Bellini: Norma

The virtues of this staging lie in individual performances and in the music-making, with the Royal Opera House Orchestra and chorus giving taut and committed interpretations under Antonio Pappano.... — BBC Music Magazine, January 2018, 3 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 27th Oct 2017
Catalogue No: OABD7225D
Label: Opus Arte
Series: Royal Opera House Collection

Presto Editor's Choice

October 2017
Presto Recordings of the Year

Finalist 2017

Bellini: Norma

Sonya Yoncheva (Norma), Joseph Calleja (Pollione), Sonia Ganassi (Adalgisa), Brindley Sherratt (Oroveso), David Junghoon Kim (Flavio), Vlada Borovko (Clotilde)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Antonio Pappano (conductor), Àlex Ollé (director)

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Star soprano Sonya Yoncheva sings the towering role of Bellini’s Norma – a priestess torn between love and duty – in a timeless tale of love and betrayal, set in a fanatically religious and war-torn modern society. The spectacular production by Àlex Ollé for The Royal Opera also stars Joseph Calleja as Norma’s former lover Pollione, leader of the forces occupying her country, Brindley Sherratt as her domineering father Oroveso, and Sonia Ganassi as Adalgisa, her greatest friend and unwitting rival in love. Royal Opera Music Director Antonio Pappano leads this superb cast, the Royal Opera Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in one of the greatest works of the bel canto repertory.

What the press said:

‘‘A master of bel canto, Antonio Pappano conducts with superlative style and sensitivity.’’ (Evening Standard)

‘‘Sonya Yoncheva’s Norma is remarkable.’’ (The Stage)

‘‘Joseph Calleja has never sounded better.’’(The Independent)

Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/JP/KO

Running time: 164 minutes

Sound format: LPCM 2.0, DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio

Reviews

January 2018

The virtues of this staging lie in individual performances and in the music-making, with the Royal Opera House Orchestra and chorus giving taut and committed interpretations under Antonio Pappano. Sonya Yoncheva provides a remarkably accomplished traversal of the intimidating title-role, combining poise with a realisation of the tragic scale involved. Joseph Calleja makes an eloquent Pollione.

January 2018

Yoncheva is fearless although not flawless…Her ‘Casta diva’, delivered as a wistful daydream of lost love, convinces, and Yoncheva’s seductive tone is consistently beguiling…Pappano is in typically robust form…and you can admire how orchestra and chorus capture a heady, even cloying quality to Bellini’s rapt score…Calleja is in good voice, a generous and graceful singer who generates genuine pathos.

May 2018

Musically there are rewards. Sonya Yoncheva exhibits a clean timbre, her performance is not flashy, but she is fully up to the role's demands, and brings authority and dramatic sense to the declamation. 'Casta Diva' is careful but faultless. Joseph Calleja also makes a solid role dubt as Pollione, a high role in which the singer has to find a balance between heroic diplay and elegant bel canto He fares very well, and slowly relaxes throughout the performance. Antonio Pappano's conducting leaves no room for langour, and he supports the singer's carefully, never allowing enthusiasm of the orchestra to crush the voices.

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Bellini: Norma

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