03/29/14 – La Sonnambula – 1:00pm

Metropolitan Opera

La Sonnambula by Vincenzo Bellini
Libretto by Felice Romani

Sung in Italian

Approximate running time 2 hrs. 45 min. 1 intermission.

Diana Damrau stars as Amina opposite bel canto specialist Javier Camarena as Elvino in Mary Zimmerman’s intriguing staging of Bellini’s sweet love story, with its unforgettable sleepwalking aria for the heroine. Marco Armiliato conducts.

Reviews
A “smashing revival… Damrau is a marvel… She makes the most difficult passages sound effortless… Her pianissimo notes, barely above a whisper, go straight to the heart.” (Huffington Post)

“Camarena is one of the most exciting tenors singing today. He has a strong voice, rich in timbre and nuanced with subtle phrasing and a soaring range.” (Huffington Post)

“High-wire acts have become something of a specialty for Ms. Damrau in her career… And like Amina, the touching title character of Bellini’s romantic comedy, she hasn¹t put a foot wrong.” She sings with a “shimmering, floated delivery…” (New York Times)
Javier Camarena “had a triumphant evening, singing with a hearty, burnished tone… He¹s a singer capable of gladiatorial power but also subtle shadings, supple phrasing and a thoroughly convincing Italian flavor.” (New York Times)

Cast/Crew