MET Live in HD: I Puritani

A rare gem of coloratura singing and vocal brilliance, I Puritani stands among very few operas that truly match its power. On New Year's Eve, the stage opens for the Met's first new production of Bellini's final opera in nearly half a century, directed by Charles Edwards, who makes his directorial debut after many successful years as a set designer. The Met has gathered an extraordinary group of singers, led by Marco Armiliato at the podium, to tackle the demanding lead roles. Soprano Lisette Oropesa and tenor Lawrence Brownlee play Elvira and Arturo, drawn together by love but driven apart by political divisions in England's Civil War era, while baritone Artur Rucinski portrays Riccardo, who is forced to marry against his will, and bass baritone Christian Van Horn as Giorgio, Elvira's sympathetic uncle.