The season opens with a new production of Bellini’s bel canto tragedy “Norma”, starring Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role, which she has sung to acclaim at the Met in 2013, as well as at the Canadian Opera Company, San Francisco Opera, Bavarian State Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu, and Lyric Opera of Chicago – making her one of the world’s leading interpreters of the iconic title character. Joyce DiDonato co-stars as Norma’s colleague and rival, Adalgisa, opposite Joseph Calleja as Pollione and Matthew Rose as Oroveso. Carlo Rizzi conducts and Sir David McVicar directs the new production.

Felice Romani wrote the libretto after the tragedy of the same name by Alexandre Soumet. The author of the opera was only 30 years old at the time of its premiere at La Scala in Milan on 26 December 1831 when the legendary singer Giuditta Pasta made her debut. Often named “the Mozart of Catania” Bellini created 11 extraordinarily beautiful and melodic works for the opera stage. His Norma – the high-priestess of the Druids, is one of the most demanding soprano roles. The action takes place in Gallia during its invasion by the Roman Empire. In contrast with most of the previous works, which present the Romans as the heralds of civilization, in Bellini’s opera they are corrupt exploiters of the Gallic land. David McVicar, a director of great experience, takes the action deep inside the Druids’ woods to enhance the dramatic effect and darker shadows of this tragic story of love and betrayal.

Radvanovsky, like Callas, is a supremely gifted actor as well as singer, and her Norma is a theatrical as well as a vocal marvel.

The Globe and Mail

On the photo: Sondra Radvanovsky (Norma)