This is often considered one of the finest recordings of Bellini's opera "Norma". That opera is one of the best 'bel canto' operas of the nineteenth century. Norma, the soprano title character, has a secret relationship with the tenor Pollione, a Roman and thus an enemy to her people. She loves ... Read review
A recording of Norma is essential for any Maria Callas collection. This intense and ... more
musically demanding drama deals with forbidden love, infidelity, conflicting emotions, and death that comes almost as a relief from overwrought passion. It gives Callas golden opportunities for characterisation and dramatic gestures in her timing, vocal coloration, verbal and dynamic emphases. Of the half-dozen or more perennially on the market, the first choice is this one, dating from 1954 when her voice was in relatively good shape (although the 1960 EMI recording, also conducted by Tullio Serafin, had even better acting and, in Christa Ludwig, a much better supporting cast). Callas is essential to those who enjoy opera primarily as theatre. The singing is vivid, if typically uneven, and reinforced by Serafin's expert conducting. --Joe McLellan
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Advantages: Fine performances all round, especially Ludwig and Corelli Disadvantages: Callas not in best voice
This is often considered one of the finest recordings of Bellini's opera "Norma". That opera is one of the best 'bel canto' operas of the nineteenth century. Norma, the soprano title character, has a secret relationship with the tenor Pollione, a Roman and thus an enemy to her people. She loves Pollione but he loves another priestess, the mezzo Adalgisa. Eventually it transpires that Norma has the power to decide the fate of Pollione and ... ...sacred ground (hoping to elope with/abduct Adalgisa). But rather than point the finger at Adalgisa for breaking her vows Norma admits to breaking her own vows with Pollione. Pollione, seeing Norma's nobility - she had felt pity for Adalgisa having intended to reveal the young priestess' betrayal - realises how much he loved her. They both mount the funeral pyre.
This was Callas' great role and in some regards this recording captures her greatness ... more
This is often considered one of the finest recordings of Bellini's opera "Norma". That opera is one of the best 'bel canto' operas of the nineteenth century. Norma, the soprano title character, has a secret relationship with the tenor Pollione, a Roman and thus an enemy to her people. She loves Pollione but he loves another priestess, the mezzo Adalgisa. Eventually it transpires that Norma has the power to decide the fate of Pollione and Adalgisa. Pollione is sentenced to death for being found on sacred ground (hoping to elope with/abduct Adalgisa). But rather than point the finger at Adalgisa for breaking her vows Norma admits to breaking her own vows with Pollione. Pollione, seeing Norma's nobility - she had felt pity for Adalgisa having intended to reveal the young priestess' betrayal - realises how much he loved her. They both mount the funeral pyre. This was Callas' great role and in some regards this recording captures her greatness but at other times it cannot match her earlier official recording from 1954. Callas is not in her best voice, her high notes wobbly and piercing compared to 1954. One has the feeling that a performance about '56-'57 would have been wonderful. She sings softly far more often in the 1954 set and she is very tender and delicate in those moments. She is at her best in the second half where her confrontation with Pollione is scorchingly intense and her "Oh Rimembranza"is beautifully phrased. There she is joined by Christa Ludwig's Adalgisa which is nicely phrased- Ludwig's voice in bel canto music is remarkable considering how different this is from her regular repertoire of say Wagner - she can match Callas beautifully in the duets. This is Franco Corelli's finest recording in my opinion with the vibrant tone coming across splendidly in the music - his performance having the necessary bite in the confrontation with Norma. Serafin gives a measured performance but not without excitement and energy rather without exaggeration. The sound is warm and clear. From a technical standpoint the performance cannot match the uncut version conducted by Bonynge with Sutherland and Horne at their peaks although this is the more dramatic performance. Probably my favourite studio recording of Norma.
Advantages: Domingo and Bruson are excellent Disadvantages: Scotto is sometimes very bad indeed
. Scotto would have been terrific about three or four years earlier - she started singing Bellini's opera Norma as well as La Gioconda by Ponchielli in the late 70s and these roles were too heavy for her lyrical voice. She gradually moved from singing soft, light roles like Lucia di Lammermoor (by Donizetti) in the late 1950s til near the end of her career she sang the Wagner role of Kundry which is really (really!) dramatic and heavy on the voice. Some people deny that these roles affected her career (much in the same was as some people will not allow you to discuss the failings of Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi etc) but by 1980 when she recorded this role the sheen on her voice was pretty much gone and you sometimes have the uncomfortable feeling of her forcing the voice to do things that it no longer can do. When she sings quietly she still has ...
operalover2000 01.01.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Puccini: Tosca
Advantages: The most beautiful voice ever Disadvantages: She's not very well known
the opera Norma by Bellini which is the passionate story of a Druid priestess and a Roman soldier. This aria and in fact all that follow are so evocative and uplifting that you become totally immersed in the magical music and Filippa's amazingly versatile voice. It obviously would have a quite different effect on a bloke but some of the songs make me want to dress up in something floaty and dance round the room while others make me sink into deep cushions, close my eyes and dream.
Other operatic arias on the album are Puccini's Vissi d'arte from Tosca and O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi; Addio del passato from Verdi's Traviata and s'apre per te il mio cuor from Samson and Dalila. In Habanera from Carmen she uses electronic voice enhancement and while purists might object I found the different approach quite entrancing.
Filippa is ...
Advantages: Some great music Disadvantages: Compilations!
imagine a track from the Jerry Springer opera making it on? I don't think Classic FMs listeners are quite ready for that yet.
The track list for the Opera is:
1. Delibes: Flower Duet (Lakmé)
2. Rossini: Largo al Factotum (Barber of Seville)
3. Puccini: Nessun Dorma (Turandot)
4. Dvorak: Song to the Moon (Rusalka)
5. Bizet: Au Fond du Temple Saint (The Pearl Fishers)
6. Bellini: Casta Diva (Norma)
7. Puccini: Che Gelida Manina (La Boheme)
8. Mascagni: Easter Hymn (Cavalleria Rusticana)
9. Bizet: Toreador's song (Carmen)
10. Verdi: Brindisi (La Traviata)
11. Puccini: Humming Chorus (Madame Butterfly)
12. Verdi: Celeste Aidi (Aidi)
13. Mozart: La ci darem la mano (Don Giovanni)
14. Verdi: Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (Nabucco)
15. Puccini: O mio Babbino Caro (Gianni Schicchi)
The Opera CD is probably my least listened ...
Christa Ludwig (Mezzo soprano); Edda Vincenzi (Soprano); Franco Corelli (Tenor); Maria Callas (Soprano); Nicola Zaccaria (Bass)
Orchestra / Ensemble(s)
Milan La Scala Chorus; Milan La Scala Orchestra
Date of Release
10/1997
Recomended Retail Price
32.99 GBP
Label / Distributor
Callas Edition / EMI
Pieces in Set
3
Running Time
3 hours 41 minutes
Genre(s)
Stage works
Producer
Walter Legge & Walter Jellinek
Stereo
Stereo
SPAR Code
ADD
EAN
724356642829
Catalogue Number
566428
Work 1
Work Title
Norma
Excerpt(s)
1. Overture 2. ACT 1 - Ite sul colle, O Druidi 3. Svanir le voci!; Meco all'altar di Venere; Me protegge 4. Norma viene; Sediziose voci; Casta diva; Fine al rito; Ah! bello a me ritorna 5. Sgombra è la sacra selva 6. Eccola! Va , mi lascia; Va, crudele 7. Vanne, e li cela entrambi; Oh, Rimembranza!; Sola, furtiva al tempio; Ah sì, fa core, abbracciami 8. Tremi tu? E per chi?...Oh, non tremare; Oh! Di qual sei tu vittima; Perfido!...Or basti 9. ACT 2 - Dormono entrambi 10. Me chiami, o Norma?; Mira, o Norma; Cedi! Deh, cedi!; Si, fino all'ore estreme 11. Non parti!; Guerrieri; Ah! del Tebro 12. Ei tornerà 13. Guerra, guerra! 14. In mia man; Ah! Crudele 15. All'ira vostra; Qual cor tradisti; Deh! Non volerli vittime.
Composer
Vincenzo Bellini (1801 - 1835)
Genre
Stage works
Date Written
1831
Date Recorded
1960
Conductor
Tullio Serafin
Orchestra / Ensemble
Milan La Scala Orchestra
Orchestra / Ensemble
Milan La Scala Chorus
Main Performer
Christa Ludwig (Mezzo soprano), Edda Vincenzi (Soprano), Franco Corelli (Tenor), Maria Callas (Soprano), Nicola Zaccaria (Bass), Piero de Palma (Tenor)
Opera Part(s)
Christa Ludwig (Adalgisa), Edda Vincenzi (Clotilde), Franco Corelli (Pollione), Maria Callas (Norma), Nicola Zaccaria (Oroveso), Piero de Palma (Flavio)
