What Happens at the End of I Puritani?

It's hard to imagine a video opera collection without this superbly sung MET production of Bellini's I Puritani. Not that it's perfect by any means, but its excellences--most especially Anna Netrebko's electrifying singing and acting of Elvira--banish carping about other aspects of this memorable night at the opera. Netrebko is fragile from the start, her facial expressions and hand movements immediately conveying the girl's vulnerability. She has a mad scene in each act; the first when she realizes her fiancé has disappeared with another woman, the third, in the final act, a brief relapse when her returned fiancé is taken by the army to be executed. But it's in the second act that the real fireworks occur, with a Mad Scene that rivals Donizetti's Lucia for bel canto primacy. Here, Elvira is first heard off-stage, after the chorus has informed us that she's deranged. She enters wearing her wedding gown and begins Qui la voce in a voice as frail as her psyche.

Sandro Sequi's narrative builds toward a resolution centered on Eric Cutler (Lord Arturo Talbo)'s journey. Not that it's perfect by any means, but its excellences--most especially Anna Netrebko's electrifying singing and acting of Elvira--banish carping about other aspects of this memorable night at the opera.

How Does Eric Cutler (Lord Arturo Talbo)'s Story End?

• Eric Cutler: Eric Cutler's storyline wraps up in the final act, though some viewers have found the resolution more ambiguous than expected.
• Anna Netrebko (Elvira): Anna Netrebko's role in the climax proves pivotal to how the central conflict resolves.
• John Relyea (Sir Giorgio): John Relyea's character undergoes a significant shift in the final act.

What Does the Ending of I Puritani Mean?

The ending of I Puritani brings the narrative to a close, though viewer reception has been mixed. The resolution of Eric Cutler's story may not satisfy all audiences.