Plot
Opera in two acts - Libretto by Felice Romani, based on an old French story. - Live recorded November 2000 in Savona - Teatro dell'Opera Giocosa.
Norma daughter of Oroveso, High-priestess of the Celts (Soprano) Maria Dragoni- Pollione Roman proconsul in Gaul (Tenor) Gianluca Zampieri - Adalgisapriestess in the grove of the Irminsul statue (Soprano) Raffaella Angeletti - Oroveso chief of the Druids (Basso) Giorgio Giuseppini - Clotilde Norma's friend (Mezzosoprano) Paola Leveron - Flavio (Baritono) Walter Omaggio - ConductorMassimiliano Carraro - Orchestra Sinfonica Di Savona - Coro Lirico G. Manzino of Savona - Director and Costume designer Massimo Gasparon - Chorus Master Massimo De Stefano.
Time: Roman Occupation, about 50 B.C. Place: Gaul.Act I. Sacred grove of the Druids. The high priest Oroveso comes with the Druids to the sacred grove to beg of the gods to rouse the people to war and aid them to accomplish the destruction of the Romans. Scarcely have they gone than the Roman Pro-consul Pollione appears and confides to his Centurion, Flavius, that he no longer loves Norma, although she has broken her vows of chastity for him and has borne him two sons. He has seen Adalgisa and loves her.
At the sound of the sacred instrument of bronze that calls the Druids to the temple, the Romans disappear. The priest and priestesses approach the altar. Norma, the high priestess, daughter of Oroveso, ascends the steps of the altar. No one suspects her intimacy with the Roman enemy. But she loves the faithless man and therefore seek to avert the danger that threatens him, should Gaul rise against the Romans, by prophesying that Rome will fall through its own weakness, and declaring that it is not yet the will of the gods that Gaul shall go to war. She also prays to the "chaste goddess" for the return of the Roman leader, who has left her. Another priestess is kneeling in deep prayer. This is Adalgisa, who also loves Pollione.
The scene changes and shows, Norma’s dwelling. The priestess is steeped in deep sadness, for she knows that Pollione plans to desert her and their offspring, although she is not yet aware of her rival’s identity. Adalgisa comes to her to unburden her heart to her superior. She confesses that to her faith she has become untrue through love -- and love for a Roman. Norma, thinking of her own unfaithfulness to her vows, is about to free Adalgisa from hers, when Pollione appears. Now she learns who the beloved Roman of Adalgisa is. But the latter turns from Pollione. She loves Norma too well to go away with the betrayer of the high-priestess.
NORMA
