Its a Saturday afternoon in the holiday season; life is marvelous; the weather is beautiful. Can it get any better? Well, I suppose it could. So, Im sitting here going through some IOM company financial reports whilst listing to some of my favorite music on Youtube. And you know what? Im going to share with you some of my musical favorites! I dont think its a secret to any of you that Ive been a long time opera aficionado. Here is one of my all time favorites - Here is a duet from Vincenzo Bellinis tragic opera, Norma. This duet is, in my opinion, one of the bel canto repertoires most lovely songs. If you add the act 1 aria, Casta diva, youve got some of the most beautiful music for the bel canto opera stage. Thats good, because the term, bel canto simply means literally, beautiful singing. Norma and its composer have become almost synonymous with this specific bel canto notoriously torturous style of opera. The title character in Bellinis Norma is a role with emotions ranging from haughty and demanding, to desperately passionate, to vengeful and defiant. And the singer must convey all of this while confronting some of the most vocally challenging music ever composed. The title role—one of the most taxing and wide-ranging parts in the entire repertory, is one of the most difficult in the soprano repertoire. It calls for great vocal control of range, flexibility, and dynamics as well as containing a wide range of emotions: conflict of personal and public life, romantic life, maternal love, friendship, jealousy, murderous intent, and resignation. The German soprano Lilli Lehmann once remarked that the singing of all three Brünnhilde roles of Wagners opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen in one evening would be less stressful than the singing of one Norma. She also commented When you sing Wagner, you are so carried away by the dramatic emotion, the action, and the scene that you do not have to think how to sing the words. That comes of itself. But in Bellini, you must always have a care for beauty of tone and correct emission. While Maria Callas was probably one of the most famous Normas during the post-WWII era to grace the opera stage, Joan Sutherland here brings the 1970s daring and plunging necklines and kicking hair styles into our minds again. The 1970s were one of the most wondrous times to be alive! The old word became new again and all the parts of our lives were brought alive in ways unimaginable only a few short years before. The synopsis of Bellinis Norma is a complicated one, but then again, show me an interesting opera that isnt. The opera had its premier in La Scala on the day after Christmas in 1831. The story takes place in 50 B.C. Gaul. For those of you liberals yet reading, you might as well stop now because this is probably way above your capability to comprehend or stay focused. For those of you whod really like to know the story of Norma, read on: ACT ONE: The action takes place in ancient Gaul, under Roman occupation, where the Druid priestess Norma has fallen in love with a Roman official named Pollione and has secretly borne him two children. Norma is also the daughter of the Druids leader, Oroveso. As the action begins, Oroveso instructs his followers to go into the sacred forest and wait for Norma, who will signal the start of a planned revolt against the Romans. When the Druids leave, we find Pollione talking with the centurion Flavio. Pollione admits that hes no longer in love with Norma. His new romantic interest is the young acolyte Adalgisa, one of Normas temple virgins. In the forest, a brass gong sounds. Pollione and Flavio leave, and a chorus announces the arrival of Norma. As she cuts the sacred mistletoe, Norma sings the classic bel canto aria Casta Diva, a prayer to the goddess for victory over the Romans. The Druids follow Norma off, leaving Adalgisa alone to struggle with her emotions. Shes torn between her love for Pollione, and her loyalty to Norma and her sworn duties. Pollione joins Adalgisa and begs her to elope with him to Rome. The second scene takes place at Normas home. She tells her friend Clotilde to hide her two little boys — the sons Norma had with Pollione. Shes afraid of her ambivalent feelings toward them: I love, and at the same time, hate, my children, she says. Adalgisa pays a visit to Norma, asking to be released from her vows. She admits shes found love, though she doesnt say with whom. Norma is touched, remembering her own early days with Pollione. She agrees to release Adalgisa from her vows. But when Pollione arrives, the truth comes out. Norma realizes that he has betrayed her with Adalgisa, and Adalgisa learns that Pollione had pledged himself to Norma. The act closes in a fiery confrontation. Norma curses Pollione, saying My burning fury will engulf you like the wind and the waves. She orders Adalgisa to go with him. Adalgisa tells Pollione shed rather die than desert her people. ACT TWO: So far, Norma has come across as an unpredictable and even dangerous woman. Now, we find her sounding vulnerable and filled with doubt — and with a knife in her hand. Shes still angry with Pollione and contemplates killing their two young sons. She raises her dagger over the sleeping children, but at the last moment backs down. Norma calls for Adalgisa, and tells her to take the children and go live with Pollione in Rome. In a spectacular duet, Adalgisa says she wont do it. Instead, shell tell Pollione of Normas suffering, hoping that will move him to come back to Norma. The scene changes to the sacred forest. Oroveso tells his Druid warriors to keep their anger for the Romans in check. They must wait for just the right moment to attack. They leave, and Norma is alone with Clotilde, who tells Norma that Adalgisa has failed to change Polliones mind. He still loves Adalgisa, and plans to carry her off to Rome. Norma is furious. The traitor will go too far, she says, but I will strike first, and Roman blood will flow like water. She runs to the altar and strikes the ceremonial brass shield, summoning the troops to battle. In the commotion, an intruder is discovered within the Druid temple. Its Pollione. The punishment for any outsider entering the temple is instant death, and Norma is poised to kill him with the sacred dagger. But she hesitates, admitting to herself that she cant go through with it. Taking Pollione aside, Norma offers him freedom if he will leave Adalgisa. But Pollione refuses, saying hed sooner die. Norma says shed be delighted to arrange for that and for the death of their two young sons, plus the death of his beloved Adalgisa. Pollione begs Norma to spare Adalgisas life. Suddenly, Norma calls for her people, announcing that Pollione wont be killed after all. Instead, theres a new victim, one who has betrayed her country. I am the guilty one, she says and then calls for the sacrificial pyre to be prepared. The crowd tries to bring Norma to her senses, but she wont budge. Shes determined to go down in flames. In her final words to her father, Norma admits that she is the mother of Polliones children and asks the shocked Oroveso to protect them. Meanwhile, Normas bravery revives Polliones love for her. He steps to her side, and the opera closes as the two walk into the flames together. (SYNOPSIS BORROWED FROM THE VIENNA STATE OPERA PROGRAM NOTES) This particular duet is between Norma, sung by Joan Sutherland, and Adelgisa, sung by Marilyn Horne. Norma renounces Pollione: (Duet: Mira, o Norma / O Norma look at your dear children of yours on your knees. Be moved by pity for them, even if you have no pity for yourself.) They sing together, each expressing her own thoughts and feelings until Norma realises that Adalgisa will give up Pollione and remain with her: (Cabaletta: Duet, Norma and Adalgisa: Si fino allore estreme, compagna tua mavrai / Yes, you will have me as your friend until your last hour; the world is large enough to be a shelter to both of us together.)
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 12:34:32 +0000
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