Critical Drift
Decanonized
I Puritani with Aksel Tollåli
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I Puritani with Aksel Tollåli

Risorgimento chauvinism and opera's girlhood era.

Sometimes, we can have nice things. Like a bel canto opera where, despite the mad scene stretching across all three acts, the stakes are low, the Fs are high, and everyone is happy at the end. 

Musicologist and critic Aksel Tollåli joins us to discuss a lovely opera about a lovely soprano and her lovely mental breakdown. Topics include Risorgimento chauvinism, opera's girlhood era, Lee Pace as Vincenzo Bellini, and operas whose entire plots would be resolved if the characters had just one (1) conversation. 


Follow Aksel on Instagram and Bluesky.

Full playlist, reading list, and synopsis of I Puritani.

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