Opera

Bellini's Norma

Àlex Ollé (stage director), Antonio Pappano (conductor) — With Sonya Yoncheva (Norma), Joseph Calleja (Pollione), Sonia Ganassi (Adalgisa) ...

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Cast

Àlex Ollé — Stage director

Alfons Flores — Set designer

Lluc Castells — Costume designer

Marco Filibeck — Lighting designer

Sonya Yoncheva — Norma

Joseph Calleja — Pollione

Sonia Ganassi — Adalgisa

Brindley Sherratt — Oroveso

David Junghoon Kim — Flavio

Vlada Borovko — Clotilde

Royal Opera Chorus

Genevieve Ellis — Chorus Master

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Sir Antonio Pappano — Conductor

Program notes

The title character in Bellini's Norma is a druid high priestess, torn between her religious vows of chastity and her love for the Roman official Pollione, with whom she has had two children. Out of this conflict comes some of the most famous music in the whole bel canto repertoire, including the ravishingly beautiful "Casta Diva." The extremely difficult lead role calls for a truly special soprano—and in this Covent Garden production, the sublime Sonya Yoncheva captivates from start to finish, backed by an extraordinary supporting cast that includes the acclaimed Sonia Ganassi as Norma's amorous rival Adalgisa and Joseph Calleja as Pollione.

Directed with characteristically eye-popping flair by Àlex Ollé (of the provocative and marvelously inventive Spanish theatre group La Fura dels Baus) and soundtracked by the world-class Royal Opera Orchestra and Chorus of Covent Garden, this "striking production and terrifically enjoyable evening" (Bachtrack) is a Norma for the ages.

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