Vancouver Opera produces a stunning Norma

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      By Vincenzo Bellini. A Vancouver Opera production. At the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Saturday, November 28. Remaining performances on December 1, 3, and 5

      The operas of Vincenzo Bellini, with the sweet melancholy of his long, long melodies and the elaborate refinement of his technique, had an effect that went well beyond the genre: he had a huge pull on the piano music of Frédéric Chopin and many other romantics.

      The nocturne, one of the most unforgettable forms associated with Chopin, was strongly influenced by a signature aria from Bellini’s opera Norma—“Casta Diva”, Norma’s transcendent apostrophe to the chaste moon. As the chief druid priestess of Gaul, she worships nature, and the moon represents nature at its most distant and unattainable. The moon seems to her as remote as the highest ideals she has set for herself and failed to reach.

      This opening production of Vancouver Opera’s 50th anniversary season is a tremendous gesture. It was in 1963 that the conductor Richard Bonynge introduced Norma to the city, and with Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne in the lead roles, no less. Bonynge is back, and with the reputation he’s acquired since then as the world’s leading authority on bel canto opera.

      The result is stunning. He’s matched voices the way a fine jeweller matches stones, and visually the production breathes that exalted air of tragic bel canto myth.

      So much rests on the soprano playing Norma, who has two illegitimate children by the Roman proconsul Pollione, a man now in love with the acolyte Adalgisa. Norma must be seen as humanly dignified, not statuesque, and her big aria rapt, not sleepy. Here, Hasmik Papian plays Norma, and she does wonderful things, not only with the sustained high Fs at the end of “Casta Diva” but with subtle effects like calming, glissando-dropping chromatic figurations from the high notes, to suggest moonlight shining on water. She uses a baleful chest voice on “In mia man”, tragic shadings in her final solo, and a great deal more.

      She is very close to what we expect the all-but-impossible Norma to be, and the rest of the cast follows suit, particularly the Adalgisa of mezzo Kate Aldrich. Tenor Richard Margison is very good too. This is wonderful singing, especially between the two women. In the long scene of their reconciliation, you could sense the pleasured astonishment in the opening-night crowd at hearing every note reach its ultimate perfection.

      This is classic bel canto, and for once in a beautiful, newly renovated Queen Elizabeth Theatre.Not only does it look great, it sounds great, thanks to some masterly acoustical redesign. The sound blooms with presence. I couldn’t believe my ears.

      Watch behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage from Vancouver Opera's production of Norma, as well as interviews with Richard Bonynge and Hasmik Papian.

      Comments

      1 Comments

      operatuck

      Nov 30, 2009 at 3:16pm

      You can watch performance footage and see audience reaction at www.operalive.ca !!
      Doug Tuck
      Director of Marketing & Community Programs
      Vancouver Opera