I Capuleti e i Montecchi

The Butler School of Music is bringing Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi to the Butler Opera Center at the McCullough Theatre this October. It's a production of the Italian opera, sung in Italian with English supertitles, so you can follow the story even if you don't speak the language. The first performance is Friday, October 16, and it's part of a larger run—the opera returns to the stage on Sunday, October 18, Friday, October 23, and Sunday, October 25. With four dates spread across two weekends, you've got a few options for when to catch it.

If you're not familiar with the piece, I Capuleti e i Montecchi is Bellini's take on the story of the Capulets and the Montagues—the same family feud that Shakespeare turned into Romeo and Juliet. It's an early 19th-century bel canto opera, which means the focus is on the singing: long, flowing melodies and a lot of vocal agility. The English supertitles will run throughout the performance, so the plot stays clear while the singing stays in Italian.

The production is put on by the Butler School of Music, and it's staged at the McCullough Theatre, part of the Butler Opera Center at the University of Texas at Austin. That gives you a few dates to choose from: Friday, October 16; Sunday, October 18; Friday, October 23; and Sunday, October 25. If you're looking for a night of opera in Austin this October, these are the dates to keep in mind.