On the second night of its two-performance visit to City Center Will Crutchfield’s Teatro Nuovo presented Vincenzo Bellini’s melodramatic La Sonnambula. Set in an early-19th-century Swiss Alpine village, the story is frequently criticized for its flimsy plot about a sleepwalking young girl accused of infidelity when she is found asleep in another man’s room on the eve of her wedding. As presented by Crutchfield’s company, dedicated to historically informed bel canto performance, the story played out as a charming drama about naiveté, deception, and forgiveness with many comic elements.
The semi-staged production used projections by Adam J. Thompson, based on Allesandro Sanquirico’s 1831 set designs for Teatro alla Scala, with surtitles superimposed. Unlike the previous evening’s dark and moody Macbeth, where nearly everyone was dressed in black, this presentation clothed the principals in colorful mid-20th-century designs that complemented the bright and sunny tones of Bellini’s original score. The result was a graceful musical interpretation, enhanced by standout vocal performances.
The 47 members of the orchestra, their instruments pitched at a lower level than used by modern orchestras, were seated in an early 19th-century arrangement: the first violins facing the stage; the second violins facing the audience; and the cellos, basses and brass split and seated at the sides of the woodwinds.
Led by Elisa Citterio with Crutchfield on the harpsichord, the ensemble delivered a performance that aptly conveyed the spirit of Ottocento bel canto and the charms of Bellini’s melodies. The woodwinds and brass were especially effective at evoking the freshness of the idyllic Alpine setting.
The strong cast made the most of Felice Romani’s uncluttered libretto and Bellini’s long-spun melodies with their stratospheric vocal leaps. As Amina, the somnambulist of the title, Teresa Castillo displayed a sumptuous soprano with a secure coloratura technique. She was her most expressive and virtuosic in the sleepwalking scene, effortlessly navigating the shifting dynamics and high-ranging extensions of ‘Ah, non credea mirarti’. Her voice blended well with Christopher Bozeka’s graceful tenor in the tender duet, ‘Vedi, o madre’. As Elvino, her fiancé, he faced the challenge of singing his music in its original, higher tessitura, but navigated all with flexibility, smoothness, and grace. Abigail Raiford offered a petulant, highly spirited portrayal of Lisa, the village innkeeper and rival to Amina. With her bright, firmly focused soprano, she sang her Act 2 ‘De lieti auguri’ with sparkling coloratura and ravishing sound. She was especially lively and flirtatious in her scenes with the mysterious Count Rodolfo, portrayed by Owen Phillipson. With his commanding stage presence and solid bass-baritone, he offered a precise, elegantly lyrical ‘Va ravviso’ in Act 1. Abigail Lysinger as Teresa, the owner of the village mill and Amina’s adoptive mother, revealed a powerful mezzo-soprano, most notably in the Act 2 ensemble ‘Lisa mendace anch’essa’. Bass-baritone Vincent Graña gave a solid performance as Alessio, a villager in love with Lisa.
Prepared by Derrick Goff, the twenty-odd members of the Chorus were in fine form, producing spirited and dynamic singing throughout.
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