Vincenzo Bellini’s Italian, bel canto opera La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker)
- Composed:1831
- First Performance:March 6, 1831; Teatro Carcano, Milan (Italy)
- Libretto: Felice Romani, based on Scribe’s scenario for the ballet La somnambule, ou L’arrivée d’un nouveau seigneur
- Setting: A Swiss village
- Italian drama in two acts
The Main Characters in La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker)
- Amina, an orphan peasant girl with a sleepwalking problem(soprano)
- Elvino, Amina's husband-to-be (tenor)
- Count Rodolfo, a flirtatious feudal lord (bass)
- Teresa, Amina's foster mother (mezzo-soprano)
- Lisa, Owner of the inn (soprano)
- Alessio, Lisa's suitor (bass)
Basic Plot Summary of Bellini’s opera La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker)
Act I:
In a Swiss village, they are celebrating the wedding of the orphan Amina (who was raised by Teresa) to the rich Elvino. The marriage contract is signed and rings are exchanged. Count Rodolfo arrives to stay at the inn. When he sees Amina, he begins to flirt with her (annoying Elvino) Teresa sends everyone away for the evening. Lisa (jealous of Amina's wedding to Elvino) is the owner of the inn. She recognizes the Count and the two also begin to flirt. Suddenly, Amina comes through the window. Lisa, because of her jealously toward Amina, thinks that she is there to see the Count and runs off to tell Elvino of his wife's infidelity. Rodolfo sees that Amina is actually sleepwalking. He allows her to lie down and sleep on his bed in his room. Lisa and Elvino burst in, and as Elvino sees his wife in another man's bed, he calls off the wedding.
Act II:
The people of the village rally behind Amina. She decides that she needs the Count's help to verify her sleepwalking and help her prove her innocence. As she is on her way to Count Rodolfo's, Amina runs into Elvino. Before she can get Rodolfo 's help, Elvino angrily takes the ring he gave her off of Amina's hand. Elvino has decided to marry Lisa instead. Rodolfo arrives and attempts to explain Amina's sleepwalking, but Elvino is not convinced. Later a crowd sees Almina sleepwalking across an unstable a the mill. She safely reaches the ground, lowers to her knees and begins to pray for Elvino. Elvino realizes that he was wrong and places the wedding ring back on Almina's finger. When she reawakens, the crowd is surrounding the happy couple . Rejoicing, the two head straight for the altar to be wed.
If you like La Sonnambula, here are some other operas written by Bellini:
- Il pirata
- I Capuleti e i Montecchi
- La Sonnambula
- Norma
- I puritani
Please visit the article archives for more interesting articles about opera like this one about Bellini’s opera La Sonnambula. Feel free to contact the Opera feature writer, Bryce by email if you have questions about La Sonnambula. or have any recommendations as to material you would like to see covered.
