Premiere of I Capuleti e i Montecchi

The premiere of I Capuleti e i Montecchi at the Liceu on October 30 drew seven minutes of applause, with a warmly welcomed Romeo and an ovated Giulietta, satisfying lovers of bel canto. According to Spanish and Catalan press, three questions remain unresolved: Did Lisette Oropesa triumph unreservedly? Did Raffaella Lupinacci steal part of the spotlight from her? And what is the significance of a kiss between two sworn enemies in a story about families killing each other?

Critics praise and question Oropesa’s performance

Pablo L. Rodríguez of El País stated that Oropesa gave a lesson in singing, with clear vocalizations and an easy high C in "Oh! quante volte," and effortless phrases in the second act, including a cabaletta ornamented up to the high D. In contrast, Jordi Maddaleno of La Vanguardia praised the technical finesse and beauty of the first aria but noted that Oropesa's voice sometimes lost presence, was occasionally covered by the orchestra, and showed signs of fatigue.

Oropesa’s performance and health

Maricel Chavarría of the same paper mentioned that Oropesa had tested positive for Covid a few days earlier, which could explain some difficulties. Xavier Pujol of Revista Musical Catalana described a Giulietta who began tense but gradually freed herself and finished beautifully, calling it a good performance, though the ideal Bellini remains out of reach.

Raffaella Lupinacci’s Romeo receives praise

Regarding Romeo, the agreement is almost total. Raffaella Lupinacci, making her debut at the Liceu, impressed the critic from El País with her chest voice, recitative, and especially the tomb scene, where her "Deh! tu, bell'anima" triggered a "brava!" in the hall. Pujol described her as fully in possession of her means, as accurate on stage as vocally.

Lupinacci and Oropesa share the spotlight

While some critics noted that Lupinacci shared the spotlight with Oropesa, especially in the stretta of the first finale where their voices blended almost indistinguishably, Rodríguez saw this as a rare success but regretted the lack of contrast in the first act duet. Maddaleno would have preferred more alchemy between the lovers.

Supporting roles and conducting receive praise

Iván Ayón Rivas as Tebaldo was described as ardent and generous in the high register by Maddaleno, who made him the best male soloist in the cast. The conductor Riccardo Frizza received unanimous praise for giving the score almost in its entirety, restoring the repeats of the cabaletta, and allowing the singers to breathe. The clarinet, horn, and harp were particularly noted.

Staging receives mixed reviews

The staging by Allex Aguilera from Liège passed less well. Gray walls, projections, and a water mirror were noted by Rodríguez for their beautiful images, but he found the direction of actors unconvincing and the political message opaque. He did not understand the significance of the kiss on the mouth by which Tebaldo humiliates Romeo. Pujol, who summarized the whole with the title "A great imperfect work," appreciated the contemporary sets, where characters spent time lying on the ground due to the lack of seats, and where a rotating cube replaced the old stairs.

Mourning and tragedy mark the premiere

At the curtain, Lisette Oropesa, the most acclaimed, generously shared her applause with Raffaella Lupinacci. The Capulets and the Montagues could have taken a lesson from this. Behind the applause, the premiere was marked by mourning. It began with a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the Urda train disaster, which caused at least 69 deaths. A few days earlier, another tragedy had struck the production directly: on October 24, a member of the stage crew from the Royal Opera of Wallonia-Liège was seriously injured during a rehearsal at the Liceu. She was still in the hospital at the time of the premiere.

Oropesa reflects on the trials

On social media, Lisette Oropesa, herself just recovering from Covid, expressed her deep emotion at this succession of trials. She recalled how Bellini's work, dedicated to premature death and the love that survives it, found in these circumstances a painful resonance.