Il Giuramento is yet another opera that enjoyed enormous success in its day but has since fallen into relative obscurity. Taken from the same source material of La Gioconda (Victor Hugo's play Angelo, Tyrant of Padua), this opera represents almost a missing link from the bel canto conventions of Donizetti and Bellini into the more primal world of Giuseppe Verdi. The cast includes Teresa Zylis-Gara as Elaisa. Zylis-Gara's prodigious skills are a bit wasted on this part but she does get a lovely aria in the last act. The main female role in this opera is Bianca and mezzo Benedetta Pecchioli turns in a fiery performance.