Interview - Bravura Virtuosity and Pathos - Royal Opera House I Puritani Programme

Bravura Virtuosity and Pathos

Lisette is featured in the official programme for the Royal Ballet and Opera's new production of Bellini's I Puritani, in an interview with Alexandra Coghlan titled "Bravura Virtuosity and Pathos." She speaks about her passionate advocacy for the work she calls Bellini's masterpiece, the vocal and emotional extremes of Elvira's mad scene, and reuniting with director Richard Jones and conductor Riccardo Frizza.

"This music is touched by something divine. As a score it’s absolutely enlightened – Wagnerian, I would even say…"

On why the opera is staged so rarely, she points to the casting:

"The soprano is the sun of the Norma universe, but Puritani is a constellation of different planets. You need a very specific – and very rare – type of soprano and tenor to make it work, and that’s before you get to the baritone, bass and mezzo!"

And on finding the balance between technical safety and raw delivery in the mad scene:

"So you have to abandon yourself a bit, trust in the risk. It’s scary, but letting go can be very exciting."

Read the full interview in the official I Puritani programme, available at the Royal Opera House throughout the run.

Photos by Lowri Cooper.