Admin

Organization

Singer

Tenor

Gregory Kunde

Pollione

Roberto Aronica

Stefan Pop

Bass

Michele Pertusi

Oroveso

Simón Orfila

Fernando Radó

Soprano

Maria Agresta

Norma

Angela Meade

Mariella Devia

Karine Deshayes

Adalgisa

Veronica Simeoni

Ketevan Kemoklidze

Maria Miró

Clotilde

Antonio Lozano

Flavio

Conductor

Roberto Abbado

Stage director

Davide Livermore

Costume designer

Mariana Fracasso

Set designer

Giò Forma

Teatro Real de Madrid

Others

Coro Intermezzo

Orchestra

Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid

Madrid

Spain

Norma is Bellini’s eighth opera. The libretto by Felice Romani is based on a play by the French writer Alexandre Sourmet, Norma, or The Infanticide, which in turn drew on the Classical Greek myth of Medea.

Despite being a complete flop on its debut at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, the opera’s emotional charge, richness of melody, and theatricality is now considered the composer’s greatest work, and is a favourite with audiences.

The title role is one of the most challenging in opera. Norma is a complex figure with many angles: she is a high priestess, with the religious and political power this entails; she is a mother but must conceal this; and she loves the wrong man. All these extreme situations require considerable acting skills and vocal agility, that on this occasion, Maria Agresta defended on the main role.

Gregory Kunde plays the Roman Pollione, and the mezzo-soprano Karine Deshayes sings  the role of Adalgisa.

Norma was one of the few titles which Richard Wagner, a fierce critic of Italian opera, respected and admired, even composing an aria for the character Oroveso in the style of Bellini.

Teatro Real

Norma Bellini

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