Norma Bellini

A concert version allows an audience to enjoy some of the greatest works in opera, where  a full scale production is impracticable. At Her Majesty’s Theatre, for one night only, State Opera presented Bellini’s Norma. It is a work that epitomises ‘bel canto,’ and calls for a pure tone, amazing agility, vocal range, phrasing and breath control from the singers. This style flourished in the 18th and early 19th centuries with works by Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. Opera nowadays, leans more to realism and modern themes, without compromising vocal abilities, but there is still glamour and excitement to be found in those earlier works. While there were  singers in town who are capable of performing these operas it is excellent that State Opera took the opportunity to engage them.

Guidetta Pasta for whom the role of Norma was composed asked Bellini to adapt the now famous aria Casta Diva as she felt it was ‘ill adapted to her vocal capabilities’. Bellini urged her to persevere for a week, at the end of which time she admitted that she had been wrong. I am sure there was no such doubt in the mind of Helene Dix who sang this demanding role with clarity, strength, beauty of tone, flexibility and conviction. Miriam Albano as Adalgisa, in turn, was the perfect vocal partner, in her arias and duets, both with Norma and  Rosario La Spina as Pollione. Albano managed to portray the diffidence, the torment and moral struggle throughout. The man who caused all this emotional turmoil, Pollione, sang with an arrogant bravado, as befitted a man who has deserted his faithful partner and two sons for a younger woman. Whether setting the opera in ancient Gaul during the Roman occupation, as did Bellini, or in a distant mining outpost in space, as in last night’s concert version, human affairs follow a distressingly familiar pattern. 

The changed setting allowed for some very effective back drops. Mark Oakley (Lighting and Projection Designer)  placed the action in some context, while Tracey Richardson’s costumes allowed Norma and Adalgisa to convince as pagan priestesses while Pollione as Commander and Oroveso (Teddy Tahu Rhodes) as Union leader, presented as men in authority in that alien setting.

Clotide (Lucy Stoddart) and Flavio (Callum McGing) made enough of their small roles to promise more in the future. The State Opera Chorus sang with their usual precision, under the direction of  Chorus Master Anthony Hunt, and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Brad Cohen was also in good form. Overall Direction was by Brock Roberts..