Vincenzo Bellini

Norma Ouverture

The composer of some famous operas such as 'La Sonnambula' and 'The Puritans', Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835) was largely self-taught. Although he wrote eleven operas, only 'Norma' remained popular, not in the least because of its splendid lyrical arias such as Casta Diva (Chaste Goddess) and Mira, O Norma (Hear me, Norma) familiar to all music lovers. The opera 'Norma' is written to a libretto by Felice Romani, based on a French melodrama by Alexandre Soumet and Louis Belmontet dealing with a story of Druids during the Roman rule. The story is neither accurate historically nor convincing dramatically, but the score is full of brilliant melodies of a type calculated to exhibit a singer's virtuosity to the utmost. The Gods order the priestess and fortune-teller Norma to give the signal of revolt against the Romans in Gaul, but she postpones this because of her relationship with the Roman proconsul Pollione with whom she secretly had two children. In the meantime, Pollione has fallen in love with the young priestess Adalgisa and Norma wants to take revenge. Finally both Norma and Pollione die on the pyre. This tragical opera in two acts was first performed at the Scala of Milan on 26 December 1831.