O amato zio o mio secondo padre

Elvira from I Puritani is a very challenging role, often sung by high coloratura sopranos. However, a few full lyric sopranos attempted the role without using high variations (Mirella Freni, Adriana Maliponte, Gabriella Tucci, Virginia Gordoni and Yolanda Auyanet). Bellini accommodated the role for Maria Malibran, making significant key transpositions. In the first act, the music for Elvira remains unchanged, however the role is transposed lower in the second and third act. The mad scene is transposed down a minor third, the duet with Arturo (Finì … me lassa!...Vieni, vieni fra queste braccia) a whole step. Arturo's “Credeasi, misera” is sung by Elvira “Qual mai funerea” and at the end, an exciting cabaletta for Evira, “Ah sento, o mio bell'angelo”, in B-flat major, was added. The Malibran version (1835) was first performed in Bari, 1986, with the soprano Katia Ricciarelli as Elvira. Although historically it's considered to be a great event, the performance was not very successful, mostly because K. Ricciarelli was not in a good shape. In 1988, this version was performed again, with Lucia Aliberti singing the part of Elvira, although she used some high variations, including a high F at the end. In 2017, at Montpellier, the high mezzo soprano Karine Deshayes has successfully sung the role of Elvira using Malibran's keys.

I PURITANI
VINCENZO BELLINI
- Malibran Version in 2 acts, Naples 1835 -
Elvira - Karine Deshayes
Arturo - Celso Albelo
Riccardo - René Barbera
Enrichetta - Chiara Amarù
Bruno - Dmitry Ivanchey
Giorgio - Nicola Ulivieri
Gualtiero - Kihwan Sim
Conductor - Jader Bignamini
Montpellier, 2017