# Bellini's I Capuleti e I Montecchi



## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

I had tickets for the Opera North production of Bellini's _I Capuleti e I Montecchi_ at the Lowry Theatre, Salford, last Wednesday.

It wasn't an opera I was familiar with when I bought the tickets some months ago, but I did my best to prepare myself beforehand using recordings (more about that later), and after four listenings felt that I was not only getting to know it fairly well, but growing ever fonder of it, too. But I made the mistake of reading some reviews of the production I was going to see, beforehand, and I felt very uneasy about it. I learned that the production had transposed the era into something ambiguously contemporary - perhaps even futuristic; and that there was a strong emphasis on bleakness and violence, including an episode (for instance) where a child is encouraged to carry out an execution. I confess I didn't like the sound of this. I didn't see how Bellini's music could possibly be made to cohere with such a setting, and I looked forward with some trepidation to a bleak and disappointing evening.

I couldn't have been more wrong. Within a quarter of an hour the production had completely won me over. The 'execution by child' episode wasn't even slightly gratuitous, but got across in just a few minutes how ingrained were hatred and the state of war in the society being depicted. And I can honestly say that I was never aware of any incongruity between the music and the setting. The sets themselves succeeded in being sparse and bleakly effective, while paradoxically being beautiful and moving at the same time.

By the time Romeo appeared (the wonderful Sarah Connolly), I was barely conscious of my surroundings, being entirely caught up in the goings-on onstage. When Giulietta appeared (Marie Arnet), everything went up yet another gear, and by then I was feeling as if I were in some kind of psycho-spiritual stratosphere. These two dominate things from here on in this opera, and music that I'd already been learning to love on my CDs became transformed into something quite extraordinary.

It's taken me several days to come down afterwards. I was left with such an intense longing for ... _what_, exactly? I think it's a longing for the state of consciousness that this opera, this music, these singers, and this production, were capable of elevating me to, against all my expectations. _I Capuleti_ has been transformed from something I merely enjoyed, into something I can't envisage living without. There are some photos from the production here: http://www.musicalcriticism.com/opera/on-capuleti-1108.shtml

Since then I've listened to my CD set every day, three days in a row. It's not the same of course, not by a long, long way; but for anyone who wants to try _I Capuleti_, I can very strongly recommend this version:










Kasarova makes a tremendous Romeo and has me hanging on every word and note, while the recording is warm and spacious. Well worth buying.

*PS* I suggest you don't make the mistake I did, at first - i.e. I _don't_ recommend this one (Live, 1984 Covent Garden/Muti), though I was persuaded to try it by good reviews of it:










There aren't many CDs whose recording quality is so bad that I can't bear it, but this is one. The recording is harsh, thin, dry, and so unpleasant to these ears that I can't listen through to the end.


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## Elaryad (Jul 29, 2008)

I loved to read your own review about the performance and I see that you found another work that somewhat changed you. Enjoy it! I didn't know this opera, so thank you for making me interested in listening/watching it.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

There seem to be quite a lot of fragments from _I Capuleti_ on Youtube. Here's a taste of Vesselina Kasarova, singing as Romeo:


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Elgarian said:


> There seem to be quite a lot of fragments from _I Capuleti_ on Youtube. Here's a taste of Vesselina Kasarova, singing as Romeo:


Wow - thanks. She sings that beautifully!


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

> ....fragments from I Capuleti on Youtube... Vesselina Kasarova, singing as Romeo





jhar26 said:


> Wow - thanks. She sings that beautifully!


Yes she does. You can get more right here:


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## MusicBear88 (Jun 14, 2017)

My only experience with the opera is the recording with Beverly Sills and Janet Baker in the title roles. It's 1975, which is fairly late for Sills, but she still embodies the character even if there are vocal issues. Nicolai Gedda, Robert Lloyd, and Raimund Herincx round out the cast. I know she recorded the aria earlier in her career and it's glorious.

Does anybody know the Scotto recording with Pavarotti as Tebaldo? Giacomo Aragall is the Romeo, and while I like his voice, I really think I would prefer the Romeo and the Juliet in the same octave.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

MusicBear88 said:


> My only experience with the opera is the recording with Beverly Sills and Janet Baker in the title roles. It's 1975, which is fairly late for Sills, but she still embodies the character even if there are vocal issues. Nicolai Gedda, Robert Lloyd, and Raimund Herincx round out the cast. I know she recorded the aria earlier in her career and it's glorious.
> 
> Does anybody know the Scotto recording with Pavarotti as Tebaldo? Giacomo Aragall is the Romeo, and while I like his voice, I really think I would prefer the Romeo and the Juliet in the same octave.


I've tried it once, horrible sound and never been a fan of Scotto.


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## Scopitone (Nov 22, 2015)

Best album cover:


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

^ 

I do not want to rain on your parade but this is the original album cover from the Muti set:

​


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

How about a strange cover?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Florestan said:


> How about a strange cover?


Adolescent love turned out not to be worth zip.


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## Scopitone (Nov 22, 2015)

Pugg said:


> ^
> 
> I do not want to rain on your parade but this is the original album cover from the Muti set:
> 
> ​


On the scale of 1 to Babe, mine wins.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Anyone have this one? I have it in a Bellini opera box set.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Fritz Kobus said:


> Anyone have this one? I have it in a Bellini opera box set.



Same cast different cover, not my favourite though.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Here is a different one with Ricciarelli that I have not heard:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Here is an alternate recording with Baltsa besides the one with Gruberova.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Fritz Kobus said:


> Here is an alternate recording with Baltsa besides the one with Gruberova.


Looks interesting, did you buy it?


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Rogerx said:


> Looks interesting, did you buy it?


No. I am still debating whether to buy the one with Gruberova. Some say the sound is terrible, but I think they must be wrong.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Fritz Kobus said:


> No. I am still debating whether to buy the one with Gruberova. Some say the sound is terrible, but I think they must be wrong.


You mean the Muti one?


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Rogerx said:


> You mean the Muti one?


Yes, this one, which is available in several different covers.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Fritz Kobus said:


> Yes, this one, which is available in several different covers.


It is recorded live, but saying it's not good?
The singing is wonderful.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Fritz Kobus said:


> Yes, this one, which is available in several different covers.


It's good with two good singers in the lead


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

DavidA said:


> It's good with two good singers in the lead


I concur, the sound isn't studio quality, but it's fairly standard for an 80s live performance. This is possibly my favourite:









N.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I like the Muti very much. The sound isn't great, probably due to the fact that the recording had never been planned and was hastily organised after the production had proved such a spectacular success. However this one would be my favourite.










For all her intelligence and dramatic commitment, I always find Sills much too light of voice for roles like Norma or the Donizetti Tudor queens, but here she makes a lovely, girlish Giulietta. Baker was at the height of her career and is absolutely wonderful, singing with a Callas-like intensity and specificity, not that there is anything Callas-like about her timbre and method, of course. Gedda's tenor was sounding a little hard at this time in his career, but it is not inapt for the chraracter of Tebaldo.

Good stereo recording and well worth seeking out.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I do like Larmore. My collection currently consists of 5 sets:

Cossotto
Garanca/Netrebko
Kasarova/Mei
Montague/Ricciarelli
Baker/Sills

Of these my favorite by far is Kasarova for Romeo.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Whelp, I think I will leave it at that for now. If I see really great deals on the Larmore or Baltsa sets, I'll grab then, but othewise will wait until I really get caught up in this opera. My main Bellini opera is La Sonnambula (I have them all CD and DVD), but beyond that I do like Capuleti and then Puritani is supposed to be a worthy one to pursue. Need DVDs to get me going on them though.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

How do you like this production with a gentle twist, resembling the movie The Lovely Bones ? I like it.




I think it is awkward, that Bellini's librettist was so fond of sudden, biologically improbable deaths. Giulietta is supposed to die of broken heart, and quite quickly. (Or so I was told in my lecture group). An introduced stabbing is also awkward, after Romeo insists so much, that he needs somebody to bring flowers to his grave. So this is a good way around it, isn't it ?


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## OffPitchNeb (Jun 6, 2016)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I like the Muti very much. The sound isn't great, probably due to the fact that the recording had never been planned and was hastily organised after the production had proved such a spectacular success. However this one would be my favourite.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don't like Sills in general but I think she owned this role. There is a live snippet where she was even more amazing than in the studio recording.


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