Bellini's I Puritani at Seattle Opera

God damn Bellini for writing an opera that requires four incredibly brilliant bel canto singers. And damn him again for a piece that runs well over three hours without a skerrick of a plot. God damn Seattle Opera for waiting until now to stage this rough beast.

Damn those effing Puritans for populating the set with lavish costumes that have about as much historical relevance to early 17th century as a turnip green. Damn the set, while we're at it, which looks like a tenement fire escape designed by Piranesi. Damn the international cast (French soprano, American tenor, Polish baritone, Canadian basso, Italian conductor), which stumbles unevenly through the first two acts until a rousing duet (baritone, basso), "Suoni la tromba," that sets up the transcendent third act.

At last, the soprano, Norah Amsellem, no longer trills and swoons like a lovesick madwoman. At last, the tenor, Seattle's own Lawrence Brownlee, gets to hit those amazing Bellini high notes. At last, the ensemble comes together, and even that damned torture-chamber of a set, draped with 50 banner-waving, axe-wielding, sword-brandishing singers and extras, looks stunning.

Did we say damn Bellini and damn Seattle Opera? No, God bless Bellini for his genius, God bless Seattle Opera for waiting, God bless Amsellem and Brownlee for their talents! And in that same spirit of reconciliation, God bless CNN, MSNBC and Fox News as well.

Seattle Opera photos, above, by Rosarii Lynch and Bill Mohn. Alas, the video preview, produced by Seattle Opera, stops short of reuniting the lovers.