The greatest strength of this live 1989 recording of I Puritani from the Theatre Massimo Bellini di Catania is the conducting of Richard Bonynge. He has a lifelong experience with the early Italian bel canto repertoire and really understands how these operas work. His conducting is supple and sensuous, and he is a master at allowing the singers the freedom to shine their brightest. His sense of pacing is sure, and he keeps the drama moving urgently along. The soloists are impressive and solid, and their performances grow more assured and effective as the performance progresses. The three principals are very fine, vocally assured, and dramatically effective. Tenor William Matteuzzi is an especially heroic Arturo, singing with clear, pure tone. Soprano Mariella Devia as Elvira sings with seamless lyricism and with a brilliant top, and baritone Christopher Robertson is an impressive Ricardo, singing with dark intensity. There are some stunning moments, particularly Elvira's "Vien, filetto, è in ciel la luna!," her duet with Arturo ("Vieni, vieni fra queste braccia"), and the ensemble, "Credeasu, misera!" The recording's biggest weakness is the sound quality. The stage and audience noise, especially in the quieter sections, is sometimes more prominent than the music. When the voices are fully present, the sound tends to be a little brittle and edgy, although that improves some as the recording engineers get their bearings. The sound of the orchestra is generally better, warmer, with a good blend. For the Bellini fan, the quality of the conducting and singing make this a version that should be of interest if the inconsistent sound can be overlooked.