By Jonathan Sinclair
October 11th, 2025, I attended my very first performance of La Sonnambula at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Going in, unfamiliar with opera, almost made it intimidating. Because of its formal reputation, lack of awareness, and social circles, I had limited exposure to opera. However, the performance completely exceeded my expectations of opera. Bellini’s music, melodies, and the skill of the performers of the MET made it an evening that would change how I view opera and one I would never forget.
The Metropolitan Opera House is a large and eye-catching venue that has striking features, grand arches, and beautiful decor. Inside the Met has a grand marble staircase and two beautifully painted murals. It has seats for over 3000 people with acoustics that reach every seat. At first, the environment felt very intimidating and grand. A sense of importance and tradition was shown when I first walked in. The audience also seemed to be much older and whiter than I ( very few people under the age of 50), and I felt out of place. Once the performance started, I completely forgot about any differences. The acoustics captivated my attention. The clearness and atmosphere of the venue allowed the singers’ voices to project clearly over the orchestra and reach every part of the space without amplification or microphones. The opera performed was composed by Vincenzo Bellini, a major figure in the Bel Canto tradition of Italian opera. Bellini was known for his melodies and expressive vocal lines rather than orchestral complexities, which were highlighted during the performance I attended. This composition places significant responsibilities on the opera singers rather than the orchestra, leaving them to sustain long melodic lines while simultaneously conveying emotion and energy to the audience. These qualities were very apparent, especially during the middle of Act 1, as well as the finale of both Acts. These parts resonated with me the most because of the power, emotion, and intensity, while remaining composed and controlled, which highlights the virtuosity of Bellini.
Exploring the history of the composer helped deepen my understanding of the opera. Despite dying at 33, Bellini’s impact was renowned. La Sonnambula is known for its traditional atmosphere and emotional undertones, emphasising innocence, fragility, and profound inner conflict. Another one of Bellini’s most famous works was Norma, known similarly for its Bel Canto style and long lyrical melodies. Norma and La Sonnambula are also similar in a storytelling aspect. Both works involve deep emotional conflict by a lead female singer, with Sonnambula being about a woman(Amina) who sleepwalks and proves her innocence to her village and her fiancé. While in Norma, a more dark and intense drama expresses themes of love, redemption and guilt. Both of these works serve as a testament to the emotional depth and vocal control required in Bellini’s body of work.
Bellini was a great and masterful composer, but the production and the cast gave me a strong impression of what the opera is. The cast was wonderful and contributed to the amazing production. Tenor Lawrence Brownlee, sang the role of Elvino. He is the Grand Prize Winner of the 2001 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. He has also received various prizes and distinctions, including “Male Singer of the Year” (2017 International Opera prizes), the Kennedy Center’s Marian Anderson Award, and the Opera News Award (2021). Brownlee was a last-minute replacement for Xabier Anduaga, which made his performance especially impressive to me. His singing perfectly captured the vision Bellini had for this production. His clarity, control, expressiveness, and unwavering voice made him my favourite performer for the evening. Another notable performer was Nadine Sierra, who played the role of Amina. Nadine Sierra has received notable awards such as the 2017 Richard Tucker Award and the 2018 Beverly Sills Artist Award, recognising her as a leading and promising soprano. She was the youngest-ever winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the Marilyn Horne Foundation Vocal Competition. Her voice was powerful and emotionally expressive; the vocal demand of her role and her execution were a testament to her ability. Overall, the cast performed at a consistently high level, contributing to a cohesive and convincing production.
After attending the performances, I listened to recordings of La Sonnambula on YouTube, including full performances and excerpts online. Listening to these recordings allowed for a deeper understanding of the piece — The details, such as pitch and phrasing, as well as how the orchestra and vocalist balance. There were different feelings between the opera and the recordings. The live performance focused more on the emotional experience and ambience of the play, immersing me completely in the play. The dramatics, as well as the quality of music, were more interactive with my senses than the recordings.
The orchestra surprised me as well. It played a supporting role, but was important in conveying the emotion and storytelling of the piece. The orchestra allowed for the singers to be the focal point of the show, not drowning them out but accompanying the vocalist to create a smooth production. The performers were dressed in traditional opera costumes. There was no direct interaction with the audience, which I expected in such a traditional and old opera. One flaw I had with the opera was the lacklustre stage; the music was beautiful, but it wasn’t as visually appealing as it sounded. Maybe it’s the nature of operas, and this being my first time having different expectations, but I still enjoyed the opera nonetheless.
In conclusion, La Sonnambula at the Metropolitan Opera was a great experience for me that was better than I had hoped. The quality of music, the venue, the production, and storytelling were all great experiences. I would recommend this to a friend and would go back to the Met for future operas. This performance highlights the importance and timeless nature of classical music and the genre and art of opera, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who listens.
Works Cited
Bellini, Vincenzo. La Sonnambula. Metropolitan Opera,
www.metopera.org/discover/education/educator-guides/la-sonnambula/the-operas-plot-and-creation/.
Bellini, Vincenzo. La Sonnambula (Excerpt). YouTube,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yydbfbEo1jg
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Bellini, Vincenzo. La Sonnambula (Full Performance). YouTube,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-TwMfgaDC8
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“Bel Canto.” Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press,
www.oxfordmusiconline.com
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“Norma.” English National Opera,
www.eno.org/operas/norma/
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Sierra, Nadine. Official Website,
nadinesierrasoprano.com/.
Brownlee, Lawrence. “Biography.” Lawrence Brownlee Official Website,
www.lawrencebrownlee.com/bio
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“Vincenzo Bellini.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.,
www.britannica.com/biography/Vincenzo-Bellini
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“The Metropolitan Opera.” The Metropolitan Opera,
www.metopera.org/about/the-met/
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