LA SONNAMBULA

Vincenzo Salvatore

Carmelo Francesco Bellini (1801–1835)

A Buxton International Festival Production, with the Northern Chamber Orchestra

This opera of jilted love, jealousy and innocence rewarded was Bellini’s first great masterpiece and remains his most important work, alongside Norma. It premiered in Milan in 1831 and became renowned for its exhilarating melodies and dazzling vocal pyrotechnics.

The theme of sleepwalking fascinated the public of the day, and Bellini explores all the musical possibilities of this mysterious phenomenon and the complex moods of his heroine. Amina, a Swiss village girl is engaged to Elvino and everyone, bar one, is looking forward to their wedding. When a mysterious stranger, Count Rodolfo, arrives his admiration for Amina provokes jealousy and misunderstanding. The situation is exacerbated when Amina is discovered in Rodolfo’s room at the local inn late at night. All is happily resolved when it becomes clear that Amina is an innocent sleepwalker, a somnambulist. In the hands of another composer the subject material might seem simple, but the story is the perfect complement to the inspired purity of Bellini’s melodic style.

La sonnambula will be conducted by Adrian Kelly and directed by Harry Fehr. Many will remember Harry Fehr’s acclaimed production of another Bellini opera at BIF, I Capuleti e Montecchi (2016) which was, coincidentally, the last Bellini opera performed at BIF. He has established an international reputation for thought-provoking productions explored through clear storytelling.

‘Bellini is the master of bel canto. While the story is very gentle and sweet-natured, the music is sublime, and showcases the art of operatic singing at its finest’. Adrian Kelly

DATES & TIMES

10% OFF WHEN YOU BOOK ALL 3 BIF PRODUCTIONS La sonnambula, The Land of MightHave-Been, Il re pastore

Sat 8 July 7.15pm

Wed 12 July 7.15pm

Sun 16 July 2pm

Wed 19 July 7.15pm

Sat 22 July 7.15pm

Venue

Buxton Opera House

Tickets

£25 - £85 Early Bird tickets available until Tues 18 April.

Concessions: £10 tickets for under 35s, who are part of the Friends of BIF Next Gen scheme. Join for free at buxtonfestival.co.uk

Creative Team

Adrian Kelly Conductor

Harry Fehr Director

Nick Bond Assistant Director

Nicky Shaw Set Designer

Zahra Mansouri Costume Designer

Jake Wiltshire Lighting Designer

Cast

Ziyi Dai Amina

Ellie Neate Lisa

Ann Taylor Teresa

Nico Darmanin Elvino

Simon Shibambu Count Rodolfo

Jacob Bettinelli Alessio

Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.