Kunstdiva versus Stimmediva Callas and Sutherland in Bellini’s Norma Leah Gunter GNTLEA001 A minor dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of MMus specialising in Performance and Dissertation Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town 2019 February 2019 University of Cape Town The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University of Cape Town COMPULSORY DECLARATION This work has not been previously submitted in whole, or in part, for the award of any degree. It is my own work. Each significant contribution to, and quotation in, this dissertation from the work, or works, of other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced. Signature: ________________________ Date: ______________ i ABSTRACT The focus of this dissertation is to analyse the balance between interpretative and vocal ability in bel canto opera, which is traditionally considered as the principal domain of the Stimmediva. The dissertation includes a survey of the characteristics of bel canto, Bellini’s contribution to it and the performance history of his opera Norma. Furthermore, it investigates the German differentiation between Kunstdiva and Stimmediva as exemplified by two major sopranos of the twentieth century, Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland. Callas’s performance of Norma is universally recognised as a watershed in the performance history of this role, and Sutherland is widely regarded as her most important immediate successor. Their distinct approaches to the scena from Act 1 of Norma are contrasted and compared. Three respondents were asked to evaluate recordings of this scena by these two artists with regard to style, technique and interpretation. Their responses are presented in table format, and a discussion of the insights that emerge from these form the final part of the dissertation. The conclusion notes the primacy of interpretative ability in the appreciation of vocal performance even within the bel canto style, but argues for a complete integration of dramatic and vocal skills in order to arrive at the ideal interpretation. Key words: Bel canto; Bellini; Callas; Casta diva; Fine al rito, e il sacro bosco…Ah! bello a me ritorna; Kunstdiva; Norma; Scena; Sediziose voci; Stimmediva; Sutherland. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following people who played an enormous role in making it possible for me to complete this dissertation. Firstly, to Prof. Hendrik Hofmeyr, my supervisor, in providing me with insight into this topic. Secondly, to Mr. Bram Potgieter, for assisting me in compiling the audio recording material that formed a great part of my data collecting process. Thirdly, to the three respondents, whom I chose to keep anonymous, for their expert opinions and thorough feedback regarding my topic. I have to give a special thank you to Prof. Heinrich van der Mescht for his assistance. To my family and friends without whom I could not have continued on this journey if it were not for their continuous love, encouragement, advice and support. I appreciate this tremendously and I thank you for the constant faith that you have in me. iii “People usually complain that music is so ambiguous, and what they are supposed to think when they hear it is so unclear, while words are understood by everyone. But for me it is exactly the opposite...what the music I love expresses to me are thoughts not too indefinite for words, but rather too definite.” – Felix Mendelssohn (n.d) iv Table of Contents 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Personal background ............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Rationale of this dissertation ................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Research question .................................................................................................................. 2 1.4 The objective of this dissertation ........................................................................................... 3 1.5 Literature review ................................................................................................................... 3 1.5.1 Interpretation ............................................................................................................. 3 1.5.2 Bel canto .................................................................................................................... 7 1.5.3 Bellini and Norma ..................................................................................................... 8 1.5.4 Interpreters of Norma ................................................................................................ 9 1.6 Key research concepts ......................................................................................................... 11 1.6.1 Emotion and music .................................................................................................. 12 1.6.2 Interpretation ........................................................................................................... 13 1.6.3 The relation between music and text ....................................................................... 20 1.7 Delimitations of this dissertation ......................................................................................... 23 1.8 Research process ................................................................................................................. 23 1.9 Challenges encountered during the development of the research ....................................... 24 1.10 Definitions of key terms and concepts ................................................................................ 24 2 Bel canto ....................................................................................................................................... 27 2.1 What is bel canto? ............................................................................................................... 27 2.2 The two pillars of bel canto ................................................................................................. 29 2.2.1 Legato ...................................................................................................................... 29 2.2.2 Messa di voce .......................................................................................................... 30 2.3 Components of bel canto ..................................................................................................... 31 2.3.1 Beauty of sound and pure, resonant tone ................................................................. 31 v 2.3.2 Effective breath control ........................................................................................... 32 2.3.3 Pure vowels ............................................................................................................. 34 2.4 Singers on bel canto ............................................................................................................ 35 3 Bellini and Norma ......................................................................................................................... 37 3.1 Bellini’s compositional style ............................................................................................... 37 3.2 Norma .................................................................................................................................. 38 3.2.1 The challenges of the role of Norma ....................................................................... 39 4 Interpreters of Norma.................................................................................................................... 41 4.1 Interpreters of Norma before Callas .................................................................................... 41 4.2 Callas ................................................................................................................................... 42 4.2.1 Background .............................................................................................................. 42 4.2.2 Callas’s Norma ........................................................................................................ 48 4.3 Sutherland ............................................................................................................................ 55 4.3.1 Background .............................................................................................................. 55 4.3.2 Sutherland’s Norma ................................................................................................. 58 4.4 Other interpreters of Norma after Callas ............................................................................. 60 5 Analysis of the responses to the questionnaire ............................................................................. 63 5.1 Section A – Technical, musical and interpretative aspects ................................................. 63 5.2 Section B – Comparative questions....................................................................................