Lisette Oropesa shines in Met's 'I Puritani' and earns praise

Lisette Oropesa drew praise from Metropolitan Opera general manager Peter Gelb after her performance as Elvira in the Met's new staging of Bellini's I Puritani, which opened to strong reviews; the production's upcoming Saturday performance will be televised worldwide.

Lisette Oropesa has been singled out by Metropolitan Opera leadership after opening the company’s new staging of Bellini’s I Puritani. Metropolitan Opera general manager Peter Gelb likened her to Beverly Sills in the way she connects with people and noted her intellectual quickness. The production opened to strong reviews after critics noted her handling of difficult coloratura passages. A Met performance of the production this Saturday is scheduled for worldwide television. Key facts: - Peter Gelb praised Oropesa’s stage presence and suggested she combines musical skill with strong personal qualities. - Oropesa stars as Elvira opposite tenor Lawrence Brownlee in the Met’s first new staging of I Puritani since 1976. - The production’s opening received strong reviews, and a performance will be broadcast globally on Saturday. - Oropesa won the 2005 Met National Council Auditions, joined the company’s young artists program and made her Met debut in 2006 in Mozart’s Idomeneo. - She has since appeared at major houses including Munich’s Bavarian State Opera (2011), the Paris Opéra (2015), London’s Royal Opera (2017) and Milan’s La Scala (2019). - Oropesa described vocal trouble in July 2024 that was diagnosed as severe reflux, leading to rest, medication and changes to her routines; she also said she keeps long periods of silence to prepare for performances. Summary: Oropesa’s performance in I Puritani has attracted notable praise from Met leadership and strong critical response, and the company will televise a Saturday performance worldwide. She has an established international career and has scheduled further role debuts and festival appearances later in the year.