Vincenzo Bellini

Research Status: Moderate Last Updated: 2025-12-07 Diary Coverage: Up to 1873-02-12

Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835) was an Italian opera composer of the bel canto era. His opera "La Sonnambula" (The Sleepwalker) was performed at the Cercle de la Méditerranée on February 7, 1873.

La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker)

First performed in 1831, "La Sonnambula" is a romantic opera about a young woman who walks in her sleep and is suspected of infidelity. The opera explores themes of:

• Love and misunderstanding
• Innocence proven
• Social reputation
• Eventual recognition and reconciliation

These themes may have resonated with Marie's own romantic preoccupations and concerns about social perception.

Performance Context

The Vicomtesse Vigier, a former opera singer herself (Sophie Cruvelli), hosted this performance, adding authenticity and prestige to the evening. Marie notes the voice as "magnifique, un peu usée, un peu criarde, mais magnifique."

Cultural Significance

Bellini's operas were central to 19th-century European cultural life, particularly among the aristocracy. Knowledge of and attendance at opera performances was an essential marker of social sophistication.

%% 2025-12-07T15:45:00 RSR: Created entry based on February 7, 1873 diary entry. The parallel between La Sonnambula's themes and Marie's diary concerns is worth noting for translators. %%