MONTREAL OPERA IS LAVISH AND POWERFUL
By Jim Lowe Times Argus Staff

Barre Montpelier Times Argus, VT
Sept 19 2005

MONTREAL – Bellini’s “Norma” is grand opera with all of its spectacle
– a big chorus and processions, virtuosic singing and lavish costumes
and staging.

It is also an opera masterpiece – one with a powerful human story
delivered through its music.

L’Opera de Montreal opened a beautiful production of “Norma,” Saturday
at Place des Arts’ Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. Armenian soprano Hasmik
Papian had a powerful presence in the title role, and Music Director
Bernard Labadie conducted a sensitive and dramatic performance.

“Norma” is one of the few masterpieces of the bel canto period, early
19th century Italian opera. By that time, opera had become a popular
entertainment in Italy, much like today’s Broadway musicals. They
were written fast and furiously as composers traveled from city to
city writing and producing an opera in several weeks, then moving on
to the next city and the next opera. Thus, the operas were largely
formulaic, each requiring the requisite amount of pomp and pageant.

Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835) was one of those traveling composers,
most of his operas were written in this factory-like manner – and
most of them are largely forgotten.

“Norma,” with a libretto by Felice Romani, on the other hand, has
remained in the standard opera repertoire since it premiered at La
Scala in Milan in 1831. Certainly it has the required chorus and
processions, as well as an exotic setting, but it also has a powerful
human story – one that remains as contemporary now as it was when
the opera premiered or when it was set, nearly 2,000 years ago.

Norma is a Druid high priestess in Roman-occupied Gaul. Secretly, she
has been having an affair with the Roman consul Pollione, resulting
in two children. But Pollione has tired of Norma and has begun a
relationship with the young novice priestess Adalgisa.

When Norma discovers this affair, Adalgisa is torn between loyalty
to Norma and her faith and her human love. Norma, too, is torn,
between loving her children and her faith, and her passion and anger
toward Pollione. What ensues is the stuff of all romantic tragedy,
and Bellini’s music brings it across with relish and flourish. In
short, it’s a real tear-jerker.

Papian had a powerful presence as Norma. In her Montreal Opera debut,
she used her rich, terribly beautiful soprano lyri-cally, plying each
line with sensitivity and finesse. She used the lyrical approach rather
than Greek-American diva Maria Callas’ famous dramatic approach,
where the emotion in the words within the line were emphasized
musically. But Papian was convincing, beautifully so.

Papian’s performance of the famous “Casta Diva (Chaste goddess)”
was certainly beautiful. But it was her tender “Deh! Non voleri
vittime del mio fatale errore (Oh, do not let them be the victims of
my cruel mistake)” at the end where she pleads for her children that
was devastating and beautiful.

The other major role was Adalgisa, and it was sung beautifully –
though without much drama – by American mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich.

Still, when called for, she delivered a beautiful tenderness with
her rich warm mezzo voice.

Playing Pollione was American tenor Antonio Nagore, macho, yet with
a beautiful soft-edged voice. On Saturday, it took him a little time
to warm up, but when he did it was beautiful.

The production, directed by Stephen Pickover, had all the necessary
grandness, yet was convincing on a dramatic level, utilizing simple
but haunting settings from New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Labadie led
L’Orchestre Metropolitain du Grand Montreal and the Opera Chorus in
a not always refined, but a sensitive and dramatic performance.

L’Opera de Montreal’s production of “Norma” was traditional grand
opera, yet full of intimate human drama.