Sonnambula, Nov 2025

I saw a new production of Bellini's *La Sonnambula* at the Met on Oct 29, 2025.

Bellini is one of the major masters of what's called bel canto, an opera style from the early 19th century - - the term literally translates as "beautiful singing," and while that's central to its identity, bel canto operas are also a deeply Romantic expression of all the big emotions. Audiences love these operas for their mixture of display and drama.

This was the first Met production directed by tenor Rolando Villazón. He made a big splash in the 00's and teens then took some time off to address some vocal issues (aka have surgery). He has tentatively restarted his singing career in a new set of roles, sometimes as a baritone. He also started a parallel career as a director and has directed numerous productions at major opera houses in Europe.

Bellini is one of the big three bel canto guys and they each have their own distinctive take on the style. Rossini has a particular sparkle and of the three he seems to lean most into the display end of things. Donizetti doesn't hold back on the display but is the most dramatic of the three, his music illustrates the drama in a satisfying way. And Bellini - - it's hard to explain what he does. For one thing he died pretty young (33) and wrote comparatively few operas:

Bellini: 11

Rossini: 39

Donizetti: around 75

For me this gives each piece of his a greater impact. His operas stand out from the others because of their intense sense of tragedy and melancholy. A singer doing these operas needs to dig deep to do justice to them.

Opera is notorious for its idiotic plots and *Sonnambula* is up there. My late husband and I saw the previous Met production in 2009 and I can hear Richard saying, "Are these people really that stupid?" Um yes, they are. A director needs to decide how to make it work and Villazón chose a middle ground, a basically straightforward traditional production with elements of abstraction. I felt what I often feel in this situation - - choose your lane, either be traditional or be abstract, the combo is super difficult to manage. He also attempted to bring a contemporary viewpoint, delving into the psychology of the main character and showing how she's oppressed by the community. That was somewhat effective but would have been better suited to a more abstract style.

Let's talk about the singers. You don't do this opera without a sensational leading lady and the Met struck gold with Nadine Sierra. She's right in the sweet spot in terms of her age (37), has sung at the Met for 10 years, and has made her mark in other major parts (Juliette, Violetta, Lucia). I'd never heard her live and was impressed. She has a deep feeling for the style, she had the limpid tone that you want in Bellini. Plus she can do some long phrases, often holding a note for a long time. This is never done in a way that mars the music, it's always done with great taste. I look forward to hearing her again and seeing where her career leads her - - she's singing these sorts of florid roles right now (a smart choice) but I imagine she might branch into creamier parts that don't have so many little notes. We shall see.

I have mixed feelings about tenor Xabier Anduaga. He has a firm, tangy voice and absolute security in what he's doing but I'm not sure this is the right role for him. I would like a more tender, ardent sound in this part, he was a bit steely and insistent for my taste. He would be tremendous in Traviata, Rigoletto, Lucia (all roles he does) but I'm not sure this is the best fit for him. This is the third time he's done this opera with Sierra so clearly the people in charge don't agree with me.

I adored the bass in the supporting role of the Count, Alexander Vinogradov. His generalized diction and oily vocalism were perfect for such a smarmy dude. I always feel an obligation to mention the conductor - - unfortunately Riccardo Frizza had quite a few moments of bad coordination with the singers behind the orchestra or vice versa. Keep an eye on that, honey.

A friend in the Met orchestra had warned me about the sketchy quality of the production so I deliberately went in with my sights set low. I texted with my friend Barbara before the show and she encouraged me to leave at intermission if I thought it was a stinker! I have no problem with leaving but the problem in this case is that the most extraordinary music is at the very end - - Amina has a pair of arias, one sad and one dazzling, that blow the roof off the joint. Here's Sierra doing the end of the first one. She has one of those fabulous long phrases at 1:57:

And here she is in the jubilant finale. I was so blown away by her singing I didn't really notice that they changed the ending (she's supposed to end up with the guy). Her interpolated high F at the end was a delightful surprise:

The ending in a sense swept away my misgivings about the production. Going to the opera is primarily about the music and the singers and whoa Nelly they were both delivering big time in those last fifteen minutes.