NORMA IN FULL SCORE
BY: VINCENZO BELLINI

DESCRIPTION:
-ONE OF THE STANDARDS OF THE OPERATIC REPERTOIRE, NORMA IS BELLINI`S MASTERPIECE, A WORK OF GREAT EMOTIONAL POWER AND RADIANT MELODY, CELEBRATED FOR ITS PURITY OF STYLE AND 'AN ECSTATIC UNFOLDING OF SONORITY.' BASED ON A FRENCH PLAY OF THE SAME NAME BY SOUMET, NORMA CONCERNS THE TRAGIC LOVE OF A ROMAN CONSUL AND A DRUID HIGH PRIESTESS, SET AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF WAR AND NATIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS. THE PREMIERE TOOK PLACE AT LA SCALA IN 1831, AND ALTHOUGH BELLINI FELT THE FIRST PERFORMANCE WAS A FIASCO, THE PUBLIC SOON CAME TO REALIZE THE WORTH OF NORMA. BESIDES ITS POPULARITY WITH OPERA GOERS, BELLINI`S MOST IMPORTANT SERIOUS OPERA IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT FOR ITS INFLUENCE ON VERDI AND WAGNER. AND WHILE THE WORK`S DEMANDING SCORE AND PURE VOCALIZING PRESENT A DAUNTING CHALLENGE TO SINGERS, NORMA REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY PERFORMED AND RECORDED OPERAS.

REPRINT OF A STANDARD EDITION.