For his Met Opera directorial debut, tenor-turned-director Rolando Villazón has created a charming, revisionist version of Bellini’s bel canto gem, La sonnambula, the story of Amina, a young woman from an isolated Swiss village, whose wedding to farmer Elvino is called off when her sleepwalking into a strange gentleman’s bedroom is misinterpreted as infidelity. Felice Romani’s original libretto ends in a joyful reconciliation and a wedding after a sonnambulant Amina is witnessed descending a dangerous precipice and Elvino accepts that she innocently sleepwalked into the stranger’s room. Villazon’s adaptation – co-produced with the Opéra de Nice, Semperoper Dresden and Théâtre des Champs-Elysées – concludes on a feminist note, reframing the opera’s more lighthearted theme of love lost and regained into a tale of a high-spirited young woman’s liberation.
This retelling is set in a strict, rule-bound society. Johannes Leiacker’s static set design visualizes Amina’s cramped, claustrophobic world by dividing the stage into two halves. In the upper half, Renaud Rubiano’s majestic projection designs depict a rugged, high-altitude alpine landscape with snow-capped glaciers; the lower half is a stark, windowless room with a few narrow tables and nine closed doors. The only escape from this dreary underworld is by way of a ladder leaning against the rear wall. The single set remains in place throughout the opera, taking on a more surreal air at the opening of Act 2, with a rumpled, lopsided bed suspended over the room and one of the doors turned askew and marked with a huge black “X”.
Musically, opening night, conducted by Riccardo Frizza, was magnificent. Nadine Sierra, with her beautiful lyric soprano, splendid coloratura technique and excellent acting, created a highly affecting portrayal of Amina as an exuberant, free-spirited being – spinning, jumping, playfully interacting with the village children – most liberated when she’s in a dreamy, sleepwalking state. The many vocal highlights of the evening included her pre-nuptial aria, “Come per me sereno”, along with her gentle cavatina, “Ah! Non credea mirarti”, followed by the high-flying “Ah! Non giunge uman’ pensiero”.
Sierra was well matched, in both dramatic skills and bel canto eloquence, with Spanish tenor Xabier Anduaga as Elvino, her fickle fiancé. His rich lyric instrument was tremendously impressive in his first big aria, “Prendi, l’anel ti dono”, which moved into a splendid duet with Sierra. As the mysterious Count Rodolfo, Alexander Vingradov displayed an assured, splendidly lyrical bass and successfully conveyed his character’s worldly attitude compared to that of the closed-minded villagers. His signature aria, “Vi ravviso, o luoghi ameni”, was sung with admirable suavity and smoothness.
Soprano Sydney Mancasola was a pert and cheeky Lisa, the pragmatic innkeeper previously engaged to Elvino. Making his house debut as Alessio, the young peasant besotted with her, was the bright-toned bass-baritone Nicholas Newton. He provided a solid presence throughout, his characterization marked by many laugh-aloud moments. Mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel was feisty and vocally warm as Teresa, Amina’s adoptive mother.
Prepared by Tilman Michael, the 60-odd members of the Met Chorus, on stage much of the time, dressed in Brigitte Reiffenstuel's grim-toned, rustic styled costumes, were in excellent form, making the most of their many comic bits and offering vibrant singing throughout the evening.
Under Frizza, the Met Orchestra aptly conveyed all the freshness of Bellini’s score. With superb singing and acting, an orchestra playing with skill and feeling, and a conductor well-versed in Bellini’s musical idiom, this was an enchanting opening night at the Met.
