Review: Spectacular Sleepwalking in Bellini's SONNAMBULA at Juilliard Opera

It's a shame that Bellini wasn't Donizetti--because the story of LA SONNAMBULA seems to be begging for the full comic treatment and could have been a great companion to L'ELISIR D'AMORE. (I'm not sure how Maria Callas would have felt about changes in one of her great roles.) As it stands, performing the semi-serious work in a concert format--as The Juilliard Opera did last week--is the next best thing, putting the emphasis on the music and the virtuoso singing it calls for and less on the absurd storyline.

The concert performance--a co-venture of the Met's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and the Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts at Juilliard, conducted surely and flexibly by Speranza Scappucci--featured singers from the Lindemann and Juilliard Opera and, boy, did they have a singer for the central role of Amina.

Soprano Hyesang Park, a South Korea native, was spectacular, walking this bel canto tightrope with ease and elan. She spun out the long, melodic lines purely, dazzled with her coloratura, sparkled with intelligence. Sure, the young soprano didn't take a Callas-like approach--leaning more toward the traditional, light-voiced interpretation--but she had a personal triumph nonetheless. Winner of a clutch of awards, at 26, she's only at the start of her career (she made her American debut last year as Fiorilla in Juilliard's production of Rossini's comedy UN TURCO IN ITALIA). One can only imagine what lies ahead when she finishes her studies, though I noticed she has a Glyndebourne debut ahead in ARIADNE AUF NAXOS.

Park wasn't alone when it came to quality singing: The opera's youthful cast was definitely "ready for prime time," even if some seemed less than ideally cast in this type of opera.

Following close behind her in the be-on-the-lookout-for department was Serbian bass Sava Vemic. While he looked too youthful for the role of Rodolfo--an older, mysterious stranger who (spoiler alert!) is key to the story--the towering Vemic had great stage presence. His suave and resonant sound was a pleasure to hear, particularly in "Vi ravviso, o luoghi ameni," looking back at his character's youth.

Tenor Kang Wang was Adina's love, Elvino, one of the most dramatically thankless though musically rewarding roles in this repertoire. He had all the high notes that the role requires, but his clarion voice didn't seem quite right for the subtleties of bel canto writing. I'd like to hear the Chinese-born, Australian-raised singer again, maybe in Verdi next time. As Lisa, the final principal and rival to Amina for the love of Elvino (if only in her own mind), Clarissa Lyons' slightly acetic soprano was a good contrast to Parks' sweet, lyric instrument. Her rendition of "Tutto è gioia, tutto è festa...Sol per me non non v'ha content" --her 'woe is me' aria--was just right, but I'd also like to hear her in a different type of role.

Rounding out the cast in smaller roles were mezzo Sara Couden as Teresa, Adina's foster-mother, and bass-baritone Thesele Kemane as Alessio, Lisa's lovelorn suitor, both of whom are due larger roles in the future. The Juilliard Orchestra and Chorus did fine work under conductor Scappucci, with tenor Miles Mykkanen turning in a charming cameo performance as the Notary. I'm not sure what "Dramatic Consultant" signifies in Juilliard-speak, but if it means "director," David Paul certainly kept the cast well in motion, under Kate Ashton's thoughtful lighting design.

Whether the decision to present LA SONNAMBULA in concert form was financial or musical in nature, the Juilliard Opera proved that "less is more" with this work--except, of course, when it came to the talents of its cast.