La straniera by Bellini, Da (2015/2015), Diretto da Christof Loy, Direttore d'orchestra Paolo Arrivabeni, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria

Vincenzo Bellini wrote enthusiastically about Victor d'Arlincourt's best-selling novel L'etrangère : "This is a material full of exciting moments, and all new, grandiose." of romantic opera. With La straniera he achieved his most radical score. Hector Berlioz, who actually had little fun in Italian opera, was impressed by this music, into which "deep passion, painful emotion" and a "scream of mad love" were composed. Count Arturo is engaged to Isoletta, but has fallen in love with a mysterious stranger who lives alone in the forest. The people in the village think she is a witch. Arturo wants to flee with her, but the stranger refuses. Arturo's friend Baron Valdeburgo tries to lead him back to Isoletta. To find understanding, Arturo brings him to the stranger. Amazingly, the stranger and Valdeburgo greet each other with a tender embrace. Arturo immediately duels jealously with his friend, and Valdeburgo falls into the lake. The exclamation of the strangers "You killed my brother!" Explains the warm greeting. Arturo also throws himself into the lake, the desperate woman remains behind with his bloody sword. This is how they find the villagers and accuse them of murdering the two men. Both victims reappear alive in court and prove the innocence of the strangers. Arturo still doesn't want to give up his passion for her. On the day of his wedding to Isoletta, he escapes from the altar. When it turns out that the stranger is the wife of the King of France who had to live in exile, Arturo stabs himself.