What with three performances of Roberto Devereux in Marseille and now two performances of Norma in Nice, my own Bel Canto Festival ( my reference to this nov-Dec period) is over.
I do realise how lucky I am, having listened to, and seen, two of the last belcantists, Mrs Devia and Mrs Gruberova. There is dear June Anderson also, whom I cherish and have seen in Marseille singing Bellini: Norma and La Sonnambula, both concert versions too. Very recently I had the pleasure to see June Anderson At Coline Opera in Toulon, in a wonderful evening too, where her art of Bel Canto was at its best!
Some of my photos at the stage door last Thursday night after Norma.
I was encouraged to wait and meet the artists by a group of Japanese fans who were kind enough to lend me their gorgeous pen and talk to me about their absolute love of 'Edita'. They follow her where ever she sings. The lady on the photo was offered this bouquet by Edita who was happy to see them!
My only question, when she signed the photo I really like in the Lied-duet Nightingale record was: 'Will you sing again With Mrs Vesselina Kasarova one day', she said nicely: 'no' in a smile ... so ... I will listen to this record even more!
It was a great night: the orchestra sounded even more confident, the rhythm was even more martial when needed. Oroveso struck me even more in his leader role.. Edita uttered two intense and rumbling 'Guerra'.
But the contrats with the romantic arias and dramatic ones were smashing. The chords and their deep movement at the interlude enchanted me.
The theme is then developped just after, in the most moving part of the opera I think, when Norma alone on the stage, watching her children sleep, has to decide whether to kill or not to kill them. Edita starts almost whispering ( not like Maria Callas), then reaches heights of maternal pains and despair where her shrill voice there vibrates the chord of all the sufferings of the world... this theme musically and humanly is deeply moving. These children will not be killed and probably escape slavery (by the Romans) but it is really a narrow escape in this drama. Watching Edita singing and acting this precise part was tremendous. She does not hide her feelings, she acts thoroughly and makes believe. What she sings takes you beyond, because it is so much in relation with the words, so precise.
The theme of this tragedy is still readable by a XXIst century audience. As the Head of Coline Opera pointed out in his talk before the concert, childhood must always to be protected, anywhere. I was thinking about the industrial slavery of some children in some parts of the world, and of the weight and power of religion on the education of girls, as it was underlined in this message that progress in society is always led by women, so girls must get an ecucation, in spite of the weight of some religious belief. It seems to be far from the scope of Norma, but it is not really. The Druids were ocupied by the Romans in this tragedy so it does ring a bell...Norma is a religious and political leader and she falls secretly in love with the head of the occupying forces. In some parts of the world there could be similar situations, and human sacrifices are not uncommon with terrorism, unfortunately.
The musical treatment of such strong feelings transcends time.
That is why opera even when we think it is old fashioned, once linked to the words that express the feelings sung by the singers, is never obsolate.
In Norma, the Moon guides the celebrations of the Druids. The poetry involved in the text is so intense with the music. I will try to finish this festival expressing my love for Bellini's music.
This is a quotation which I like:
"In 1901, commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Bellini, Arrigo Boito, the eminent librettist and composer, wrote in his Omaggio a Bellini nel primo centenario dalla sua nascita: “Chi non ama Vincenzo Bellini non ama la Musica” (“He who does not love Vincenzo Bellini does not love music”). A full century later, one can do little more than emphatically repeat Boito’s apt assessment of the “Swan of Sicily.”(D. Osborne)
Homage to the Moon by Cecilia Bartoli: LINK
(many thanks to the uploader).
And I was pleased to cheer the young mezzo soprano Maïté Maruri who nicely signed the programe and wrote her name. She was a fine Clotilda, and I address her my best wishes in this end of year period because she is the youngest of the cast!LINK
and very promising too!(many thanks to the uploader)
Here is a very precious link to Mrs Gruberova's Fan Page which is a great site (even the scores are available). It is a source of great information about Mrs Gruberova's career. LINK
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