Singapore’s The Opera People will celebrate its fifth anniversary by presenting a production of “La Sonnambula.”

On Sept. 1 and 3, 2023, the organization, led by company manager and co-artistic director Shridar Mani and co-artistic director Jonathan Charles Tay, will showcase the Bellini classic in a production by Edith Podesta at the Wild Rice Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre.

Lien Boon Hua will conduct the Wayfarer Sinfonietta and a cast that stars Jonathan Charles Tay as Elvino and Renata Hann Sungwon and Felicia Teo Kaixin sharing the role of Amina. Other cast members include Phoebe Chee as Lisa, Shawn Liew as Rodolfo, and Dennis Lau as Alessio.

“As we cross our 5th year, we feel that this production will mark how far the opera scene has come in the last decade. 10 years ago, it would not have been possible to present this work with an all local cast but today we don’t just have an entirely local cast and ensemble, but also two sopranos taking on the challenging title role of Amina,” Mani said in an official press statement. “True to our style of connecting opera to contemporary issues, we are also working with our frequent collaborator, the brilliant Edith Podesta, to explore mental health, loss & grief, and the ways these two issues are tied into the relationship between self and community that are so intrinsic to this opera.”