It’s all about sleep on this week’s Sunday Opera (8/27 3:00 p.m.) as we head off to the Opera Royal de Wallonie in Belgium and their production of Vincenzo Bellini’s “La Sonnambula.”
Amina (Jessica Pratt) has a problem. She lives in a small Swiss village where they’re celebrating the forthcoming marriage of Amina and the wealthy farmer Elvino (Rene Barbara). The feudal lord Rodolfo (Marko Mimico) is returning home after the death of his father and arrives to stay at the inn, where he flirts with the hostess Lisa (Marina Monzo).
Suddenly the window to Rodolfo’s room opens, and Amina enters. Lisa is jealous of Amina and her engagement to Elvino, and she hurries off to tell him that his fiancé seems to be having an assignation with Rodolfo. Rodolfo, however, realizes that Amina is sleepwalking, and he leaves her on his couch. Lisa and Elvino arrive to denounce Amina as an adulteress, and Elvino calls off the wedding.
At least, that’s what happens in the first act.
Amina does some more sleepwalking in the second act, but everything works out, and we do have a happy ending.
Other members of the cast include Julie Bailly as Teresa, Amina’s adoptive mother, Alessio, who is in love with Lisa, is sung by Ugo Rabec, and The Notary is Benoit Deivaux. Giampaolo Bisanti conducts the Chorus and Orchestra of the Opera Royal de Wallonie.
We’ll have a bit more sleeping after the opera through highlights of Tchaikovsky’s marvelous “Sleeping Beauty Ballet” performed by the Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andrew Mogrelia.
We’re continuing with our operas from theatres around the world, and we hope that you’ll join us.