When I finally had a chance to see a whole
opera on stage after a break of several months, I simply had to go to Sellosali
in Espoo to see Vicenzo Bellini’s “Norma” even though I had seen the same
version already in the autumn of 2018 in the same place. But there had been
some changes in the performers, so that was one more reason to go and see it a
second time.
Here is a recap of the storyline from my
previous blog writing: The story of the opera is a triangle drama. Norma has
had a long-time secret relationship with an officer of the occupying army,
Pollione (they even have two kids together). Now his interest is fading and he
has targeted young Adalgisa instead. Adalgisa is planning to join Pollione when
he returns home. When Norma and Adalgisa find out that they have fallen for the
same man, Adalgisa gives up and Norma plans to kill their children as a
revenge. Of course, she is not able to do it in the end and true to operatic
traditions, in the final scene Norma and Pollione notice that they still love
each other. But since Norma has betrayed her people by falling in love with an
occupier, they both end up going to the pyre.
The main role was also this time sung by Laura
Leisma and still with flying colours. This time the role of Adalgisa was sung
by Niina Keitel. In the beginning of the opera as a young innocent girl, which
is played by Pollinone, the impression was a bit bland, but on the other hand
it is rather difficult to give a forceful performance of a young innocent
maiden. But in the end, where Adalgisa had woken up and she had clearly grown
as a woman, Keitel started to shine. Well done!
Pollinone’s performer had also changed to
Pekka Kuivalainen. Pretty ok performance, but clearly not as good as Giuseppe
Varano’s in the previous version.
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