Customer Reviews

Norma

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This recording is truly faithful to Bellini's written score, as no music is cut or greatly embellished. You wouldn't really notice, however, as singers, conductor, and orchestra alike make this opera come alive with fire and beauty. Caballe was a justly celebrated Norma, with the vocal size and flexiblity demanded by this most challenging role. You can feel the emotions she must have felt and radiated on the stage listening to her. This is a great performance by a great artist. Cossotto was known not just for her Verdian roles, she also wowed audiences with her portrayal of Aldagisa; her voice is a great match to the soprano's, particularly in vocal color (her high Cs sound as if they were intended by the composer, which, after all, they were). A young Domingo brings a heroic nobility to the role of Pollione, and I agree with the below review, that his high C is rare (and Pollione has only one), but it is sung wonderfully here, as is Domingo's whole performance, true to his legend. Raimondi's deep bass voice carries off the role rather high tessitura role of Oroveso with ease, never lacking in drama. Even the brief vocal appearences from Flavio and Clothilde fit well into the fabric of the whole. Bellini's orchestral writing may not have been all that impressive to some, but the orchestra, conducted by Maestro Cillario, conveyes drive and emotion, particularly during the overture; you know this is an age of opera long past, yet it seems fresh, new, and invigorating. This is a wholly enjoyable recording of a masterpiece of bel canto, and I recommend it highly. Each participant does their part to make this recording a triumph.

More than any other studio recording of Bellini's Norma, this studio recording from the late 60's is the most definative of bel canto style Norma. The other recordings always lack the beautiful element and instead become either verisimo or dramatic, nearly Wagnerian drama. Maria Callas' Normas in the 50's were sheerly dramatic and she was armored like a Druid warrior vocally speaking. The same applies to Shirley Verrett and Grace Bumbry's Normas in the late 70's. Joan Sutherland sings in bel canto fashion but lacks dramatic appeal. Montserrat Caballe understood the significance of both the text and the beauty of the music. She is the Norma with the most balanced harmonics. She is in her prime in this recording and she essays each scene with bravura. Her Spanish compatriot Placido Domingo has the perfect voice for Pellione and for once does not have the harsh timbre that some Pelliones have had. His is a purely lyrical and romantic portrayal that one even feels sympathy with this character. And of course his voice blended with Caballe's is glorious. Fiorenza Cossotto is the most dramatic Adalgisa I have ever heard, with the exception of Shirley Verrett's Adalgisa on Beverly Sill's Norma studio recording which is yet to see the light of day on remastered recording. Ruggero Raimondo, singing nothing spectacular does a fine job as Oroveso. This is the most beautiful Norma you will ever hear.

I got this Norma for it is one of my favourite operas and for some of the cast. Most of all I wanted to hear Caballe singing Norma. And her performance was very pleasing to my ears. She understood very well her character and manages to express it also very well all over the score. Her voice is in a very good shape and the phrasing makes the music sound convincing. The rest of the cast does a pretty good job and manages to offer a strong performance of Bellini's capo d'opera. A plus for Raimondi and Cillario as they manage the score vividly and in a very good style.
But from my point of view this recording can't surpass Callas' recording under Tulio Serafin. That recording inspires the drama from the very beginning. Callas, Corelli and Ludwig are a more credible trio in every aspect and seem to be more into characters, both as psychology and conflicts. Serafin conducting has more authority and drives the musical narration to a livelier finale.
Overall, this recording is a pleasing one and, as it doesn't have any major flows and contains some very nice performances, must be, in my opinion, part of a collection of Norma great recordings.

All the forces here are in top form. Caballe does an exquisite Norma. This reviewer believes Caballe is the perfect Norma. This is music the great Diva was BORN to sing. Her "Casta Diva" aria is simply ravishing. The "Mira, O Norma" duet with Caballe and Cossotto is simply ethereal. Tenor Placido Domingo is really in great shape vocally, even singing a High C (rare for Domingo) at the end of his aria "Meco all' altar di Venere". Domingo really dazzles on this performance. Basso Ruggiero Raimondi is his usual rich artistic self here. Cillario's conducting is excellent. Everyone here was at the peak of their vocal powers when this recording was made. If you like the music of Bellini's Norma, get this recording.

This set of Norma featuring Montserrat Caballé offers an excel-
lent alternative to Callas and Sutherland - she is somewhere
between the two - she does not possess the amazing virtuosity
of the latter nor the dramatic intensity of the former but she
sings most beautifully and expressively. Her voice is gorgeous
and she copes valliantly with the coloratura - her fine musi-
cianship and legendary pianossimi combined with her exquisite
phrasing make for an eloquent and touching performance. The rest
of the cast is excellent - Fiorenza Cossotto blends beautifully
with Caballe in their duet and has no problems coping with the
high tessitura of Adalgisa. Placido Domingo is a strong and
seductive Pollione and Ruggero Raimondi an imposing yet compas-
sionate Oroveso. Carlo Felice Cillario conducts sensitively and
chorus and orchestra respond well. Good sound if a little boxy.

Here we have one of the greatest sopranos of the century singing Bellini's Grand Opera!The result:Pure perfection! The strengthness combined with the sweetness of her voice,excactly where needed produce the IDEAL NORMA!Callas can act extremely good but it is Caballe's voice that makes the difference, not just her acting abilities! Most critics agree that Cossotto's Adalgisa and Domingo's Polione are the best ones ever recorded! And they are right!Bolth simply SUPERB! Last but not least Raimondi,a very satisfactory performance(though I've heard better ones on stage). On the whole, an EXCELLENT RECORDING of one of my most beloved operas. THE NORMA TO GET!

Dramatic Norma ? Only in some portions. This 1960's Victor Opera Series recording is mostly a beautifully sung recording, epitomizing Bellini's bel canto abilities, and those of the singers, namely Montserrat Caballe and Placido Domingo. Their both natives of Spain (he from Madrid, she from Catalonia) and their passionate, lyric and dramatic singing is a God-send. Caballe is youthful and vigorous in this recording, singing all the great arias with purely lyric-coloratura prowess "Casta Diva" "A Bello A Mi Ritorna" "In Mia Man Al Fin Tu Sei" "Quel Cor Tradiste" and the final aria. After Maria Callas, she was hailed as the greatest Norma on stage and record. Her greatest opeatic achievement was the Norma she performed at the Theater Antique in Orange, France in 1974. Caballe as Norma as basically a regal, matronly and womanly portrayal. Norma is the leader of her people the Druids, they look up to her as a model of virtue and spirituality. But she is a woman- with all the passions of a woman- she loves the Roman enemy Pellione and has birthed his children. She is a mother. She is a friend to Adalgisa. This opera has never portrayed the loyalty between two female friends more beautifully. However, Adalgisa in this one is sung by a wobbly, ugly sounding Fiorenza Cossotto. How she became famous is beyond me. She had a very unattractive mezzo-soprano voice, too fluid, too unstable-sounding and very much like a Callas wannabe. Cossotto has a voice that is too mature sounding for the "giovinetta" that is Adalgisa. She is supposed to be Norma's young protege. Cossotto sounds like her mother.

The greatest strength in this recording besides the flawless Caballe as Norma is Placido Domingo as Pellione. His voice is masculine, richly layered, dark, romantic and masterful. Yes, he has the baritone-tenor qualities but this is to his credit. His lower register is as beautiful to hear as his top register. He lives the role of the Roman conqueror and even makes him worth caring about more than other tenors who have sung him. His portrayal surpasses that of Mario Del Monaco and Franco Corelli. Felice Cillario is superb conductor who delivers both the dramatic core of the opera and its beauty.

Next to Callas's grand emotions, or sutherland's technique, I think this is a not a good choice. Caballe has wonderful pianissimos, but that is not the last word in Bel Canto, she has not coloratura secureness, in my opionion. And Callas's much more secure fioritura and sutherland's fantastic voice is better in this listener's opionion. But not to say Caballe is not amazing also. But Norma is not for her. Perhaps Lucrezia Borga or Roberto Devereux. But she really have to attack the notes above high C, the high E's require for bel canto, and she has none of that. And Sutherland is amply ready to bring chills to the spines in that register. And Sutherland has a real trill, important to Donizetti's roles, absolutely, without a doubt.