Conductor: Michelle Rofrano
Director: John de los Santos
Scenic Designer: Cameron Anderson
Two families at war. Two lovers in danger. Vincenzo Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi retells Shakespeare’s famous story of Romeo and Giulietta (Juliet) in the shadow of the bloody political machinations and personal betrayals of the warring Capuleti and Montecchi (Montague) families. Set against the backdrop of 17-centruy French Wars of Religion, this opera departs from the familiar tale, recasting the rival families not as feuding households, but as rival political factions, echoing the historical clash between the Catholic authorities and the rebellious Huguenots.
Bellini’s enchanting melodies are masterfully set against a plot brimming with intrigue, as the Capuleti and Montecchi families brutally vie against each other for political dominance. A crown jewel of the bel canto tradition, I Capuleti e i Montecchi marries haunting melodies with a frantic, emotionally charged narrative that pulses with forbidden love, reckless loyalty, and the tragic cost of vengeance. With its lush score and dramatic tension, this brooding masterpiece continues to enthrall audiences nearly two centuries after its 1830 premiere at Venice’s Teatro La Fenice.
Sung in Italian with English supertitles.
February 28, March 3, 5 & 7, 2026, 7:30 PM
AVA’s Helen Corning Warden Theater
Michelle Rofrano’s appearance is generously underwritten by Sheila Kessler.