Norma

V. Bellini Opera 12+

Libretto by Felice Romani, based on the tragedy Norma, ou L’infanticide by Alexandre Soumet

The opera was written in 1831. This version will first performed in Perm in 2022

Performed in Italian with Russian surtitles

Norma, an opera depicting the sacrificial power of love, is regarded as the quintessence of musical romanticism. «Among all Bellini’s creations, Norma is the richest in the profoundly realistic way in which true melody is united with intimate passion», said Richard Wagner, inspired by Norma while composing Tristan und Isolde. The stunningly contrasting and emotional duets, priests’ and warriors’ choruses make this opera an unquestionable masterpiece. But the most remarkable is the famous Norma’s cavatina («Casta diva»), an excellent example of the bel canto style, a long-standing symbol of Italian opera which only a few sopranos can master.

Despite the resounding success of Norma all over the world, it will be presented in Perm for the first time. For Migran Agadzhanyan, the theatre’s new Principal Conductor, Norma will become his conducting and music directing debut at the Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre.

The young choreographer Maxim Petrov, who has worked with the Bolshoi Theatre and the Mariinsky Theatre, will be the stage director. With set designer Alyona Pikalova, he has been nominated for Renard. Mavra. The Fairy’s Kiss for the «Golden Mask» 2022 National Theatre Award (category: Best Balletmaster-Choreographer; Alyona Pikalova’s category: Best Designer in Musical Theatre). Norma will be Maxim Petrov’s first work in opera as stage director.

The production will be curated by Arkady Ippolitov, a senior researcher at the State Hermitage and one of the world’s leading experts in Italian art of the 15−17th centuries.

Synopsis

SYNOPSIS

Act 1

Scene 1

The druids await Norma, high priestess and daughter of the chief Oroveso: she is to declare the long-anticipated war against the enemy. Pollione and Flavio enter. Although Norma has broken her vows and borne Pollione two children, he has fallen in love with the priestess Adalgisa.

The ritual begins. Norma prays for peace.

After the ritual, Pollione finds Adalgisa. She agrees to run away with him.

Scene 2

Norma is sure that Pollione wishes to leave her. Adalgisa confides to Norma that she has decided to leave the altar and her homeland for love. When Norma tries to learn her lover’s name, Pollione appears.

Act 2

Scene 3

Norma plans to kill her children but then asks Adalgisa to be their mother. Adalgisa decides to go to Pollione and persuade him to return to Norma.

Scene 4

The druids await the signal for war to begin.

Scene 5

Pollione has not changed his mind, and Norma assumes that Adalgisa has betrayed her. She declares to the druids that the time of war has come.

The druids find Pollione. The enemy must be executed. Norma promises to spare his life if he leaves Adalgisa and goes away, but Pollione chooses death. Norma reveals to the druids the name of the real enemy.