NORMA

Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835)

Vincenzo Bellini

Born in Catania, the composer studied at Naples, worked for La Scala and La Fenice and then went to Paris. With a few successful operas under his belt, Bellini attracted great attention in the late 1820s. During the period, he lived mostly in Milan and made a quick entry into the social circles of the great metropolis. He made his living from opera commissions and never held any official position, such as that of lecturer or artistic director. He spent the summers at the country residences of friends, the Cantu and Turinia families.

Norma was selected as a subject by the end of July 1831 while the composer summered with his mistress, Giuditta Turinia, at her villa on Lake Como. Most of the music was written between September and November 1831 at Blevio, on Lake Como, where Bellini was a guest of the great diva Giuditta Pasta, who created the role of Norma. Both Pasta and the faithful librettist Felice Romani encouraged the composer to the work, which was completed in a matter of months.

01 - Norma

The libretto of Norma is one of Romani's best, based on which Bellini created one of his greatest operas. Though he adhered to the formal structure of belcanto by composing pieces of the scena - cantabile - tempo di mezzo - cabaletta variety, he made several interesting changes, which were a bit radical for the day. Bellini opens Act I with a soloist rather than the traditional ensemble. Instead of concluding the act with a grand ensemble involving the chorus and principals, he focuses on Norma, Pollione and Adalgisa, the three principals' love triangle.

He opens Act II with Norma contemplating killing her sons, not an aria but a dramatic and declamatory scena as she agonizes over her options. The opera has only two real arias, one for Norma and another for Pollione while Adalgisa is given a mere preghiera, a prayer sandwiched between two sections of a recitative, and Oroveso's sortita is accompanied by the chorus. Rather than having Norma singing a rousing cabaletta or rondò with chorus, the opera comes to an end as Norma and Pollione solemnly walk to their immolation.

The plot line

The plot takes place in Gaul at the time of the Roman conquest.

Act I – Deep in a forest, the Druids gather at the altar of their god, Irminsul, where the priest, Oroveso, leads them in a prayer for revenge against the Romans. After they leave, the Roman proconsul, Pollione, confesses that he no longer loves the high priestess Norma, Oroveso's daughter, but a novice priestess, Adalgisa. The Druids assemble and Norma prays to the moon goddess for peace. After the Druids disperse, Adalgisa appears and prays for strength to resist Pollione who arrives and persuades her to flee with him to Rome .

In her hidden retreat, Norma tells her confidante, Clotilde, that she fears Pollione may desert her and her two children for a woman of unknown identity. The children are led away. Adalgisa enters and confesses that she has a lover. Recalling her own weakness, Norma is about to absolve Adalgisa from her vows but her kindness turns to fury when Pollione appears and Norma learns that he is Adalgisa's lover. Though Pollione would still flee with her, Adalgisa vows she would rather die than take him away from Norma.

Act II – Norma tries to murder her children in their sleep to keep them from Pollione. She cannot do it. Instead, she summons Adalgisa to take them to him. The girl refuses, pleading with the despairing mother to pity her children. Norma embraces Adalgisa, overcome by her offer to go to Pollione and plead. Assembled at the altar, the Druids hear Oroveso announce that Pollione is being replaced by a crueller commander.Oroveso rages at Rome's

hateful bondage but advises momentary submission so as to make the eventual revolt certain of success.

At the temple, bewildered that Adalgisa's entreaties to Pollione have been in vain, Norma urges the people to wage war on the conquerors. Oroveso demands a sacrificial victim. Pollione is dragged in, having profaned the sanctuary. Alone with him, Norma promises him freedom if he will renounce Adalgisa and return to her. When he refuses, Norma calls in the Druids and confesses her guilt. Moved by her nobility, Pollione insists on sharing her fate. After begging Orveso to watch over her children, Norma leads her lover to the pyre while the Druids pray.

The opera

The world premiere on 26 December 1831 at Teatro alla Scala, Milan, was a clamorous fiasco. Bellini shed tears and wrote words of deep disappointment to his friend and biographer Florimo. One major cause of the failure was the radical change of a majestic finale primo with a splendid but nevertheless simple trio. Yet, from the very second performance, Norma received an extraordinary and unexpected acclaim, which reverberated elsewhere in Italy. At Covent Garden, London, the opera sung by Malibran and conducted by Bellini himself was the cause of a real delirium. The libretto was translated in many languages and the opera was and is performed nowadays in every corner of the world.

Norma is generally considered to be Bellini's masterpiece and an important milestone in the history of opera. Norma is also acknowledged to be the zenith of pure singing with lyrical and tragic expressions. It is also innovative due to its romantic slanci, more drama and chiaro-scuri than Rossini's operas. According to some, Norma is almost an avant guard opera and to others a nostalgic return to the good days of Cimarosa. Verdi applauded it due to its long melodies nobody else had ever tried before and Wagner said,

" I admire its rich melodic vein together with its most intimate passion; a score which speaks to the heart and is the work of a genius."

02 - The opera performers

DVD The opera Norma in two acts (1831) and recorded live at the Finnish National Opera (Helsinki, March 2004)

Major soloists: Gabriella Morigi as Norma (S), Salvatore Fisichella as Pollione (T), Serena Farnocchia as Adalgisa (S), Hannu Forsberg as Oroveso (B), Ari Gronthal as Flavio (T) and Merja Wirkkala as Clotilde (Ms).

Orchestra: Finlands National Operans Orkester conducted by Alberto Hold-Garrido

Chorus: Finlands National Operans Kor

Stage Director: Renata Scotto

Scene and costume Designer: Carlo Diappi

03 - Media files

Part 1  (removed)

Audio 1 Meco all'altar di Venere sung by Pollione (tenor Salvatore Fisichella) - Norma act I

Audio 2 Casta diva sung by Norma (soprano Gabriella Morigi) and chorus - Norma act I

Audio 3 Oh_di qual tu sei vittima sung by Norma (soprano Gabriella Morigi), Adalgisa (soprano Serena Farnocchia) and Pollione (tenor Salvatore Fisichella) - Norma act I finale

Video 1 Me protegge_me difende sung by Flavio (tenor Ari Gronthal) and Pollione (tenor Salvatore Fisichella) - Norma act I

Video 2 Vanne e li cela entrambi sung by Norma (soprano Gabriella Morigi) and Clotilde (mezzosoprano Merja Wirkkala) - Norma act I

Video 3 Ebben_lo compi sung by Norma (soprano Gabriella Morigi), Adalgisa (soprano Serena Farnocchia) and Pollione (tenor Salvatore Fisichella) - Norma act I finale.

Part 2  (removed)

Audio 4 Mira o Norma sung by Adalgisa (soprano Serena Farnocchia) and Norma (soprano Gabriella Morigi) - Norma act II

Audio 5 Dammi quel ferro sung by Pollione (tenor Salvatore Fisichella), Norma (soprano Gabriella Morigi) and chorus - Norma act II

Audio 6 Qual cor tradisti sung by Norma (soprano Gabriella Morigi), Pollione (tenor Salvatore Fisichella), Oroveso (bass Hannu Forsberg) and chorus - Norma act II

Video 4 Guerra_guerra! sung by Norma (soprano Gabriella Morigi), Oroveso (bass Hannu Forsberg), Clotilde (mezzosoprano Merja Wirkkala) and chorus - Norma act II

Video 5 Ne compi il rito Norma sung by Oroveso (bass Hannu Forsberg), Norma (soprano Gabriella Morigi), Clotilde (mezzosoprano Merja Wirkkala), Pollione (tenor Salvatore Fisichella) and chorus - Norma act II

Video 6 Deh_non volerli vittime sung by Norma (soprano Gabriella Morigi), Oroveso (bass Hannu Forsberg), Pollione (tenor Salvatore Fisichella) and chorus - Norma act II finale.

Note (ed.)

To play back the above video clips on your computer

INSTALL THE REAL PLAYER 10 or WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER 10 or WINAMP

The audio and video clips should be played on the PC by opening them with any of the three players above. For video clips, the video quality of the clips is high enough that a setting of 2x should be used with any of the players. The video takes allow the viewer to appreciate the stage sets, which are sumptuous, move in or out during the scenes. Carlo Diappi, the scene designer, should be highly credited for them.

The video clips are multi bit rate codec files of the wmv type. The clip sound is excellent, colour is good, video is very good but, unfortunately, the video takes are fixed at a distance from the stage. Hence, facial expressions and costumes are not distinguishable. However, I am able to zoom in the image by the following procedure:

I open the first video clip with the WMP 10 and the setting at 2x. Then, I use the mouse to drag outwards the player window bottom edge and the right edge to the limit. Thus, I maximise the video area. On opening any subsequent video clip, the maximum video area is maintained.

Streaming was done at 250 kbps video (suitable for cable and DSL connections) to reduce weight and speed up downloading.

There is no need to adjust the video settings for brightness, contrast or colour. If they are applied, they may cause a certain image unsteadiness, which is annoying.

04 - Review by members of the panel  

Joseph Fragala

The technique of Bellini's opera Norma typifies the older Italian opera school. Solos and ensembles, based on a simple harmonic and melodic structure, are aplenty.Emotional moments are present and they are by no means meagre, such as those in the exhilarating Casta diva, the romantically expressive duet Mira o Norma and the plaintive Deh, non volerli vittime before the soaring finale ultimo. As Norma, one of the greatest and most difficult soprano roles, Gabriella Morigi acquits herself splendidly in the pianissimi and top notes. Her timbre is well coloured but not so well in the lower register intonations. As Adalgisa, Serena Farnocchia's vocality is superb: the emission and coloratura technique is complete and the expressive style classically beautiful. As Pollione, a role which glorified the voice of tenor Lauri-Volpi in 1927 at The Met, Salvatore Fisichella' sumptuous middle register and top notes are so imposing, the diction so clear and virile, and movements on the stage so imperious as to befit a Roman proconsul in Gaul. Hannu Forsberg, judging from his portrayal of the Archdruid, Norma's father, and with little to sing, has a pulpy, dark, homogeneous voice and acquits himself with distinction. The production itself, not in a vast arena as that of Verona, is nevertheless grandiose for the atmosphere of the opera (tall pillars, opening out stage sets and vividly burning flames). Renata Scotto's direction is excellent. Alberto Hold-Garrido keeps the music moving at a good pace. At a distance from the stage which makes the singers undistinguishable, the video takes are lamentable.

Geoff Mallinson

Overall the performance is very good. Fisichella: He has now (at date of performance) been singing for an amazing thirty years. He is in excellent voice, he makes a wonderful tenor sound - it rings out clearly and freely without a hint of strain and it is testament to a sound technique and careful usage. The role is well within his capabilities. He is one of a kind, a supreme lyric tenor. Morigi: She sings with great dramatic impact and expression. She is indeed a first class soprano who dominates every scene she appears in. Her voice rises to the top notes with an easy emission and she is the equal of Fisichella in their set pieces. Farnocchia: She may well be overshadowed to some degree by Fisichella and Morigi and from the excerpts on offer I found it difficult to make much of an assessment of her voice.  In her duet Mira o Norma with Morigi, she was by no means outclassed. I found her a competent Adalgisa but I would have wished to have heard more of her. Forsberg: On the little that was available to listen to, he has a firm, dark basso voice which is delivered with assurance but once again there is insufficient to make an informed judgement. The orchestra was well directed and accompanied the production very well, although I thought that the conductor was a little too willing to pause for applause at every opportunity. The sets and lighting were well designed and operated but the video production was at long distance and the singers and chorus were indistinct. If I have one complaint, it is one which seems to be everlasting:Opera is not just about singing, it is also about acting!!  Once again, we were treated to the spectacle of performers (with the possible exception of Morigi) standing still, waving one arm; waving the other and occasionally walking two or three steps.Oh, for a Callas!!!

Lynn Samohel

Norma is the greatest belcanto opera. The words of the great Bellini to his friends after the premiere of Norma at La Scala were, '...fiasco, fiasco, solenne fiasco!...'. He was convinced that the Milanese was determined to give the opera the same end as that of the Druid priestess. Bellini continued on the same note. '... That music came from my heart - if passion has not jeopardized my judgment - Norma's aria, the duet for the two women, the trio, the war hymn and the finale are all pieces that pleased me very much musically (with modesty) and I confess that I will be happy if I am again able to write music as good during my artistic life.'

The world premiere of Norma had a magnificent cast: Giuditta Pasta as Norma, Giulia Grisi as Adalgisa and Domenico Donzelli as Pollione. Despite that, there were uneasy feelings. Singers were all very tired due to strenuous rehearsals. It is recorded that, unfortunately, Pasta sang with poor tones and was sometimes off pitch. Grisi gave a cold performance and Donzelli did not know his part well. Nevertheless, after the fiasco, the Milanese showed a different disposition in the second and third performances when singers sang much better. By the fourth performance, Bellini's opera was a success. Soon it performed all over Europe and established itself as the best tragic Italian opera until Verdi's Otello emerged in 1887.

Gabriella Morigi - The role of Norma is considered to be the most difficult in the operatic repertoire and unless Norma herself is absolutely first rate the opera disintegrates. The role needs a dramatic soprano with tremendous agility and a singing technique of the highest order. She must be able to have enough in reserve for sheer dramatic impact. Famous Normas are few and far in between. Despite all this, Norma has been a great temptation for many sopranos. Gabriella Morigi is one of the great Normas. She sang Norma at least 74 times all over Europe (Staatsoper Berlin, Royal Opera House Stockholm, Theatres Basel, Koblenz, Oporto, Helsinki, Savona, Bellini of Catania etc.) and her performance is outstanding. Technically, she is superb. She is a great belcanto singer, musically a very sensitive 'soprano drammatico d'agilità' in the true sense of the word. She delivers a great performance, very close to one of the best living Normas, Montserrat Caballe. Serena Farnocchia - The role of Adalgisa, though less dramatically demanding, is technically just as exacting. It needs a dramatic coloratura mezzo-soprano but with a high register. As Adalgisa, a soprano without the mezzo range and quality (the tessitura of Adalgisa's music is not as high as Norma's) would not be able to provide the contrast in her many exchanges of identical phrases with Norma. Soprano Serena Farnocchia is a very successful Adalgisa (the role was originally written for a soprano but in most productions it is sung by a mezzo). Her rich voice blends well with that of Norma, is very strong, has dramatic qualities, great warmth and beauty. Salvatore Fisichella - Pollione's role is also very difficult and there are very few heroic tenors with both flexibility of voice and the ability to sing cantilenas. Salvatore's Pollione is perfectly sung with squillo, flawless phrasing, firm and urgent voice, proving himself to be equal to the role of Norma. Hannu Forsberg - As Oroveso, the Finnish bass displays a large, rich, agile voice, imposing stature and is surprisingly convincing as the compassionate ancient Druid.

Dragos Tomescu

To many opera lovers, Norma is the symbol of belcanto: beautiful music, plenty of drama and the composer has been very generous with every character (Oreveso has 2 beautiful arias in each act with the chorus, Adalgisa and Pollione has each one aria and lot of duets between them or with the main character, Norma), so Norma, despite its melodramatic plot, is one of the most performed in the history of opera. For the main character, Norma, one needs a soprano drammatico d'agilità, which is a very rare voice, so the role was sung mainly by spinto-dramatic sopranos (Lehmann, Ponselle, Cigna, Callas, Cerquetti and Milanov) and only in the last 30 years has Norma been sung by sopranos, the likes of Gencer, Caballe or Sutherland, who had also the coloratura necessary for the role.

Gabriella Morigi is more in the Caballe than in the Callas' line. She has a voice capable of beautiful pianissimi, very agile and round in the top register. However, she has not the middle and low register of either Caballe or Callas, so the dramatic part of the role is not so well emphasized. From what I've read, she is one of the contemporary Norma specialists (over 70 performances in the last decade) and also a well-known belcanto and baroque singer. It was a very pleasant surprise to see that the role of Adalgisa is sung by a soprano, not by a mezzo, and, vocally, Serena Farnocchia is very good in the role. She is also, like Gabriella Morigi, a great belcanto singer, especially in Donizetti operas, like Lucrezia Borgia and Anna Bolena. Hearing her, reminds me a little of Christa Ludwig singing the role, as she has the same sensitivity. Doubtless, the greatest star of the cast is Salvatore Fisichella, who, after 30 years of experience in the belcanto repertoire, sings not only a very youthful but a vivid Pollione. Giuseppe Sabatini, another contemporary great belcanto tenor, said in an interview that it is a pity that, in the last century, Pollione was sung in a non belcanto manner and mainly by spinto or dramatic tenors, the only great exception being Lauri-Volpi. Well, Salvatore Fisichella shows us that the role can be sung in a perfect belcanto style and, let us not forget, that one needs a good middle register and a a very secure top like our tenor's in order to handle the role properly. Hannu Forsberg, Oreveso, has a dark, somptuous voice and I regret I could not hear the two arias from the beginning of each act to say more about him.

Credit Table (Total marks 20/20)

The total marks for the soloists are based on vocality and acting ability

l    Lynn

j    Joseph                                                                                                                  k   Keith

a   Andrei                                                                                                                   d   Dragos

m   Mihai

(j.f.)

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Watch and listen to a sample video clip from Mefistofele act III - Margherita's death

The Panel
s.f. Salvatore Fisichella

y.l.c. Yves Le Coz

l.s. Lynn Samohel

m.m. Michèle Muller

j.f. Joseph Fragala
g.m. Geoff Mallinson
a.t. Andrei Turcu
k.s. Keith Shilcock
d.t. Dragos Tomescu          m.b. Mihai Bogdan