ENCORE OPERA FOUNDED BY STEVE SCHWARTZ For February 8, 2019 This Week’s Program COMING ATTRACTION BY BELLINI (NOT VERDI) BY GENE MARTIN As promised, here is the program for NORMA next Tuesday’s (2/12/19) Bella Vocci BY STEVE SCHWARTZ concert, 7:0 pm in the Chapel: Runtime: 169 minutes • Live from Gran • From Lakme by Delibes: Teatre Del Liceu2007 • DVD released 2009 by ARTHAUS • MPAA not rated • Sous le Dôme Épais (The Flower Duet) ASIN B0020MST72 Meghan McCall & Anamer Castrello • From The Pearl Fishers by Bizet Norma is the most popular of Belliini’s Au Fond du Temple Saint (At the Temple) operas. Vincenzo Bellini was one of Brian Arreola & Gustavo Ahualli the three best known composers in the opera genre “bel canto” (beautiful • From Samson & Delila by Saint Saens Mon Cœur S'ouvre (My Heart Opens…) singing), which dominated the first Anamer Castrello half of the 19th century. The others? Gaetano Donizetti (Lucia di • From Rigoletto by Verdi Questa o Quella (This One or That One). Lammermmoor, L’Elisir d’Amore) and Brian Arreola Giaocchino Rossini (Barber of Seville, • From Carmen by Bizet Italian Girl in Algiers). Chant du Toreador (Toreador Song) Norma premiered in 1831 after Gustavo Ahualli Belllini’s great success in opera buffa • From Marriage of Figaro by Mozart with La Sonnabula. But, Norma Voi Che Sapete (You Who Know) differed from its predecessors mostly Anamer Castrello by being tragic and emotional rather • From La Traviata by Verdi than comic. Richard Wagner, one of its Pura Siccome un Angelo (Pure as an Angel) most vociferous proponents was not Meghan McCall & Gustavo Ahualli known for approving other composers’ • From Tales of Hoffman by Offenbach work; so we know it must be ‘heavy’ Belle Nuit, ô Nuit d'Amour (Barcarolle) as well as melodious. All NEXT WEEK From the mid-1800’s until after World On Februry 15, we have the operatic duo War II, Norma was rarely performed CavPag, more properly, the two, short in major opera houses primarily operas: Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro because of the immense burden of the Mascagni and Pagliacci by Ruggero soprano role. Maria Callas is credited Leoncavallo. “Cav” is not really a one-act with leading its resurrection followed but you’ll know all about that in a week! by Joan Sutherland and Monserrat Caballe (my favorite Norma). Page !1 of !4 CAST In a Medea-like situation, Norma Fiorenza Cedolins…Norma considers murdering her children as a Andre Papi…Oroveso means of vengeance; Vincenzo La Scola…Pollione An auto-da-fe means someone must Sonia Ganassi…Adalgisa die — but who? The potential victim Begoña Alberdi…Clotilde keeps changing. Watch, to see who; Jon Plazaola...Flavio The three major characters are each Giuliano Carella conducts the Gran caught up in constantly changing and Teatre el Liceu Orchestra and Chorus mutually conflicting thoughts of love, BACKGROUND vengeance and guilt. The action takes place in France, then Every scene has its crisis, each called Gaul, in about 100 B.C. The building to the next, until one’s nerves dramatic backdrop is the conflict are quivering with tension. This story between the Druids, an ancient exemplifies what makes for wonderful religious group, and the Romans who operatic tragedy, and Bellini has had conquered them and ruled with captured it in his glorious music. an iron hand. And what a drama it is! ACT ONE I n t h i s s e t t i n g , t h e r o m a n t i c We are in the sacred forest of the attachments of the heroine and the Druids and hear a religious march. loyalty she owes to her religious vows The High Priest of the Druid temple, cannot be resolved peacefully, so we Orovesco, leads a procession of know her story must end unhappily. Gallic warriors and Druid priests. He This being opera, conflicting love proclaims that his followers will revolt interests are an ever-present element, against the Romans when the signal is b u t t h e r e a r e m a n y c o n f l i c t s given: the sacred gong will be struck complicating Norma: three times and his daughter, Norma, The Druids are plotting to overthrow as High Priestess, cuts the sacred their Roman masters; mistletoe. Norma, the Druid high priestess, has The Druids leave. Pollione, the conducted a secret love affair for Roman proconsul and the father of years with the Roman pro-consul Norma’s children enters with his despite the dictates of her religion and Centurion, Flavio. Pollione confides her vows; moreover, she has borne that his former love for Norma has two children by him; faded. He now fancies a young priestess of the temple and she Norma's Druid subordinate priestess reciprocates his love. Knowing Norma knows nothing of that relationship but to be strong-willed and not likely to is now the object of the pro-consul’s take kindly to his betrayal, he worries affections since he has tired of Norma; how she will seek revenge. Page !2 of !4 The men leave and the Druids return ACT TWO with Norma. She declares that while Norma hopes Pollione will come back the Druids can not revolt yet; due to to her, but he is clear that he has no Roman military power, their reign will intention of doing that. His refusal eventually fall. (And, we suspect, her kindles a new and different thought in judgment is colored by her desire to Norma: vengeance… a terrible protect Pollione from harm and keep vengeance! In a scene reminiscent of him near – at least for now.) Medea, she plans to kill their two She enchants us with what is children considering that killing her undoubtedly the most famous aria in children might atone for her guilt and the opera, “Cast Diva” (Chaste eliminate her disgrace, while also goddess), a prayer to the moon which making her betrayer feel great pain. was divine to the Druids. It is one of But her mother’s instinct prevails and the most highly regarded soprano she just can’t do it. arias in the entire repertoire, and a Meanwhile, Pollione has been ordered precursor of the other vocal to return to Rome, and he intends to pyrotechnics she performs. take Adalgisa with him. Norma When Norma’s acolyte Adalgisa tells decides to let the children live by Norma of her love for an unnamed persuading Adalgisa to adopt them Roman, she expresses understanding and take them to Rome with Pollione. about such love… in the abstract. But But Adalgisa has her own inner when the man turns out to be conflicts, and refuses. Instead, she Pollione, her attitude changes. opts to remain loyal to her vows and She confronts Adalgisa and Pollione Norma, and offers to dump the guy and berates them for their clandestine for Norma’s sake. With that relationship and Pollione’s betrayal. switcheroo, the two women become She tells them to get out of her life fast friends. Pollione, who also does and go straight to Druid Hell. The act not accept rejection well, dreams up a ends with their powerful and emotion- plot to abduct Adalgisa by force and charged trio. take her with him. (Ah, true love!) When this opera premiered, acts The Druids have gathered in the ended with a large ensemble on temple, where Norma tells them that stage. Bellini’s choice of a trio (even it is time to start the revolt. (What as glorious and dramatic as this one) changed her mind, d’ya think?) Her raised howls of protest. Most critics followers make it clear that they’re now agree that he got it right. But, ready. But wait. What’s this? you decide… Pollione has been discovered lurking in the shadows of the temple. (As we know, he is there to kidnap Adalgisa. But that’s become a moot point now.) Page !3 of !4 The Druids must now decide what is The amazed Druids face a new and to be done with this infidel who defiled immediate problem. The sacrificial their sacred temple. [Imagine if they pyre has been prepared due to knew of his secret affair with their Pollione’s desecration of the temple. If High Priestess?] But Norma insists not that dirty Roman, some other that she first interview him alone. victim must feed the flames. Once alone, she tells him she will Having confessed her sins and seeing spare his life, but only if he abandons no way out of her unhappiness, Adalgisa. He refuses. “Then I will kill Norma proclaims that she must be Adalgisa”, says Norma. “No, no,” he sacrificed. Her father agrees to care replies, “spare her and kill me for her children, and to the instead.” (Ah, what a gentleman!) consternation of the Druids, she goes But Norma is not prepared to do that. to ascend the pyre. This stirs Pollione She still has hopes, however forlorn, to action. He cannot bear to see her for a reconciliation. take that final step alone. This is the crossroads of the drama. Recognizing his own guilt, and Bellini and his only librettist Felice perhaps with some renewed affection Romani have woven a killer web out of for her in the face of her bravery and the intersecting emotions of the main strength of character, he decides to characters, and as master storytellers, join her. And so, Norma, the High they keep us wondering how Norma Priestess of the Druids, and Pollione, will resolve her dilemma.