And while the 17th Century is the historical backdrop, I Puritani is more a reflection of 19th-century Italian opera tropes than of the English Civil War: mad scenes and cries of “la patria!” Edwards’s ability to create arresting tableaux is a great strength, as is his commitment to having singers move; a frequent critique of mine is that directors do not always know how to leverage the Metropolitan Opera’s massive stage to sufficient dramatic effect, leaving singers snoozily parked downstage center or moving aimlessly across the floor with nothing to engage with. While Edwards’s production veers into the dangerously overstuffed by the third act—his choice to stage the final moments of the opera with Arturo embracing the ghost of his father was strange and nonsensical—there is still much to commend in his bold visual style, even if his ideas strain at the seams of his material.
Author: Gabrielle Ferrari, Gabrielle Ferrari
Published at: 2026-01-07 22:31:16
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