When Vincenzo Bellini reached his late twenties, he was already a star. He became one of Italy's hottest young composers by following what seemed, in his case, to be a sure-fire formula: dire straits. That is, he did it by writing operas featuring characters in all kinds of extreme, and unfortunate circumstances. One of his hits was a drama called The Pirate, telling a story of tragic love, blackmail, and murder. Another was The Stranger. In that one, a despondent lover manages to find himself engaged, but then commits suicide -- in the middle of the wedding ceremony.

So when Bellini was 29 and needed a new opera for a theater in Milan, he decided to stick with what got him there. He picked the story of Ernani, by Victor Hugo -- another tale of death and betrayal.

This time, things didn't work out. The events portrayed in Ernani were too political, and the new opera's libretto didn't sit well with the Italian censors. The project was canned just two months before opening night, with the theater was still waiting for that new opera.

So, with his deadline approaching -- and touchy censors to evade -- Bellini turned to a story without a hint of violence. It's called La Sonnambula -- The Sleepwalker. The piece isn't about politics, or murder. There are no dire straits. In fact, if the opera is about anything at all, it's about innocence. And even when that innocence seems false, it turns out to be a simple mistake -- understandably made, and easily corrected.

This week on World of Opera, we'll hear a standout production of La Sonnambula, from a truly historic venue, the Vienna State Opera. And it features one of opera's hottest young stars, soprano Anna Netrebko, in the title role.