Club will screen ‘The Sleepwalker’ on Sept. 17 in Learning Center
OPERA CLUB
All are welcome to the Opera Club’s free screening of “La Sonnambula” (The Sleepwalker) on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 1:30 p.m. in the Clubhouse 3 Learning Center 3.
The piece, one of Bellini’s best works composed some 200 years ago, has been staged for contemporary times, as a play within a play, by the Metropolitan Opera. Club member Sylvan Von Burg will introduce this delightful romantic tale about an orphan who finds true love and marriage after overcoming unexpected happenings in her life.
Act 1 depicts the chorus/cast members arriving for rehearsal in a celebratory mood over the engagement of their principals, Amina and Elvino. Everyone is happy except Lisa who had hoped to attract Elvino for herself. When Elvino arrives he presents Amina with a ring that belonged to his departed mother and she in turn pledges her love to him. This event is interrupted by the arrival of Count Rodolfo who has inherited a castle in the village and has come to inspect it. As it is late in the day, the villagers begin to depart for their homes while Teresa, who is Amina’s foster mother, cautions them all about a ghost who haunts the village at night. However, Lisa, the innkeeper, invites Rodolfo to stay the night, and flirts with Rodolfo until she sees the ghost and flees, dropping her scarf on his bed. Rodolfo however recognizes the ghost as Amina, the sleepwalker, and gallantly places a cover over her as he exits the room. When morning breaks, the cast arrives to find Amina sleeping in Rodolfo’s room; and Elvino reacts to this awful discovery by calling off the wedding.
Act 2 finds a jubilant Lisa celebrating her betrothal to Elvino in place of Amina. However, Rodolfo arrives to say he spent his night at the castle and the village ghost is in fact a sleepwalker named Amina. Teresa then produces Lisa’s scarf from Rodolfo’s bedroom at the inn as Amina reappears while sleepwalking. Elvino awakens her by replacing the ring on her finger.
The production is in Italian with English subtitles. People are encouraged to wear masks indoors, if they desire. No dues or fees are collected.
For more information, contact Margaret Gillon at margaretgi@ yahoo.com or call 562370-3844.
Juan Diego Florez (l) and Natalie Dessay in "Sonnambula."
