Saturday, October 14, 2017

Norma

I can't believe a week has gone by already. The days are flying. Actually more like burning this week (in-joke - battling with Feedburner - why is something that's supposed to be so simple so complicated?)

Back to the cinema, for the new Met HD season of operas. I'm going to be busy this winter - lots of old and new productions!

An excellent start, with Bellini's Norma. Sondra Radvanovky (soprano) and Joyce DiDonato (mezzo-soprano) as the two druid priestesses who have been seduced by a Roman soldier, Pollione, sung by tenor Joseph Calleja (he had a good voice, but I don't think he had enough charisma to make me believe that Norma, a powerful high priestess, would fall for him). So for me, it was all about the two women, the older priestess, and her apprentice, a relationship of power, but also respect and deep friendship.

Sir David McVicar's production included his signature moving trees (not my favourite bit), but also a live scene change, where the whole stage smoothly moves up to reveal a completely different stage set, with singers ready to go - Apparently the Met have 5 stages that they can move back and forth, left and right and up and down. Amazing stuff!







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