Bellini: Norma (met Live Recording)

There are many recordings of Norma; there were LPs and there are CDs as well as at least 10 DVDs. Of the latter, this is far and away the best. Everything works: staging is traditional and with the mechanicals of the Met stage, perfectly, even excitingly executed. Acting and singing bring life to the story of Norma. The blu ray technology is nearly miraculous is its visual and auditory clarity. But it is the singing, gentle reader, that makes this so good, for there is a LOT more to Norma than the soprano. I have tired of second rate tenors being cast as Pollione, ostensibly to fill the part. Joseph Callela is the best on currently available videos, and while he flubs the high C in the first act, the balance of the performance is excellent. Radvanovsky IS Norma, and probably the best on the modern stage; she executes every note, trill, run, crescendo and diminuendo with amazing skill. Joyce DiDonato was a superb choice for Adalgisa: She is perfect on her own and when doing the lovely duets which make Norma so special, The blending of these ladies' voices is meltingly lyrical. The Met's two level stage allows a degree of stage magic the has to be seen to be believed as the view is shifted from the forest to Norma's cave. Dramatics keep pace with music and acting brings life to this 19th century operatic warhorse. Orchestra and chorus are at that high level we expect from the Met, with Carlo Rizzi keeping everyone together in an intelligent, authentic pacing of the score. As noted, the disc quality is first rate in Blu ray. Norma is essential opera, and this version shows why. Not to be missed!

I confess I was hesitant to offer up 28 bucks for yet another opera blu-ray, when so many opera videos have been so terrible for so many years. I am talking about opera videos in general, and from the Met in particular. However, this is a major exception. I have enjoyed it as much as any of the great Met videos from the past, for example the 1982 Hansel und Gretel, or the 1990 Wagner Ring. Let it be clear this is from Gelb and McVicar whom I don't like, but they have outdone themselves and maybe almost absolved themselves of past crimes ... that's how good it is. It's 100% traditional, no private parts exposed (!!), visually and aurally appealing in every way. If I had to nitpick to demonstrate I'm being reasonable, I would only say the Pollione is not my ideal. He could trade with Flavio. Not to say he's terrible or incompetent, not at all. I have just got off a community run of Norma and therefore very much in a Norma mood; also, in the last 3 weeks have listened to the entire canon of Callas Normas, 6 different recordings of Callas (are there more?) ... also the studio Normas of Sutherland and Caballe. So I feel I'm on an unassailably high plane of Norma at the moment :) And while I don't claim that Radvanovsky is a higher authority than Callas, I can say at least I hear standard Italian from her which is not always the case with Callas. O, shall I also mention the larger and thicker subtitles than I have ever seen on Blu-ray, which almost rival those of a regular DVD, but not quite. The ease of readability of subtitles is greatly appreciated by myself if not by others. There's only one other little thing I don't care for, that's where they put the camera on a crane which occasionally moves around horizontally over the orchestra. It presents a type of view NEVER seen by anyone and is a little distracting.

Our people are suffering The arts are suffering The opera houses lie quiet. Hope of a vaccine looms on the horizon. But until then, the casualties mount up. Until stability returns, we find safety and solace in our own homes. I received my dvd this pass Monday. Norma's torch has been passed from Callas to Radvanovsky . She is a rare commodity; a singing actress. You feel her passion and her pain as she takes you on this musical journey. Norma has had 2 out of- wedlock children by a man who has kicked her to the curb for her best friend. He places her in a dangerous position concerning she and her childrens' lives. She wrestles with her horrendous options. In the olden days, the stage would have been littered with tickets & flowers after Madame Radvanosky's performance. Her voice was perfection from beginning to end. Power when called for & silken in her pianissimos. Vocally, the supporting cast was first rate. I echo the comments by others on the acting of Mr. Calleja. He came off as a spousal abuser to me. He made me very uncomfortable watching him. I can't wait for Madame Radvanovsky and the others to get back to what they do best! Stay safe everyone.

The sound and video are first-rate, excellent production values from Met HD. I would rate the singing as very good but slightly inferior to the 1970s Vickers-Caballe version filmed outdoors at night in the Roman arena in Orange, France. Alas, that DVD is so dark and full of shadows that it is difficult to follow the action. Opera is in part a staged drama, and in my opinion, despite the slightly superior singing of (especially) Jon Vickers, the present Blu-Ray is a better choice.

If you've liked other performances of Norma you'll love this one too.

Some powerful voices for demanding singing. Pollione looked like a proper villain though he tries to redeem himself at the end. The sets could have been improved. The druids seem to gather in some industrial landscape rather than forest glades.

I suspect this may be a foreign formatted DVD because it would not play on my DVD player. I read everything, the description on Amazon & the reviews. I studied the back of the DVD before opening the package. I didn't see one warning that it wouldn't work on American DVDs. I did return it and my money was refunded without any trouble.

This recording reminds me of why so many people love opera. Simply put: this disc is astounding, one of the best sung performances of 19th century Italian opera that I have ever heard. Radvanovski and DiDonato are as close to perfection as one is ever going to hear in their roles, and their great duet "Mira O Norma" all by itself would more than justify the purchase of this recording. Having a tenor the caliber of Joseph Calleja is a wonderful bonus that adds to the pleasure. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Do yourself a favor and buy this before it disappears.