BELLINI : NORMA

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 6th of November 2016 at 6.05 -8.45 pm
Sunday 19th of February 2012 at 3.4 - 6.05 pm
Sunday 22nd of June 2008 at 3 - 5.40 pm

2016BELLINI: Norma
An opera in three acts, with libretto by Felice Romani.
An archival recording from 1982
Norma.......................... Joan Sutherland
Adalgisa....................... Marilyn Horne
Oroveso....................... Ezio Flagello
Pollione........................ Ermanno Mauro
Flavio........................... Howard Hensel
Clotilde........................ Leslie Richards
San Francisco Opera Chorus and Orchestra/Richard Bonynge
Sunday 19th of February 2012
BELLINI: Norma, an opera in two acts
An archive performance from 4 April, 1970, of the opera written at the peak of the romantic Italian bel canto period. Set in Gaul during the Roman conquest, the druid priestess Norma has had two children, fathered secretly by the Roman proconsul Pollione. When he turns his attention to a young temple virgin, Adalgisa, Norma's anger has dire consequences for them all.
Norma.......................... Joan Sutherland
Adalgisa........................ Marilyn Horne
Pollione......................... Carlo Bergonzi
Oroveso........................ Cesare Siepi
Clotilde......................... Carlotta Ordassy
Flavio............................ Rod MacWherter
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Richard Bonynge (EBU)
The NY Metropera has not done Norma in this century,
so there are no study notes on their site! None were added for this broadcast from the archives in 2012.

COMPOSER
BACKGROUND
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
LIBRETTO (Italian, and English, pdf)

Sunday 22nd of June 2008
BELLINI: Norma, an opera in two acts
Norma.......................... Edita Gruberová
Clothilde....................... Caroline Wenborne
Pollione......................... José Cura
Oroveso........................ Dan Paul Dumitrescu
Flavio............................ Marian Talaba
Adalgisa........................ Elina Garanca
Vienna State Opera Chorus & Orch/Friedrich Haider
(recorded by Austrian Radio)

This opera is the greatest (or very much almost). Before Wagner became a full-time opera-composer, he conducted it with enthusiasm. Bellini himself (1801-1835) considered it to be his best work, though he did not live long after its production (1831-2) to enjoy it.

It is divided into a certain number of acts, but I am certainly not certain how many. Let's give it to the highest bidder and settle for a quartet of acts (as in the libretto I am using).

ACT ONE Druid temple
We are in ancient Gaul, under Roman occupation (who wasn't in those days?). Gallic Celts and Druid priests are milling around, muttering 'What have the Romans ever done for us?' and 'Romans go home!'. They are fomenting insurrection, waiting at the sacred oak and the altar stone of their god Irminsul, expecting the new moon to rise soon. The high priest Oroveso assures them that the virgin priestess Norma, his daughter, will come when the moon appears, to inspire them with hate against the Romans, and to give the signal for the rebellion; with her golden sickle she will cut the sacred mistletoe.

Unfortunately, she must have had too many kisses under the mistletoe; she has secretly given birth to two children, fathered by Pollione the Roman Proconsul. When the Gauls disperse into the forest, Pollione tells his friend Flavio about this clandestine love affair, but adds that he now prefers a younger priestess named Adalgisa. However, he intends to destroy their temple and their sacred grove.

Norma arrives and tells her people they should be working for peace; it is written in the arcane books that Rome will fall by its own vices, not by Gaulish devices. She cuts the mistletoe and the priestesses gather it in baskets. She sings to the moon as Casta Diva: 'Chaste goddess who silvers these ancient holy plants, turn to us your beautiful countenance with no cloud nor veil. Moderate the fiery hearts, and also the audacious zeal. Extend over the earth the peace that you cause to reign in heaven'.

Norma dismisses the people. saying that when the god demands it she will call for Roman blood to be shed. And then let the Proconsul be the first to die, the throng replies. Norma agrees, but then innerly wishes for the love they had to be renewed.

All except Adalgisa depart, and she is confronted by Pollione. She shuns him at first, but he persuades her in a passionate duet that they should elope to Rome. (End of scene or act.)

ACT TWO Outside Norma's home
Norma confides in her friend Clotilde; she entrusts her children to her, and tells her Pollione has been recalled to Rome. and she does not know how she fits into his life now.

Adalgisa confesses to Norma that she has a lover, and of course Norma is very sympathetic, until she eventually realizes it is Pollione, and the beautiful duet becomes a tortured trio. Both women reject him for his perfidy. The Druidic gong summons Norma to the temple.

ACT THREE Inside Norma's Home
Norma has a dagger and means to kill her children to save them from disgrace, but instead she summons Adalgisa. Here we have another round of ravishing duets, the most melting and lilting being 'Mira, o Norma': 'See, Norma, at your knees, these dear kiddies of yours. Ah, let pity for them touch you, if you have no pity for yourself.' Norma asks Adalgisa to take the children when she goes to Rome with Pollione.

ACT FOUR
Scene 1 (also known as Act 2 scene 2) In the Forest
Oroveso calms the Gallic warriors, urging them to be patient.

Scene 2 The open-air Temple again
This is where it all gets sorted out. Norma now feels Pollione will come back to her. But Clotilde reports that he is going to abduct Adalgisa from the temple. In anger, and breathing out death to all Romans, Norma sounds the gong. War is declared.

Pollione has been captured while desecrating the temple. Norma wishes to execute him herself with a dagger, but then demands that he renounce his two priestesses. He refuses. Ultimately Norma announces that a priestess has broken her vows, and she is the one who has caused all the trouble. Accordingly, she and the Proconsul will be dispatched on the same pyre; Pollione's love is reborn and he gladly goes to his death with her.

The competition was always between Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland for producing the best recording of Norma; but Montserrat Caballé did Adalgisa and Norma.

Two recordings that fascinate me are: the video of Montserrat singing Casta Diva in an amphitheater with the wind blowing; and Maria in a Milan performance, with Mario del Monaco (Franco Corelli and Mario Filippeschi in other recordings).