Customer Reviews

Bellini: Norma [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although this is a good performance, this is NOT the 1974 performance (Orange, France) referred to by the other reviewer; this is a 1978 performance (Spain) with Cossotto, Lavirgen, Vinco, and Garcia-Asencio (cond.).

This is a golden age performance with peak Caballè and exellent singing by Vickers, Veasey and Ferrin, as well as very good orchestra and conduction. Probably this is the best Caballè's Norma at the peak of her unmatched possibilities: cream voice, flourished passages, endless fiati, terrific breadth span and legato, perfect agilità, but also ring,verve and convincing moving on the stage. Unforgettable!

When the video opened I was a little scared. The stage seemed small, cramped, and the sets and costumes have a brown with toast accents theme (it's a performance from 1978, after all). But then the singing starts. The Orovoso has a deep, authoratative voice and a commanding presence. The tenor basically yells all of his lines, but he yells them with conviction, and I'm convinced he's yelling because he was angry at the bad wig and mutton-chop sideburns he wears throughout. Cossotto sings well as Adalgesia, but seems more interested in milking the audience for applause than in presenting a character. Caballe was having a great night, singing a lovely "Casta Diva" although she barks out a few of her high notes in the first two acts. Based on this video it's hard to understand why she earned criticism for not being a convincing actress, and as good as she was in the first two acts she is absolutely on fire in the third. This is a great performance.

Just incredible. Caballé is the most amazing soprano since Callas sing Norma. She declaim peace in "Casta Diva" and declare war in "Guerra Guerra!" with the same capacity, beauty and power.
She is pure quality, a real actress and singer. If I have to choose between Joan Sutherland, Maria Callas or Montserrat Caballé I'm prefer the magnificent Caballé

Caballe sings a great Casta Diva here, but after that she has trouble with her highest notes. Either they are harsh and shrill or she simply doesn't sing them at all and sings a lower note instead. Except for her Casta Diva, she sings better in the 1974 video. Another thing is that Josephine Veasey in the 1974 video is a far better Adalgisa than the constantly smiling, applause-milking, edgy-voiced Cossotto in the 1978 video. Ivo Vinco has the bass voice of a God, but his part is too small to redeem his wife's constantly smiling (showing all her teeth, even while singing) Adalgisa. The 1974 NORMA recording has it's problems too, mostly the wind, but it is definitely preferably to this 1978 recording. And besides, the 1974 recording has subtitles, which the 1978 recording does not.

The performance is legendary and widely hailed as one of Caballe's best ever. However - rather than praise the tape I want to point potential buyers to the BelCanto Society website! While supplies last, the tape sells there for $16.95 rather than the sky-high nonsense asked by Amazon sellers. Happy viewing!

Just incredible. Caballé is the most amazing soprano ever since Maria Callas playing Norma. She declaim "pace" in "Casta Diva" and war in "Guerra, Guerra!" with the same capacitance, beautifully and strongly. She act with her voice like no one can do
Maria Callas "La Divina" Joan Sutherland "La Stupenda" Montserrat Caballé "La Superba"