5.0 out of 5 stars
Intense Norma, April 23, 2003
This review is from: Norma (Audio CD)
This was the first documented complete recording of Norma made for Parlophone in September 1937 and is the most intense and dramatic on disc. Gina Cigna as the protagonist meets all of the demands of this fiendishly difficult role with aplomb. Her dark and powerful voice runs the gamut of emotions from angry outbursts to melting tenderness. Casta Diva has a calm intensity and in contrast, Ah! Bello a me ritorna is tossed off with great abandon.
Critics in the 1930's thought that Cigna used a veristic approach to Norma and was deemed inappropriate. Norma is not just a chaste goddess but a human being with feelings. Singing with expression is equally important as singing the notes. These so called critics evidentally had no concept of what interpreting a role meant. Listen to the words, 'I figli uccidi' which precedes the aria 'Teneri figli.' Cigna displays incredible emotion and completely arouses the listeners sympathy.
She employs menacing chest tones in 'In mia man alfin tu sei' and later offsets this violent moment with plangent tones in 'Deh non volerli vittima.' Cigna's account of Norma will live on in the history of recorded annals as a major accomplishment.
Ebe Stignani's Adalgisa is exemplary. Her beautiful voice with its velvet and wonderful top notes are a joy to hear. Cigna and Stignani sing 'Mira O Norma' in the original key, and their high C's ring out with clarion brilliance. Giovanni Breviario as Pollione has somewhat of a dry voice but sings with conviction.
Tancredi Pasero as Oroveso is commanding and sings with richly dense tones. Vittorio Gui establishes the right mood from the onset and draws a mixture of urgency and delicacy from the orchestra. The sound is clear with occasional surface noise stemming from the 78's. Add this Norma to your collection.
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