From our standpoint today, it is unusual for us to think that the title roles of La sonnambula and Norma, both composed by Bellini in 1831, were also performed by the same singer, the legendary soprano sfogato Giuditta Pasta. Nowadays, we tend to think of both these roles totally different in character. In Deutsche Oper Berlin's production, the role of Amina was sung by Russian soprano Venera Gimadieva, with her dark coloratura and down-to-earth, robust gestures, apt for Bellini's country girl.