Maria Callas sings "Casta Diva"
本日は、偉大なるマリア・カラスが、パリ国立オペラ座管弦楽団とジョルジュ・セバスチャンの共演で、彼女の代表作であるベリーニのドルイド僧「ノーマ」アリアの演奏を見ていきます。1958年12月19日、ガルニエ宮でのライブ録音。このコンサートは、カラスにとってパリ・オペラ座へのデビューとなり、パリの人々にとって大きな社交行事となりました。(English) The great Maria Callas performs an aria from her signature role, Bellini's druid priestess Norma, with the Orchestre de l'Opera National de Paris and Georges Sebastian. Recorded live at the Palais Garnier on the 19th of December 1958, this concert marked the soprano's debut at the Paris Opera, a major social event for Parisians and for which Callas donned her most elegant couture and a million dollars worth of jewelry.
Easy-to-understand "Norma" Synopsis and Correlation Chart｜Bellini
The opera "Norma" by Bellini is a representative of the "bel canto opera" that became the mainstream of opera in the first half of the 19th century.
This tragic opera is the result of a love triangle between "Norma," a Druidic priestess-maiden, "Pollione," a Roman general who occupies the Druids' region of Gaul (now France), and "Adalgisa," a young priestess.
Highlights of Norma and what to listen for include "Casta Diva," a "pure goddess," and "Mira, o Norma," a female friendship doublet, "See, Norma Doublet," which is a doublet of female friendship.
Characters in the opera Norma
Norma, the chief druidic priestess, soprano.
Adalgisa, young priestess, mezzo-soprano
Pollione Roman general, tenor.
Orovezzo, Head of the Druids (Norma's father), Bass
Clotilde Friend of Norma Soprano
Flavio Friend of Pollione Tenor
Basic information about the opera "Norma
Title Norma Norma
Composed by Vincenzo Bellini
The first performance was on December 26 at La Scala, Milan
Based on "Norma" by Alexandre Smet and Louis Belmonte
Script by Felice Romani
Language: Italian
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes (90 minutes for Act I, 70 minutes for Act II)
A brief synopsis of the opera "Norma
Norma, a Druidic priestess, has an affair with her enemy, the Roman general Pollione, and secretly raises their child.
However, Pollione has a change of heart and falls in love with a young priestess named Adalgisa.
Norma and Adalgisa learn of Pollione's betrayal.
Adalgisa tries to back out, but Pollione refuses to give up on Adalgisa and invades the temple.
Norma tells Adalgisa to give up and leave, but he does not.
Norma confesses her sins to the druid cult.
Norma and Pollione are burned in a fire as punishment.
Norma [Goddess of purity, return to me] lyrics and bilingual translation - Casta Diva
After Casta Diva, "Goddess of Purity," is sung as a Druidic ritual, "Ah! bello a me ritorna," "Return to me," is sung as the inner heart of Norma. The two lyrics of the song give us an insight into the complexities of Norma's heart.
Casta Diva, "The Goddess of Purity" [lyrics and bilingual translation].
Casta Diva, che inargenti
Queste sacre antiche piante,
Al noi volgi il bel sembiante,
Senza nube e senza vel!
Tempra, o Diva,
Tempra tu de' cori ardenti,
Tempra ancora lo zelo audace.
Spargi in terra quella pace
Che regnar tu fai nel ciel.
Casta Diva, how silvery
These sacred ancient plants,
To us turn your beautiful semblance,
Without cloud and a veil!
Tempera, or Diva,
Temper you of ardent hearts,
Still, temper bold zeal.
Spread that peace on the earth
What do you reign in heaven?
Ah! bello a me ritorna [lyrics and bilingual translation].
Ah! bello a me ritorna
Del fido amor primiero,
E contro il mondo intiero
Difesa a te sarò.
Ah! bello a me ritorna
Del raggio tuo sereno
E vita nel tuo seno
E patria e cielo avrò.
Ah! riedi ancora qual eri allora,
Quando il cor ti diedi allora,
Qual eri allor, ah, riedi a me!
Ah! beautiful to me, returns.
Of the trusty primeval love,
And against the whole world
Defense to thee will I be.
Ah! beautiful to me, returns
Of thy serene ray
And life in thy bosom
And homeland and heaven will I have.
Ah! thou rise again as thou wast then,
When the heart I gave thee then,
As thou wast then, ah, return to me!
Synopsis and description of "Norma" (Bellini)
Act 1: Synopsis of "Norma
A)
1)
The Gauls prepare to "fight the Romans."
The Druids' Sacred Forest
The Druids of Gaul form a line and gather in the forest at night with Orovezo, the chief of the Druids.
Orovezo tells everyone, "I will ring the bell three times as a signal to go and defeat the Roman army."
As the Gauls leave for the forest, Pollione (the Roman governor of Gaul) appears with his friend Flavio.
2)
Flavio tells Pollione, "Norma said to me that death lurks in these woods."
Pollione reveals, "I had a child with Norma, but now I am in love with another woman, Adalgisa."
He tells us that he had a terrible dream in which Norma avenged him. (Meco all'altar di Venere)
3)
He then cries, "The Gauls are plotting against us, but we will return the favor."
The two disappear as the Gauls reappear.
Meco all'altar di Venere.
B)
4)
Norma, the chief priestess, chides the Gauls and prays for peace.
While the Gauls pray, the chief priestess Norma appears.
She reminds everyone that it is not yet time to attack the Roman army and prays to the goddess. (Casta Diva)
5)
They pray, "O God, may the day come soon when you will punish Rome." Norma, who loves Pollione, wishes for peace.
Casta Diva
C)
6)
Pollione and Adalgisa promise to "leave Rome together."
Adalgisa appears alone in the sacred forest, worried that she has fallen in love with Pollione.
Then Pollione appears.
Pollione tells Adalgisa, "Tomorrow at dawn, I will leave for Rome, and I want you to come with me."
7)
Adalgisa's heart is shaken, but finally, she makes her promise.
Pollione tells him, "I will meet you here tomorrow at the same time," and leaves.
D)
8)
Adalgisa refuses to "go to Rome" after learning the truth.
Norma's house
Norma asks her maid Clotilde to take her children with her.
She then suffers, "Polione, who will soon return to Rome, will probably abandon us."
9)
Then Adalgisa appears, counsels her on her love affair, and reveals that she has "vowed to abandon her homeland."
Norma, who is in the same situation, deeply sympathizes with Adalgisa.
But when Norma asks him who he is in love with, he finds out it is Pollione.
10)
Then Pollione appears.
Norma says, "You are the wicked one, not Adalgisa. Adalgisa is not bad," he growls.
Adalgisa is horrified by the truth.
Pollione grabs Adalgisa's arm and says, "Come with me," but she refuses.
11)
At that moment, the bells of the temple ring, calling the Norma to the ceremony.
The three leave the scene.
E)
12)
Act 2: "Norma"
Norma and Adalgisa speak passionately about their "mutual friendship."
Norma's house
A pale Norma appears with a dagger.
She then tries to "kill the sleeping children and die herself" but somehow dissuades herself.
Norma calls Clotilde and asks her to bring Adalgisa here.
13)
Adalgisa appears, and Norma says to her
"I want you to take these children to him in Rome.
I forgive him and die."
Adalgisa looks at the children, and Norma says, "I forgive him, and I will die."
14)
She then speaks of friendship being more important than love and says, "I return Polione to you, and I step aside." (Mira, o Norma)
Then she speaks, "I will go to Pollione to persuade her to do so."
Mira, o Norma.
F)
15)
The two sing passionately of their friendship for each other.
Gallic discontent is on the verge of exploding.
The Gallic warriors are angry that the time has not yet come to attack Rome.
Oroveso says, "Keep your anger still in your hearts." "One day, that anger will flare up," he inspires.
G)
16)
Norma rings the bell, "the signal for war."
The Temple of Il Minsul
Norma hopes that Polione will return to her.
Then Clotilde appears.
17)
Clotilde tells him that Adalgisa's persuasion has failed.
She tells Norma, "Polione is coming to take Adalgisa away."
The Normans, angry and vengeful, ring the bell of Il Minsul three times to signal War.
The Gauls shout, "War! War!"
H)
18)
Pollione is captured and sacrificed.
Oroveso asks, "Who is the ritual sacrifice?"
At that moment, the news comes that "a Roman has been captured."
The Roman was Pollione, who had come to take Adalgisa.
19)
Norma says she will kill the sacrifice herself but cannot do so.
Norma says that she will interrogate the sacrifice and sends everyone outside.
20)
Norma tells Pollione, "If you give up Adalgisa, I will spare your life."（In mia man alfin tu sei.)
But Pollione flatly refuses.
Norma is furious and tells him that she and Adalgisa will be executed together and gathers everyone together again.
In mia man alfin tu sei.
I)
21)
She tells them that "a new sacrifice will be made to the traitorous priestess" and has the pyre prepared.
Everyone asks the name of the traitor.
But the name that Norma speaks is not Adalgisa, but Norma herself.
J)
22)
Norma and Pollione go to the execution table.
Pollione regrets, and with it, his love for her.
Norma confesses to Orovezo that they have a child together and begs him to protect the innocent children.
Norma bids Orovezo farewell and is dragged to the executioner's block with Pollione.
Maria Callas sings "Casta Diva" (Bellini: Norma, Act 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-TwMfgaDC8
Norma: Sinfonia to Act 1 (Live)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8q9m_SsCmw&list=OLAK5uy_mlbcKRihEpXYoFNtiZZwUkkxk-1G3GT7o
Norma, Act 1: "Casta Diva" (Norma, Chorus, Oroveso) (Live)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baTj6MkrE7Y&list=OLAK5uy_mlbcKRihEpXYoFNtiZZwUkkxk-1G3GT7o&index=9
Norma Insight (The Royal Opera)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5cmdZ4-TdI
Vincenzo Bellini, Norma (2011) - full
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO3xQWhrePE&t=1490s
Easy to understand "Norma" synopsis and correlation - Bellini
https://www.marching-in-okayama.net/norma
Synopsis and description of "Norma" (Bellini)
https://tsvocalschool.com/classic/norma/
Norma [Goddess of purity, return to me] lyrics and bilingual translation - Casta Diva
https://www.marching-in-okayama.net/casta-diva