La Sonnambula - Performance History

Performance History

With its pastoral setting and story, La sonnambula was an immediate success and is still regularly performed. The title role of Amina (the titular sleepwalker) with its high tessitura is renowned for its difficulty, requiring a complete command of trills and florid technique.

The opera was first given in London on 28 July 1831 at the King's Theatre in London and in New York on 13 November 1835 at the Park Theatre. In the 20th century, the role of Amina was sung by Maria Callas in the now-famous 1955 production by Luchino Visconti at La Scala.

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