I puritani - Opera - Season 19/20 Programming

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I puritani

Opéra Bastille - from 07 September to 05 October 2019

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I puritani

Opera Vincenzo Bellini

Book

Opéra Bastille - from 07 September to 05 October 2019

3h15 with 1 interval

Language : Italian

Surtitle : French / English

Opening night : 7 Septembrer 2019

About

In few words:

“Opera must make audiences weep, tremble and die” said Bellini to Pepoli as he set out to delve into a sombre romanticism peopled with diaphanous heroines for the subject of his libretto. Depicting the love between a royalist and the daughter of a republican succumbing to madness, I Puritani is Bellini’s last opera: a perilous work for which Laurent Pelly offers us a production à la Piranesi, as precise and incisive as is this great monument of bel canto.

The action is set near Plymouth in seventeenth-century England, after the execution of King Charles I, at the time of the civil war between the Puritans – Republicans and supporters of Oliver Cromwell – and the Cavaliers– loyal to monarchy and the Stuarts.

ACT I

Lord Walton’s daughter, Elvira, is in love with Arturo, a Cavalier loyal to the Stuarts, but his father has promised her to Riccardo Forth, like him an ally of Cromwell. Back from combat, Riccardo learns that Lord Walton has broken his promise and expresses his grief. Giorgio, Elvira’s uncle, informs the young woman that he has interceded on her behalf with his brother for her to marry Arturo who, with a safe-conduct, has just entered the castle and runs into the arms of his beloved. However, Lord Walton is preparing to escort a mysterious female prisoner to Parliament. Left alone for a moment with her, Arturo recognizes Queen Henrietta, the widow of Charles I. She has been sentenced to death. He kneels at her feet and swears to save her. Elvira reappears, her thoughts filled with her coming happiness. She tries out her bridal veil on the prisoner’s head. Arturo suggests using this disguise to save the queen. In their flight, they meet Riccardo who recognizes the fugitive yet lets her escape with Arturo seeing it as a means to win back Elvira. The latter, believing herself betrayed, feels her reason abandon her.

ACT II

Giorgio describes Elvira’s despair and bewilderment, while Riccardo reports that Arturo has been sentenced by Parliament. Elvira appears, delirious. Giorgio begs Riccardo to spare his rival. If Arturo must perish, it should be on the battlefield. The two men sing a patriotic duo.

ACT III

Arturo, who has escaped his pursuers, lurks beneath the windows of his fiancée. Elvira, recognizing him, seems to recover her reason for an instant and joins her voice with that of her lover. Arturo justifies his flight by the need to save the queen. Elvira returns to her folly when the soldiers surround them. Arturo’s condemnation is proclaimed. In vain he begs for clemency in the name of Elvira, when a messenger comes to announce the defeat of the Stuarts and amnesty for all their supporters. The sudden shock of happiness brings back Elvira’s reason. There is nothing more to prevent to couple’s union.

Opening
First part 80 mn
Intermission 30 mn
Second part 85 mn
End

I puritani

Opera in three parts

After J. F. Ancelot et J. X. Boniface dit Saintine, Têtes rondes et cavaliers - 1835

Music :

Vincenzo Bellini

Libretto :

Comte Carlo Pepoli

Conductor :

Riccardo Frizza

Director :

Laurent Pelly

Costume design :

Laurent Pelly

Chorus master :

José Luis Basso

Set design :

Chantal Thomas

Lighting design :

Joël Adam
Orchestre et Choeurs de l’Opéra national de Paris
Elvira :

Elsa Dreisig

Lord Gualtiero Valton :

Luc Bertin-Hugault

Sir Giorgio :

Nicolas Testé

Lord Arturo Talbot :

Javier Camarena

(7, 13, 20, 25, 29 Sept.)

Francesco Demuro

(10, 17 sept., 2, 5 Oct.)

Sir Riccardo Forth :

Igor Golovatenko

Sir Bruno Roberton :

Jean-François Marras

Enrichetta di Francia :

Gemma Ní Bhriain

Performances

Available in audiodescription

Advantages

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Available in audiodescription

Advantages

Full

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Gallery

1/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Igor Golovatenko (Sir Riccardo Forth), Gemma Ní Bhriain (Enrichetta Di Francia) et Javier Camarena (Lord Arjavierturo Talbot) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

2/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Elsa Dreisig (Elvira), Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio), Jean-François Marras (Sir Bruno Roberton) et Igor Golovatenko (Sir Riccardo Forth) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

3/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Elsa Dreisig (Elvira), Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio), Jean-François Marras (Sir Bruno Roberton) et Igor Golovatenko (Sir Riccardo Forth) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

4/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

5/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Elsa Dreisig (Elvira) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

6/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio) et Elsa Dreisig (Elvira) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

7/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - igor Golovatenko (Sir Riccardo Forth), Elsa Dreisig (Elvira) et Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

8/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio) et Igor Golovatenko (Sir Riccardo Forth) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

9/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

10/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Javier Camarena (Lord Arturo Talbot) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

11/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Javier Camarena (Lord Arturo Talbot) et Elsa Dreisig (Elvira) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

12/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Javier Camarena (Lord Arturo Talbot) et Elsa Dreisig (Elvira) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

13/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Javier Camarena (Lord Arturo Talbot), Igor Golovatenko (Sir Riccardo Forth) et Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

14/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Elsa Dreisig (Elvira), Javier Camarena (Lord Arturo Talbot) et Igor Golovatenko (Sir Riccardo Forth) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

15/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Elsa Dreisig (Elvira) et Jean-François Marras (Sir Bruno Roberton) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

16/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

17/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Jean-François Marras (Sir Bruno Roberton) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

18/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Elsa Dreisig (Elvira) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

19/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Jean-François Marras (Sir Bruno Roberton) et Igor Golovatenko (Sir Riccardo Forth) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

20/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio) et Elsa Dreisig (Elvira) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

21/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio) et Elsa Dreisig (Elvira) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

24/31 : Les Puritains (saison 19/20) - Javier Camarena (Lord Arturo Talbot), Elsa Dreisig (Elvira), Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio) et Luc Bertin-Hugault (Lord Gualtiero Valton) © Sébastien Mathé / OnP

1/4 : I Puritani by Vincenzo Bellini (Elsa Dreisig & Javier Camarena)

2/4 : I Puritani by Vincenzo Bellini (Elsa Dreisig & Nicolas Testé)

3/4 : I Puritani by Vincenzo Bellini (Paris Opera Chorus)

4/4 : I Puritani by V. Bellini - Trailer

Audio clips

Les Puritains (saison 19/20)- Acte 2 (Nicolas Testé, Igor Golovatenko)

Les Puritains (saison 19/20)- Acte 1 (Elsa Dreisig, Nicolas Testé)

Les Puritains (saison 19/20)- Acte 1 (Elsa Dreisig,Javier Camarena)

Les Puritains (saison 19/20)- Acte 1 (Igor Golovatenko)

About the work

Elvira, a woman under control?

By Konstantinos Aspiotis
The sets for I Puritani

By Lionel Morin and Irina Flament
Draw-me I Puritani

By Octave
Invent to continue dreaming

By Simon Hatab

Media coverage

Le ténor mexicain Javier Camarena, habitué du rôle, s’y coule comme dans un gant, avec une justesse et une puissance vocale impressionnante.
Artistik Rezo - Hélène Kuttner
Javier Camarena est tout simplement le plus grand Arturo du moment
Concert Classic - François Lesueur
Avec Les Puritains, l’enivrement est là, c’est indéniable
Le Figaro - Nicolas d'Estienne d'Orves

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