First Performance: 6 March 1831 at Teatro Carcano,
Milan.
Principal Characters:
| Il Conte Rodolfo, Signore del Villaggio | Bass |
| Teresa, Molinara | Mezzo-Soprano |
| Amina, Orfanella raccolta da Teresa, fidanzata ad Elvino | Soprano |
| Elvino, ricco possidente del Villaggio | Tenor |
| Lisa, Ostessa amante di Elvino | Soprano |
| Alessio, Contadino, amante di Lisa | Bass |
| Un Notaro | Tenor |
The Scene: A village in Switzerland.
Synopsis:
Act I
A village with a mill on one side
and an inn on the other.
It is a festive occasion in the village square. That afternoon Elvino and
Amina, an orphan raised by Teresa, are to sign a marriage contract. All but
Lisa, the innkeeper’s daughter, celebrate. Lisa is in love with Elvino. She
is consoled by Alessio, a villager who wants to marry Lisa. The notary
arrives, followed by Elvino. Elvino has visted his mother’s tomb to pray for
her blessing of the marriage. He gives Amina his mother’s ring, together with
a bouquet of violets.
A stranger arrives. He is traveling to the castle. As he looks about, he
recognizes the mill, the fountain, the wood and the farm. As night begins to
fall, the villagers become fearful. Teresa explains to the stranger that a
strange ghost wanders through the village wrapped in a white sheet, spreading
terror everywhere. Incredulous, the stranger nevertheless accepts Lisa’s
invitation to stay at the inn. The stranger greets Amina and tells her that
he hopes her husband will love her “as I would love you,” much to the
annoyance of Elvino.
A room in the inn.
Lisa comes to the stranger’s room. She addresses him as Count, for he is
Count Rodolfo, the son of the deceased lord of the castle. Lisa makes it
clear to the Count that she is available, of which the Count is quite willing
to take advantage. There is a sudden noise. Lisa runs out of the room,
dropping her handkerchief in the process. Amina comes in through the window.
Wrapped in a white sheet, she is walking in her sleep. She is dreaming of
tomorrow’s wedding ceremony and speaks to the Count as if he were Elvino.
As the entire village gathers to give the Count a hearty welcome, the
Count escapes through the window to avoid being caught with a woman in his
room. Everyone is surprised to find Amina sleeping on the sofa. Elvino,
having been informed by Lisa, becomes extremely jealous. Amina awakes. She
cannot explain her presence in the Count’s room and, despite her pleas,
Elvino calls off the wedding. Dismayed, Teresa picks up the handkerchief
dropped by Lisa.
Act II
A shadowy valley between the
village and the Castle.
A group of villagers is enroute to the Castle to ask the Count to
exonerate Amina. Amina and Teresa, who are among them, and stop at Elvino’s
estate, where they find Elvino venting his grief. Amina again expresses her
innocence, which Elvino refuses to accept. When the villagers return, they
proclaim that the Count has exonerated Amina completely. Elvino will have
none of it. Furious, he tears the ring from Amina’s finger.
The village square.
As Alessio tries to convice Lisa that Elvino will never marry her, others
announce that Lisa is his chosen bride. The Count confirms Amina’s innocence,
explaining that she is a sleepwalker. No one believes him. Realizing that
Elvino is about to marry Lisa, she produces the handkerchief that she found
in the Count’s room. Lisa blushes, much to the despair of Elvino. Just then,
Amina, who is sleepwalking again, comes out the window of the mill and walks
along the edge of the roof above the revolving wheel. Seeing that she is in
grave danger, the Count orders everyone to be silent. Amina awakens unscathed
and in the arms of Elvino. He realizes that she is innocent. The entire
village celebrates.
Click
here for the complete libretto.
image=http://www.operatoday.com/content/bellini_medium.jpg
image_description=Vincenzo Bellini
audio=yes
first_audio_name=Vincenzo Bellini: La sonnambula
first_audio_link=http://www.operatoday.com/Sonnambula1.m3u
product=yes
product_title=Vincenzo Bellini: La sonnambula
product_by=Maria Callas, Cesare Valletti, Gabriella Carturan, Giuseppe Modesti, Eugenia Ratti, Pierluigi Latinucci, Giuseppe Nessi, Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Leonard Bernstein (cond.)
Live recording, Milan, 5 March 1955
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