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PRIESTESS ON A HIGH NOTE
By Clive Barnes
New York Post, NY
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11142007/entertainm ent/priestess_on_a_high_note_426114.htm
Nov 14 2007
November 14, 2007 -- BELLINI'S "Norma" offers a feast of belcanto
singing that no one even half in love with the sound of the human
voice at full technical pelt and emotional depth can resist.
That is, if it's well sung. Otherwise, the resistance factor can
reach terrifying heights.
The first Norma I heard was sung by Maria Callas, Adalgisa was Ebbe
Stignani, and the tiny role of the Norma's confidante, Clotilde,
was sung by an unknown but dangerously noticeable soprano called
Joan Sutherland. That was a "Norma"! Even the curtain calls offered
a night at the opera.
Monday's first performance this season of "Norma" at the Met didn't
reach such fantastic heights. It was still pretty good except for
John Copley's staging, which remains abysmal.
It was first given about six years ago for formidable, full-figured
British soprano Janet Eaglen, which might account for the static
groupings. But it remains unnecessarily stodgy, and the sets and
costumes by John Conklin are a disgrace even to the operatic stage.
The Armenian Hasmik Papian, singing her first Norma here, has an
interesting voice, well-colored dramatically and with a vocal line
that sometimes falters but usually with theatrical purpose.
She made as convincing a Norma as can be made of this Druid high
priestess, who has a secret affair and two (presumably) secret
children with a faithless Roman general - it's set in Gaul and there
are Gaul-stones everywhere - with the lovers ending up at a funeral
pyre. So much for their eternal burning passion.
Remarkable mezzo Dolora Zajick returned as Adalgisa, a priestess
unfortunate enough to fall for the same Roman general, and her duets
with Papian were exquisitely sung.
American tenor Franco Farina, in good voice, made a decent cad as the
fatal Roman, Pollione, while Vitalij Kowaljow showed off a properly
sonorous bass as Norma's justifiably bewildered father.
NORMA Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center; (212) 362-6000. Performances
through Dec. 7.
From: Baghdasarian
By Clive Barnes
New York Post, NY
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11142007/entertainm ent/priestess_on_a_high_note_426114.htm
Nov 14 2007
November 14, 2007 -- BELLINI'S "Norma" offers a feast of belcanto
singing that no one even half in love with the sound of the human
voice at full technical pelt and emotional depth can resist.
That is, if it's well sung. Otherwise, the resistance factor can
reach terrifying heights.
The first Norma I heard was sung by Maria Callas, Adalgisa was Ebbe
Stignani, and the tiny role of the Norma's confidante, Clotilde,
was sung by an unknown but dangerously noticeable soprano called
Joan Sutherland. That was a "Norma"! Even the curtain calls offered
a night at the opera.
Monday's first performance this season of "Norma" at the Met didn't
reach such fantastic heights. It was still pretty good except for
John Copley's staging, which remains abysmal.
It was first given about six years ago for formidable, full-figured
British soprano Janet Eaglen, which might account for the static
groupings. But it remains unnecessarily stodgy, and the sets and
costumes by John Conklin are a disgrace even to the operatic stage.
The Armenian Hasmik Papian, singing her first Norma here, has an
interesting voice, well-colored dramatically and with a vocal line
that sometimes falters but usually with theatrical purpose.
She made as convincing a Norma as can be made of this Druid high
priestess, who has a secret affair and two (presumably) secret
children with a faithless Roman general - it's set in Gaul and there
are Gaul-stones everywhere - with the lovers ending up at a funeral
pyre. So much for their eternal burning passion.
Remarkable mezzo Dolora Zajick returned as Adalgisa, a priestess
unfortunate enough to fall for the same Roman general, and her duets
with Papian were exquisitely sung.
American tenor Franco Farina, in good voice, made a decent cad as the
fatal Roman, Pollione, while Vitalij Kowaljow showed off a properly
sonorous bass as Norma's justifiably bewildered father.
NORMA Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center; (212) 362-6000. Performances
through Dec. 7.
From: Baghdasarian