagonist, with his dimensional and delicious baritone bringing depth to the character. Eve Gigliotti delivers a powerful presence in her brief but significant role as Enrichetta.
Despite its visual grandeur and strong vocal performances, 'I Puritani' ultimately feels like a tragedy with an unrealistic happy ending. Edwards's decision to stage Arturo embracing his ghostly father in the final act is puzzling, serving only to underscore the opera's sense of forced resolution. At its best, Bellini's work reminds us that love can offer moments of hope, but 'I Puritani' falls short in its ability to convincingly convey a satisfying conclusion to this tale of star-crossed lovers.
Overall, Edwards's production is a visually striking exploration of the complexities and contradictions that define Bellini's masterpiece. While it sometimes falters in its attempt to balance historical realism with operatic fantasy, 'I Puritani' remains an impressive achievement, showcasing the power of music and art to evoke both drama and beauty from a pivotal moment in history.
The production's blend of period-specific details and fantastical elements creates an atmosphere of intense emotional turmoil. Edwards employs extensive projections, including maps of Plymouth under siege and ghostly doubles of the characters, to heighten the sense of urgency and desperation that drives Elvira's downward spiral into madness. However, this approach sometimes detracts from the central romance, with the historical context feeling overemphasized and the plot becoming convoluted.
The production's visuals are undoubtedly its strongest aspect, courtesy of Edwards's collaboration with lighting designer Tim Mitchell. The set design is noteworthy for its ability to evoke both a sense of austere Puritanism and dramatic spectacle, while Mitchell's painterly sensibility imbues the opera with an air of drama that recalls Caravaggio.
The vocal cast delivers commendable performances, particularly Lisette Oropesa as Elvira and Laurence Brownlee as Arturo. While Oropesa shines in the opera's slower moments, her mad scenes sometimes feel like a showcase for technical fireworks rather than genuine emotional expression. Brownlee brings a rich, forward sound to his portrayal of Arturo, which is well-suited to the role.
Artur Ruciński steals the show as Riccardo, the opera's primary antagonist, with his dimensional and delicious baritone bringing depth to the character. Eve Gigliotti delivers a powerful presence in her brief but significant role as Enrichetta.
Despite its visual grandeur and strong vocal performances, 'I Puritani' ultimately feels like a tragedy with an unrealistic happy ending. Edwards's decision to stage Arturo embracing his ghostly father in the final act is puzzling, serving only to underscore the opera's sense of forced resolution. At its best, Bellini's work reminds us that love can offer moments of hope, but 'I Puritani' falls short in its ability to convincingly convey a satisfying conclusion to this tale of star-crossed lovers.
Overall, Edwards's production is a visually striking exploration of the complexities and contradictions that define Bellini's masterpiece. While it sometimes falters in its attempt to balance historical realism with operatic fantasy, 'I Puritani' remains an impressive achievement, showcasing the power of music and art to evoke both drama and beauty from a pivotal moment in history.
edwards's use of projections and set design is crazy, but sometimes it feels like he's trying too hard to be all fancy and it takes away from the actual story 
lisette oropesa shines as elvira, but her mad scenes feel kinda staged 
artur ruciński as riccardo tho... what a voice! 
the music is defo the real star of this show, bellini's masterpiece is timeless for a reason 
. The visuals were insane - I mean, I've never seen anything like it before. It's like they took all these historical pictures and turned them into this crazy fantastical world 
. But for me, sometimes it felt like too much of a stretch 
. It's just not realistic, you know? Like, Arturo just waltzes off into the afterlife and everything is cool again 
. Give me a break! But hey, the singing was on point 
, especially Lisette Oropesa - she was like a rockstar up there 
. And that Riccardo guy? Forget about it, he stole the show 
. All in all, I'd say it's an opera that's got some real magic to it 
, but sometimes it feels like they're trying too hard to make it work 
.
It feels so unrealistic and contrived. Can't they just stick to the original story?
The set design was insane too, the way it blended period details with all this fantastical stuff...it was like stepping into another world. 
But yeah, sometimes I felt like the historical context got in the way of the romance between Elvira and Arturo...it's like, can't we just focus on their feelings for one second? 
I just got back from watching this opera at the Met and man... it was something else! The visuals were insane 
But for me, that's where the magic stopped. I felt like I was getting lost in all these historical tidbits and fantastical elements - it was hard to connect with the story on a deeper level. 
, especially Lisette Oropesa as Elvira - she brought so much depth to her performance! 
But I just couldn't buy into that whole happy ending 
. It felt too... forced? Maybe it's just me, but I'd love to see a more nuanced exploration of the characters' emotions and relationships. 
Still, 9/10 for the visuals alone - what a feast for the eyes! 
. Edwards's use of projections is super effective in creating this sense of urgency, but sometimes it feels like they're distracting from what's really going on with Elvira. Still, I think Lisette Oropesa shines when she can just focus on the emotions rather than the technical stuff 
. Artur Ruciński is a total scene-stealer as Riccardo though - his voice is just so rich and deep it gives me chills 
I'm still on the edge of my seat after watching this production of 'I Puritani'. The visuals are insane! 
I mean, who wouldn't want to see Plymouth under siege projected onto the stage? 
elvira's mad scenes feel like just a lot of singing with lots of lights on, i mean i get it she's going crazy but can't we see her actual emotions? 
The visuals are stunning but at times feel like they're overpowering the story. I mean, how often do you see maps of Plymouth under siege on stage? 
It's like Edwards is trying to tell us too much instead of letting the music speak for itself.
Give me a break! It's like Edwards is trying to sugarcoat the tragedy of the story.
she brings so much emotion to her role. And Artur Ruciński as Riccardo? Wow, what a villain 
He steals the show for sure!
and Laurence Brownlee's Arturo is all broody and romantic 
It's all happy and stuff, but it doesn't feel super realistic. Maybe I'm just too old for opera now, haha! 
... Lisette Oropesa as Elvira was so convincing, even if her mad scenes felt a bit over-the-top 
. And Artur Ruciński's performance as Riccardo was just wow 
and artur ruciński as riccardo is literally the best thing in this whole production