What is the storyline of the opera Norma?

What is the storyline of the opera Norma?

Summary. The action takes place in Gaul under the Roman occupation, and is centered on the love triangle between Pollione, the Roman proconsul of Gaul, Norma, his former companion, and the young Adalgisa. The background is the uprising of the Gallic people against the Roman occupiers, led by the Druid Oroveso.

When and where does Norma take place?

The Story of ‘Norma’ 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.

When was Norma written?

1831Norma / Written

Who is the best singer of Casta Diva?

Montserrat Caballé’s performance clearly ranks among my top 3 renditions of “Casta Diva.” Caballé appeared in a wide variety of roles, but she really shines in the works of Verdi and the bel canto repertoire, especially Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti.

What type of opera is Norma?

tragedia lirica
Norma is a tragedia lirica or opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini with libretto by Felice Romani after Norma, ossia L’infanticidio (Norma, or The Infanticide) by Alexandre Soumet. First produced at La Scala on December 26, 1831, it is generally regarded as an example of the supreme height of the bel canto tradition.

What does the term bel canto mean?

beautiful singing
bel canto, (Italian: “beautiful singing”) style of operatic singing that originated in Italian singing of polyphonic (multipart) music and Italian courtly solo singing during the late 16th century and that was developed in Italian opera in the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries.

What is the difference between bel canto and opera?

Bel canto is supposed to be the quintessential way to sing opera. The style is associated with beautiful melodies, silvery voices and floods of rapid notes curling their way up and down the scale, sometimes only loosely around the framework of what the composer actually wrote.

Who is Maria bel canto?

Many critics praised her bel canto technique, wide-ranging voice and dramatic interpretations….Maria Callas.

Is bel canto same as opera?

bel canto, (Italian: “beautiful singing”) style of operatic singing that originated in Italian singing of polyphonic (multipart) music and Italian courtly solo singing during the late 16th century and that was developed in Italian opera in the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries.

When was Norma first performed?

It was first produced at La Scala in Milan on 26 December 1831. The opera is regarded as a leading example of the bel canto genre, and the soprano prayer “Casta diva” in act 1 is a famous piece. Probably the most important Norma of the first half of the 20th century was Rosa Ponselle who triumphed in the role both in New York and in London.

Who was Norma in the Metropolitan Opera?

The Metropolitan Opera revived Norma in 1927 (the first performance of the opera there since 1892) with Rosa Ponselle in the title role.

What is the chorus of Norma?

There, the “Guerra, guerra” (War, war!) chorus from act 2 was sung. Norma received its first performance at the Metropolitan Opera in New York on 27 February 1890 with Lilli Lehmann singing the title role in German.

Is Maria Callas’ Norma an opera?

As such, the opera is considered a defining role for operatic sopranos, including Maria Callas, whose debut as Norma in 1952 at Covent Garden is considered by many opera aficionados to be one of the best performances of the role to date.