Cyrano de Bergerac

While Franco Alfano may best be remembered as the composer tasked with completing Puccini’s Turandot after his untimely death, he was also a skilled creator in his own right, and his 1936 adaptation of the classic tale of Cyrano de Bergerac has found new appreciation by both critics and audiences alike. In this performance, tenor Roberto Alagna takes on the swashbuckling title character, exuding panache throughout and singing with both lyric beauty and ringing top notes. Rising star Jennifer Rowley offers a warm, bright timbre as Roxane, the object of Cyrano’s clandestine affections, and as the comely but simple Christian, tenor Atalla Ayan sings with a wealth of ardent lyricism. Juan Jesús Rodríguez brings a rich baritone to the role of De Guiche, with Met favorite Marco Armiliato conducting a lively account of this rare operatic gem.