Coline opera in Nice: Norma

The red carpet stopped a few meters from the front of Nice opera house!
What a pity, because Edita Gruberova and the whole cast deserved the red carpet on Saturday night, first rendition of this well known masterpiece by Bellini with its 'casta Diva' immortalised by Maria Callas.


NORMA


Vincenzo Bellini

Samedi 10 décembre – 15 h

Jeudi 15 décembre – 20h
Représentation supplémentaire salle Pleyel à Paris le 20 décembre.
NORMA

Vincenzo Bellini
Livret de Felice Romani, d’après la tragédie de L. A. Soumet
Version concert
Direction Andriy Yurkevytch
Norma Edita Gruberova
Adalgisa Sophie Koch
Pollione Massimo Giordano
Oroveso Wojtech Smilek
Clotilda Anna Steiger
Flavius Paul Cremazi
(Anna Steiger was replaced by Maïté... when the announcement was made I did not hear clearly her name ..M...)

Still, Edita Gruberova has been interprating this role with panache since she sang it for the first time at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich (January 2006). She was fifty nine then. Very soon on the 23rd she will be sixty-five and I felt all her energy and passion in this role she acted on Dec 10 in Nice. I loved her in Mozart, and of course her Adele made me dream of actually seeing her live. I have had to wait quite a long time to fulfill my dream.
What is striking is the huge high range she still has with no sign of ageing because she has a perfect command of her voice. She seems serene and faces difficulties with great artistic knowledge. She is so much at ease in stratospheric spheres that she adds top notes, like in her casta diva. She goes into furiousness against Pollione with such vocal energy and then cries her love for her children, unable to murder them, not like Medea. But what I like best is her duets with Adalgisa. I am used to listening to her singing with Vesselina Kasarova. (Many thanks to Smorgy for the wonderful uploads of both Edita and Vesselina, a real 'goldmine'!)

Here, on Saturday night Sophie Koch really moved me to tears.



Her sombre and rich voice suited this role, she acted the role with Edita and their friendship was sealed in an exquisite duet where, like young girls, they were shaking hands and marking the rhythm!
I enjoyed the music tremendously, the conductor kept a sustained rhythm, with striking brass effects as always with the summon of the Druid gatherings under Oroveso's commands. Bellini is a dear composer for voices and it is always elegant and moving. I particularly enjoyed the bass Wojtech Smilek. Massimo Giordano, after warming up was a very romantic Pollione, less martial with no roman attire! (that is always good with concert version, it avoids any nonsensical decor or costume).
This opening night, sponsored by the charity fund Coline Opera
, was a success judging by the numerous curtain calls and the last one only for 'Edita' as her fans from the Gods called her loud with the banner stretched out to welcome her back!
She came out on her own and waved good-bye and sent 'bacci'...

the artists were all at the stage door, in no hurry, happy to meet their admirers, even though they had a cocktail party organised by the Negresco at the Negresco. Edita Gruberova even let us step in the entrance and talked to her fans.
I will attend the secound round tomorrow. I cannot imagine missing the last Norma in Nice.
The same cast will be at Pleyel on the 20th. I expect it will be perfection and 'acted' by all of them by then.
I admired Mrs Devia's art of singing in Marseille, now this is Edita, another immense talent with coloratura abilities and a human dimension which is felt in this role, very rich with contrasting moods and feelings.
Mrs Gruberova acts Norma straightforwardly and sings in heavenly spheres...She is amazing!