The Capulets and The Montagues - English Touring Opera

English Touring Opera return to Norwich Theatre this week with their passionate and stylish interpretation of Vinceno Bellini's opera 'The Capulets and The Montagues' ('I Capuleti e I Montecchi'). First performed in Venice in 1830, and based on an old Italian tale first published as a novella in the mid 16th century, this has become one of the most popular operas in Italy and yet, in this country remains much less known and is rarely performed.

For this production, director Eloise Lally has transported the action from classical Verona to 1970's New York City, and yet this is no West Side Story. Lally has taken her inspiration instead from the Mafia gangster films of Martin Scorsese, movies like 'Mean Streets' and 'Goodfellas', and also from chilling black and white images captured in Sicily and Naples at around the same time by Italian photojournalist Letizia Battaglia. The result is bold and daring, and yet remains completely gripping throughout its entire duration, right through to its surprise conclusion.

Despite the tradition of many Italian operas of the time, where male castrati singers would take many of the leading roles, the parts of Romeo and Giulietta are sung by Welsh mezzo Samantha Price, and fellow soprano Jessica Cale. Together they become the tragic love-struck couple whom have become so familiar to us. However, the finale may not be the one that you have come to expect. There are only three other singing named characters – gang leader Capellio is sung by Timothy Nelson, menacingly Godfather-like in every way; Brenton Spiteri is Tebaldo, Capellio's right hand man, Romeo's love rival, and arranged husband-to-be for Giulietta; and Masimbo Ushe is matchmaker and fixer Lorenzo (and also manager of Capellio's speakeasy bar and gang hangout). Together with the seven piece ensemble of pin-striped mob members, the action bundles along at a frantic pace, and all driven by a spectacular orchestra under the baton of Alphonse Cemin.

With a first Act set entirely within the interior of Cappellio's bar, beautifully designed by Lily Arnold and lit by Peter Harrison, Act Two comes as a complete surprise. As the curtain goes up we find ourselves on a rubble-strewn street just outside the bar, which had been spectacularly destroyed by a firebomb just before the interval. Lorenzo's plan to fake Giulietta's death and to bring Romeo to her tomb does not quite go to plan, but not in the way that Shakespeare described.