Product Details

• Actors: Anna Steiger, Hasmik Papian, Giorgio Giuseppini, Hugh Smith, Irini Tsirakidis
• Directors: Misjel Vermeiren
• Format: Classical, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: Italian (Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, French, German
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC / Opus Arte
• DVD Release Date: September 30, 2008
• Run Time: 188 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001BSH19S
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #211,863 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

BELLINI:NORMA - Blu-Ray Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars not what I had expected but in the end - very good!, November 8, 2008

By 

John Chandler (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bellini: Norma [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I was unprepared for the presentation and was initially irritated by the opening which brings ancient Rome backstage of a modern opera house. It all looked as if I was in for another of these modern and all too often pretentious productions. (I am generally a traditionalist and prefer to see what the composer would have had in mind). I had not done any home work and had not grasped what the producer was up to. The playing and singing is however exceptional and as the disc progressed I forgot my initial dislike and came to enjoy it more and more. This is an excellent disc, but go to the extras BEFORE you watch the opera. You will then avoid my mistake and be able to follow the production so much better. This is not the traditional Norma but neither is it the dreaded 'dinner suits on an empty stage'. The blend is quite skillful and once one accepts the revised plot the disc can be fully enjoyed. My initial reaction was to send it back, I will now keep it and expect to watch it many times. Get it, it is visually and sonically outstanding.

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A terrible concept, yet again!, August 31, 2008

By 

P. Byrne - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bellini: Norma [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

This is that ridiculous Norma dvd from a couple of years ago, yet again. Changing the package, and the technology is not going to make it any better. Another "concept" on a masterpiece. This time we are backstage with the singers, making entrances and exits. None of it makes any sense. Norma makes her first entrance done up like Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard. What has that to do with anyting in the libretto? From there it is downhill. If the singing were great, maybe, but it isn't. Why bother. Get the Caballe Normas from Orange or Barcelona.Magnificent. When I first ordered this mess I played it several times to see if it had some redeeming factors. I sold it online for $10.00.

Patrick Byrne

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing - spoiled by odd mish/mash of costuming, October 2, 2009

By 

Mr. John A. Coulson "Tassie Devil" (Australia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bellini: Norma [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

The mish mash of modern and traditional costuming in this opera is very distracting and spoiled enjoyment of the opera for me. Norma in priestess robe singing to a Roman soldier in a blue striped suit, idiotic and unecessary props like modern kitchen chairs and dressing tables with photos plastered on the mirror, all seem totally unecessary for the plot. One person has sarcastically labelled this all too common trend in modern opera productions as "Eurotrash". Much as I dislike the connotation, I must admit that it applies to this production. A shame because their is some beautiful singing from Hasmic Papian and Irini Tsirakidis although not all support roles were impressive. Another peculiarity, which I noted in a couple of other Blue Ray opera productions, was an uneveness in the volume of the voices at times plus a strange echo which appeared to be in the stage as it disappeared when the curtain dropped.
For once I looked at the "extras" before viewing the main event but they failed in preparing me for the odd approach to the opera with the Druits sometimes in casual modern dress but other times dressed up in the sort of religious garb appropriate for the context of the story. In summary, perplexing and confusing.
So, overall I cannot fully recommend this disc. Like the curates egg, it is bad in parts and sadly, there are too many of these.