Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez in La Sonnambula - Son geloso del zefiro errante

[saagua1953]

I think the modern staging detracts from and contradicts the naive nature of the opera when performed as intended. Indeed, the staging was roundly booed in New York at the end of the performance. Dessay was enthusiastic about it; Florez said nothing.

[calisondaix]

divine ! brilliant ! the most sensitive combination !

un pur régal. Merci pour cet instant de paradis.

[MrAndredekock]

I think this is one of the finest performances of Sonnambula I have ever heard and what a privilege it is to be able to watch this performance in full at the cinema with the Met's HD productions seen all over the world. Bravi!

[willwjl]

They are amazing aren't they?

[jhezser71]

I keep watching this video..At least once or twice a day..The singing is divine so is the acting and the chemistry between the two of them is fantasic as others have commented.NOt sure about the director's concept though. All that getting on and off the table is a bit weird for me.

[willwjl]

@jhezser71 I had never seen the opera before, so I don't know what the traditional staging is like.

Even though at times it's a bit odd, it does have a pared-down, deconstructed quality, so what you get is the music and performance in it's most basic form, without all the swiss-village kitsch thrown in...

[willwjl]

there's only 3 left on Amazon.com  (7/13/11)

[Cipri1001]

¡Bravooo! Gracias por compartirlo

[donzan9]

She is so perky and cute! Nearer the end of the opera (not shown here), she sings like a nightingale during a sleep-walking phase. She is out on an extended plank from the stage, and her breath control and bell-like purity are awesome!!! Juan is also incredible!! You can't always judge a singer's voice

by recorded sound, because sometimes the technics are not exact.. These

two are certainly blessed with gifts from above!!!!

[MelWolff]

i just watched this at the met player and i just got a crush on Juan Diego..now every time i watch him sing, i'm just like pepe le pew..

[Bivolari]

They cut a big chunk of the duet. Granted it is a hard thing to sing, but, if you think the music is excessive, why bother doing the opera. I must say that Florez's unrelieved chest singing becomes a little wearing after a while. Rubini, the first Elvino was a falsetto tenor. Bellini expected the notes above an Ab or A to be in the head voice. When a tenor did not have these notes, like Donzelli, the first Pollione, he kept the role low. They both have a wonderful stage presence.

[StuartLou]

What am i missing here? What happened to Sonnambula? This is a pathetic production. Is this a joke?

[gestas60323]

@StuartLou

exactly my opinion. at last, a sensible comment !

[poperagurl]

this looks (and sounds!!) like a great production. is it on DVD?

[thecelticspirit]

@poperagurl Yep! Go have a look on Amazon, I'm sure you can find it ;-))

[poperagurl]

@thecelticspirit thanks! found it & bought it ;)

[acitipo]

Hermoso duo, fantasticamente afiatados, las dos voces mas importante del Bell canto actual.

[gman20101]

damn I downloaded whole performance (more than 7 Gb) and I cant listen - did she lose her voice completely? I was a big fan of her...

[reduxmisc]

Wow ! Although I prefer it in a traditional version.. I must say this is really great.

For today this is about as good as it gets. Bravi !

[camuchita50]

Soy una novata en cuanto a opera, pero cuando tube la suerte de ver y observar estas dos grandes figuras, Dios !! que belleza !!, que encanto !! Que voces !!!

Dios me dio la bendicion de apreciar esta belleza de arte con estas dos grandes figuras del bello canto.!!

[joedmega]

Los dos, Natalie y Juan Diego, están extraordinarios en este duo y en general en toda esta producción. Ha sido muy gratificante encontrar este video y volver a escucharlos (muchos pudimos ver esta producción gracias a las trasmisiones MET LIVE IN HD). Muchas gracias por postear.

[malamutet]

Bravissimi entrambi. Natalie, oltre a cantare bene, è anche molto espressiva.

[roykogan]

Appreciate the uploading of this luminous performance...but you must know, there is serious and horrible sound distortion here. Hear the metallic ringing throughout? Get the DVD, and you will hear pure velvet, melting exquisiteness. I saw this production twice, from the front of the Met. I have never heard such ravishing singing in my life. Juan Diego Florez is a gift from the gods, and we are simply blessed to have him amongst us. I'm out of characters. More to follow.

[bb8319]

Absolutely delightful ! Stunning final high note together, too. JDF did kind of rip loose on his "echo" of Amina's little cadenza in mid-duet, but I interpreted that (and so did Natalie, in her acting) as masculine enthusiasm - it played just fine, and built the heat of the duet very effectively. These two obviously know what being in love is all about!

They pretty much steamed up the stage on this one, folks... very beautiful to hear and to watch :-D

[reinadegrillos]

Para mí, una belleza!

[SOPRATENOR]

UNE MERVEILLE!!!!!!

[philipc67]

This one of the most beautiful love duets in all opera, not very well known.

Both sing very well, even if JDF is a bit too loud, not refined/delicate enough.

ND is superb in her recording of the role. This is her last year as Amina, after Vienna she drops the role and will be doing PURITANI next year. Now pushing 45 and starting to show it, she is arguably no longer credible as Amina. I just bought tickets, against all odds, for FILLE DU REGIMENT at the ROH in May and can't wait to see them!

[reinadegrillos]

@philipc67 If she is already old for Amina don't tell me she is fit for Marie!

I disagree, though. I love her voice, her acting and never would care about her age! Her singing is divine!

Saluti.

[MrHbc3]

@philipc67 "She is arguably no longer credible as Amina"??? With her incredible acting skills (not to mention singing skills) she is more credible as Amina than probably at least 90% of singers are in the roles they sing. One of the reasons I like her so much is that she can BECOME the character she is playing. Sometimes she slips, as in this scene when she strides off the stage in her power pants moving more like king of the town than a little Swiss Miss in a tiny town in the hills. Smile.

[rodolfoyoel]

tuve la oportunidad de ver toda la ópera hace tiempo y, me pareció simplemente espectacular, no veo la hora de verlos actuar juntos en nuevas obras, pienso ke hacen una excelente dupla, me gustaron en la fille du regiment y me gustaronen esta también. Gracias x subirlo.

[hashatz]

This is singing at its highest level. It is tender and heartwarming .

[cleanears]

not really very good. the recits are sung with no real feeling... they all try too hard to do something but they're not really at all sure what something they want to do!

[Operaphile]

@cleanears Blame the director!!!! Crap production. Great singing!

[gretchenamspinnrade]

both of them are great, but he's too loud in this for my taste.

[tenordramaticitm2]

2 very good opera singers! Wonderfully Opera and singers!

[SamanthaVoce]

Son tremendos, magníficos, ídolos totales !!!

Me enamoran mal !!!

Bellos, bellos!

[colino72]

Insane and incredible!

[MrScarpia]

que duo más maravilloso, uno de mis preferidos de entre todas las óperas. Grande Florez, simplemente superior!

[renthead15]

One of my favorite duets in all of opera!

[navnaveed]

Florez is perfect in the role, but the recorded sound is very rough. natalie voice is still good ,but it does not complement Florez's

[kinakina123123]

Oh My! The complete performance, you are not even aware you are watching a performance. They just take you along for a beautiful ride.

These two are fantastic together, in looks and voice.

Wonderful, wonderful, something to watch over and over.

I have to say Natalie is a better opera singer now than she has ever been. The voice might be a little different as she gets older, but the talent is superb.

[MrHbc3]

@kinakina123123 That's what I think. Natalie just seems to get better and better. Her acting, always outstanding is so subtle at the same time being emphatic somehow causes her to BE the character. Some of her singing from the 1990s is fantastic, but good as her acting was and her singing... now it's all so much better. There are many beautiful voices, but somehow Natalie's work is just so much more interesting and compelling.

[kentforbes2000]

OH MY GOODNESS, this man is amazing. Finally there is a male that fits so perfectly with Natalie.

[RickBanner]

que hermosura

[eneve]

Totalmente de acuerdo, ahora si puedo darme cuenta...

[luvthemac]

What a wonderful duet- love the chemistry between Juan Diego and Natalie.

[jhvorotin]

oui, Laurent Naouri a dû attendre Juan Diego en coulisses ;)

[jhvorotin]

c'est mignon! ce sont de véritables acteurs tous les deux, sur la table

[DessayBestSinger]

first again! je regarde xD