SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL OPERA REVIEW
 

Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts 2010 (1)  - Bellini, Norma:  Semi-Staged. Soloists, Orchestra of St. Lukes, and Caramoor Festival Chorus, Conductor: Will Crutchfield, Katonah, New York  16.7.2010 (LS)

Production:
Caramoor Center Chief Executive and General Director, Michael Barrett.
Assistant Conductor Rachelle Jonck
Production Stage Manager Francesca DeRenzi
Italian Coach Lucy Tucker Yates
Rehearsal Pianist Julius Abrahams
Supertitles Ellen Keel

 

Performers:

Norma  - Angela Meade
Adalgisa  - Keri Alkema
Pollione -  Emmanuel di Villarosa
Oroveso  - Daniel Mobbs
Clotilde  - Sharin Apostolou
Flavio -  Brian Landry

 

Norma, Bellini’s eighth (of ten) operas, is one of the most popular bel canto operas ever written. It is also regarded by many as having the most difficult soprano role in the repertoire, although Monserrat Caballé is reported to have said that "one Gemma (di Vergy) is equal to three Normas."

The plot is simple. Norma, the Druid priestess, was seduced by the Roman proconsul Pollione. She abandoned her vow of chastity and bore him two children. As the opera opens, Pollione has a new romantic target, the priestess Adalgisa. Meanwhile the Druids are demanding that Norma lead them into battle against the hated Romans. The themes of love, jealousy, revenge, and self sacrifice are played out. Norma learns of Pollione’s love for Adalgisa and threatens to murder her children, but unlike Medea, she  changes her mind. Adalgisa confesses her love for Pollione, but then rejects him to be at Norma’s side. Norma confesses her sin to the Druids and offers herself to the god Irminsul and a repentant Pollione joins her as she ascends the funeral pyre. Norma’s father, Oreveso, rejects his daughter but at the last moment recants, forgives her and promises to watch over her children.

The temperature at Caramoor was in the 90’s during the day, and the heat in the evening tent was oppressive. The audience was excited. Norma had been presented the week before and received rave reviews. Attention was focused primarily on Angela Meade, who had sung the complete opera for the first time. Could she repeat her triumph?

The answer was a resounding yes!!! As she proclaimed her first lines –Sediziose voci, voci di guerra- it was clear that Meade was in command. A few moments later she mesmerized the audience with the hauntingly beautiful Casta Diva. From then on there was no question of her ability. She could thunder (Oh non tremare, o perfido) as she berated Pollione and Adalgisa, or exhibit exquisite tenderness in Teneri, teneri figlias she contemplated murdering her children. Her high C’s were on the mark. Her duets with Adalgisa, particularly the famous Mira, O Norma, were magical and literally whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

It is hard to believe that Angela Meade’s career is still in its infancy. Her operatic debut was at the Metropolitan Opera in March 2008 when she replaced an ill Elvira in Verdi’s Ernani. She is scheduled to appear next season at the Wexford Festival in Mercadante’s Virginia. It will be very interesting to see if her great promise (she was the first place winner in 53 competitions including the prestigious Belvedere and Jose Iturbi events) is fulfilled in the next few years.

A successful production of Norma requires an excellent Adalgisa, and Keri Alkema was just that. Not only did she complement Meade’s Norma in the duets, but she demonstrated great drama and musicality in her confrontations with Pollione. Alkema is somewhat unusual in that she takes both soprano and mezzo soprano roles. For example, she has sung Donna Elvira at the New York City Opera and Charlotte (Werther) at Chautauqua Opera.

Emmanuel di Villarosa sang Pollione even though he was “indisposed”. In contrast to other warrior-like Polliones (e.g. Jon Vickers) he was more tender and romantic. Unfortunately he exhibited some problems with his volume and pitch which may have reflected his physical condition. However, he was particularly effective during the final scene. Daniel Mobbs sang Oreveso well, particularly at the higher end of the register. He has sung at Caramoor before, playing Assur in Semiramide (2009). The Caramoor Festival Chorus was magnificent.

At this point in my review I must admit that I am not a great fan of concert opera. There is nothing like seeing a beautiful, dramatic, full staged production. On the other hand,  concert opera has its own virtues. The orchestra is no longer hidden in a pit, but has an opportunity to become an integral part of the drama. Under Will Crutchfield’s disciplined direction, the Orchestra of St. Lukes did just that. Mirroring Angela Meade, the orchestra was at times poignant, and at others immensely thrilling.

Concert opera has another advantage. It frees the viewer from the tyranny of some directors who try to impose their own strange view of the drama on their audience. Caramoor, by contrast, focuses on true bel canto – beautiful singing. There are no distractions, no scenery to hide behind. Either the singers and the orchestra perform well, or they don’t. When they do, as they did at Caramoor last week, it was wonderous to behold. This week Caramoor is offering Donizetti’s Maria Di Rohan, and I’ll be there.

 

Lewis M Schneider

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