FORM AROUND THE WORLD: ST. PAUL.

Two remarkably disparate works have highlighted the Minnesota Opera season to date: a brilliantly sung bel canto I Capuleti e i Montecchi followed by a sweaty, verismo-style Street Scene.

Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi is a version of the Romeo and Juliet love story, and director Thor Steingraber suggested its timeless aspect using an anachronistic assortment of weapons and costumes -- both guns and swords, a chorus in modern tuxedos, and Juliet in a period wedding dress. Designer Robert Israel set the action on a flat floor with playing areas defined by the simplest of means -- a rug, a cluster of columns, a chair or window -- while a projected backgound of clouds changed to reflect the mood of the story. Each scene flowed easily into another and the stage movement rarely stopped.

Korean soprano Sumi Jo was excellent in the role of Giulietta. She is an effective actress, and she sang gloriously. Her Act I aria, "O! quante volte," was ravishingly delivered, with silken line, softly caressed phrase peaks and exquisite high notes that made it the vocal high point of the evening (Jan. 27). In the final scene, she stabbed herself with Romeo's dagger -- stage action found in Shakespeare, not in Bellini.

Rising mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux sang Romeo and proved an ideal partner for Jo. Genaux is also trim and a fine actress. She is experienced in trouser roles and portrayed a convincing Romeo, boyish rather than manly -- due to her physical size -- when pitted against the men in the cast. Her voice has less edge than Jo's, but it is complementary, and their duet, "Ah! Crudel, d'onor ragioni," was exquisite. Genaux was making her role debut, and this was a work-in-progress; she seemed to still be learning how to handle some of Romeo's highest phrases.

Tenor Carlo Scibelli brought modest acting skills to the role of Tebaldo, but he sang his "E serbato a questo acciaro" aria strongly and delivered his duet with Genaux sensitively. Bass Arthur Woodley used his warm ...