Bellini's opera version of the Romeo and Juliet story is one of his finest early works, the first to unequivocally display his mature style. It had a fully successful early run, although it has suffered much neglect in subsequent years, in modern times mostly because the part of Romeo is written for a mezzo-soprano. The opera is now customarily given in the original voice ranges, and the present recording is of one of the first modern performances to do so. Live performance, Rome, October 23, 1958.