Bellini’s Sonnambula a co-production of the Vienna State Opera and the Royal Opera House in Convent Garden signed by Marco Arturo Marelli is to be performed for the first time at the Paris Opera in February 2010.

No other repertoire could suit Nathalie Dessay better than one of her favourite ‘madness’ roles. Amina from Sonnambula is not extravagant, but her loneliness and her adulterous relationship are appropriately expressed. The setting is luxurious: a hotel in an art deco style with a charming view of the snowy Alps. Although the pension is huge and breaths a madhouse coldness, that is where the love between Amina and Elvino blossoms. Nathalie Dessay turns Amina into a fragile and expressive little girl. Her powerful technique allowed her to conceal the recent pharyngitis so her voice sounded clear. Young Javier Camarena, Elvino, invited her to try something different from her usual bel canto.

The staging signed by Evelino Pido is perhaps a little too soft. The cast is a very well chosen one, it is harmonious and meets the faulty scenography. Michele Petrusi plays the role of the libertine, yet warm-hearted Count, Marie-Adeline Henry, is the conspirative host and Cornelia Oncioiu (photo) the discreet yet decisive adoptive mother, an extraordinary performer, who in only one air manages to transform an indistinct character into an essential one. The performance brings us back to reality in both a dramatic and menacing way. The Parisian audience and newspapers have appreciated her and are now waiting for a more substantial role.