Two Druid priestesses fall for a fickle Roman proconsul, with tragic results.Two Druid priestesses fall for a fickle Roman proconsul, with tragic results.Two Druid priestesses fall for a fickle Roman proconsul, with tragic results.
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Featured review
Metropolitan Opera 'Norma'
To me, 'Norma' is Bellini's masterpiece, it is the least flimsy plot-wise of his operas, with potent drama and the characters and their conflicts are more complex than they seem (even Pollione) and the music is divine. No surprises actually on the latter point, Bellini's music is some of the most beautiful in all of opera.
When it comes to DVD productions of 'Norma', the best by far is still the 1974 Orange performance with Montserrat Caballe and Jon Vickers (the best Pollione on DVD by some considerable distance) and the two Dimitra Theodossiou productions faring least (particularly for underwhelming staging and a very poor Pollione). This 2017 David McVicar-directed Met production is impressive on the whole. Not all the critics were enamoured by it, praising most of the musical values while finding the production values too drab, to me it was a promising start to the twelfth season and makes me even more excited for the upcoming productions in the season.
Can definitely understand the criticisms for the production values. There are certainly far uglier productions around visually and McVicar's approach and reasoning for what he was going for were clear and admirable. Appreciated that it was a traditional production too, 'Norma' is from personal opinion one of those operas that doesn't lend itself well to concept productions. While the dwelling set is well done and rustic and the costumes very appropriate and very well suited to the characters while it still being obvious who was a druid and who was a roman, the set for the first scene of Act 1 is rather too sparse and unimaginative and the lighting dim to the point of drabness, again understand what McVicar was going for but for me and some of the critics it was taken a little too far.
McVicar's staging is similarly traditional, and while it is a rightly intimate approach to the storytelling it is done very compellingly and always cohesively and the character complexities and their conflicts shine. Norma is a troubled woman, with her maternal and friendship qualities emphasised, Adalgisa is not flat or passive and although a believably dislikeable cad Pollione's 180 degree redemption at the end is believable for the first time in forever. The staging shines particularly in the Norma and Adalgisa scenes, "Mira O Norma" is a highlight in every way in this production, and the ending blisters. My only complaint in this regard is the somewhat distracting and heavy-handed choreographed stage business in "Guerra Guerra".
When it comes to the HD presentation, it's splendid as usual, the video directing is unfussy and focused and the sound is well balanced. Susanna Phillips is an engaging host and the interviews are insightful, Joseph Calleja actually saying things that made me see Pollione in a different light and think why don't we see this interpretation of the role more often as it is so much more interesting than most that we see.
'Norma' is excellent and often triumphant musically. The orchestra glimmers in beauty, excites in the more energetic and furious moments and thrills and tugs at the heartstrings when things get intense and tragic. The chorus are on organic form, particularly in "Guerra Guerra", and even though they have shown more individuality with more inspired stage direction before they are still very communicative. Carlo Rizzi's conducting is lively but also sympathetic, he is also a very interesting conductor to watch, being very communicative and almost playful without being histrionic (like Gergiev, Bernstein and Masur for examples, like all three a lot by the way, just pointing out that their podium deportment is not subtle). For my liking though, "Casta Diva" was too slow which did mean that Sondra Radvanovsky at times had phrases that sounded unsupported at the end.
Radvanovsky bravely takes on the extreme vocal and interpretative challenges for Norma ("the Mount Everest of Bel Canto roles", Lilli's Lehmann's quote comparing Norma to Brunnhilde was interesting) and does a sterling job. Although it didn't sound warmed up at first and there were some under-pitch moments in the first act) and smudged Colouratura, the grain and earthiness of her voice, which is also very easy on the ear, intelligently used and easily heard, rarely gets in the way of the long lines and the legato which she achieves enviously. Her acting is very layered and nuanced, every inch the troubled woman.
Joseph Calleja puts most of the tenors singing Pollione on DVD to shame (this is the role that has been the most problematically cast), this was a surprise too because Pollione a departure role for him being a far cry from his romantic roles, and there was the concern that it would be too heavy for him. Throughout he sings with a ringing silvery tone, if at times having a tendency to push sharp, how nice to hear Pollione sung rather than shouted, hectored or strained and sung with smooth legato rather than choppiness. He does very well with Pollione's caddish meanness, he is a beast here, while his redemption is touching, a rarity for Pollione.
As Adalgisa, Joyce DiDonato is very moving and sincerely devoted without being passive, and copes with a lower-set-in-register to her usual repertoire role beautifully with rich creamy tone, expressive agility and unforced chest tone. She blends wonderfully with Radvanovsky, they sound gorgeous together with perfectly pitched and articulated triads, and their chemistry makes their scenes utterly riveting. Matthew Rose is a firm-voiced Oroveso, singing with lyricism and force, and he is a very dignified actor while never being stolid. Adam Diegel and Michelle Bradley are excellent, and the children adorable.
In summation, very impressive if flawed 'Norma'. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox
When it comes to DVD productions of 'Norma', the best by far is still the 1974 Orange performance with Montserrat Caballe and Jon Vickers (the best Pollione on DVD by some considerable distance) and the two Dimitra Theodossiou productions faring least (particularly for underwhelming staging and a very poor Pollione). This 2017 David McVicar-directed Met production is impressive on the whole. Not all the critics were enamoured by it, praising most of the musical values while finding the production values too drab, to me it was a promising start to the twelfth season and makes me even more excited for the upcoming productions in the season.
Can definitely understand the criticisms for the production values. There are certainly far uglier productions around visually and McVicar's approach and reasoning for what he was going for were clear and admirable. Appreciated that it was a traditional production too, 'Norma' is from personal opinion one of those operas that doesn't lend itself well to concept productions. While the dwelling set is well done and rustic and the costumes very appropriate and very well suited to the characters while it still being obvious who was a druid and who was a roman, the set for the first scene of Act 1 is rather too sparse and unimaginative and the lighting dim to the point of drabness, again understand what McVicar was going for but for me and some of the critics it was taken a little too far.
McVicar's staging is similarly traditional, and while it is a rightly intimate approach to the storytelling it is done very compellingly and always cohesively and the character complexities and their conflicts shine. Norma is a troubled woman, with her maternal and friendship qualities emphasised, Adalgisa is not flat or passive and although a believably dislikeable cad Pollione's 180 degree redemption at the end is believable for the first time in forever. The staging shines particularly in the Norma and Adalgisa scenes, "Mira O Norma" is a highlight in every way in this production, and the ending blisters. My only complaint in this regard is the somewhat distracting and heavy-handed choreographed stage business in "Guerra Guerra".
When it comes to the HD presentation, it's splendid as usual, the video directing is unfussy and focused and the sound is well balanced. Susanna Phillips is an engaging host and the interviews are insightful, Joseph Calleja actually saying things that made me see Pollione in a different light and think why don't we see this interpretation of the role more often as it is so much more interesting than most that we see.
'Norma' is excellent and often triumphant musically. The orchestra glimmers in beauty, excites in the more energetic and furious moments and thrills and tugs at the heartstrings when things get intense and tragic. The chorus are on organic form, particularly in "Guerra Guerra", and even though they have shown more individuality with more inspired stage direction before they are still very communicative. Carlo Rizzi's conducting is lively but also sympathetic, he is also a very interesting conductor to watch, being very communicative and almost playful without being histrionic (like Gergiev, Bernstein and Masur for examples, like all three a lot by the way, just pointing out that their podium deportment is not subtle). For my liking though, "Casta Diva" was too slow which did mean that Sondra Radvanovsky at times had phrases that sounded unsupported at the end.
Radvanovsky bravely takes on the extreme vocal and interpretative challenges for Norma ("the Mount Everest of Bel Canto roles", Lilli's Lehmann's quote comparing Norma to Brunnhilde was interesting) and does a sterling job. Although it didn't sound warmed up at first and there were some under-pitch moments in the first act) and smudged Colouratura, the grain and earthiness of her voice, which is also very easy on the ear, intelligently used and easily heard, rarely gets in the way of the long lines and the legato which she achieves enviously. Her acting is very layered and nuanced, every inch the troubled woman.
Joseph Calleja puts most of the tenors singing Pollione on DVD to shame (this is the role that has been the most problematically cast), this was a surprise too because Pollione a departure role for him being a far cry from his romantic roles, and there was the concern that it would be too heavy for him. Throughout he sings with a ringing silvery tone, if at times having a tendency to push sharp, how nice to hear Pollione sung rather than shouted, hectored or strained and sung with smooth legato rather than choppiness. He does very well with Pollione's caddish meanness, he is a beast here, while his redemption is touching, a rarity for Pollione.
As Adalgisa, Joyce DiDonato is very moving and sincerely devoted without being passive, and copes with a lower-set-in-register to her usual repertoire role beautifully with rich creamy tone, expressive agility and unforced chest tone. She blends wonderfully with Radvanovsky, they sound gorgeous together with perfectly pitched and articulated triads, and their chemistry makes their scenes utterly riveting. Matthew Rose is a firm-voiced Oroveso, singing with lyricism and force, and he is a very dignified actor while never being stolid. Adam Diegel and Michelle Bradley are excellent, and the children adorable.
In summation, very impressive if flawed 'Norma'. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Oct 7, 2017
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