Search - Bellini: Norma on DVD

An excellent "Norma"

SILVIA COSTA | Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil | 06/07/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"People who love opera know that "Norma" is a master piece of "Bel Canto", and one of the most beautiful operas ever composed. The singing is very demanding for the main roles, and it is very uncommon to find a performance in which all singers have good quality voices. If we look for "Norma" in Amazon's site, we can find about 10 DVD recorded before this one, and only two of them have been rated between 4 and 5 stars, Gruberova's and Caballe's "Normas". Although I agree with those rates, I must say that this new DVD is better than those ones in many ways:
a)the voices have been well chosen for all roles, and are well balanced among them;
b)the florid ornamentations and cadences, typical of "Bel Canto", are beautifully sung;
c)sound and image are extraordinarily good;
d)Fiorenza Cedolins's acting and pronunciation are outstanding;
e)chorus and orchestra are almost perfect.

"

Thanks to other reviewers for encouraging me!

Thomas E. Ascher | Bellingham, WA | 04/02/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'd like to thank other reviewers who encouraged me to purchase this. I've been waiting many years for this video. I have others, notably by Sutherland and Caballe who sing the role beautifully but are lacking something either in technical, visual and sound quality, or who don't excite me much in appearance or acting. I was wary of purchasing this as I've never heard of Fiorenza Cedolins. I was also wary of another minimalist production. But overall, I have to say this is the most satisfying, overall, of any of the video Norma's I've seen. Cedolins is beautiful to look at, she has a true trill and glissando, and more importantly a delicacy of interpretation that is uniquely her own, not an attempt to mimic Callas or anyone else. Plus, the sound of this production, not just the voices but the orchestra as well, is absolutely stunning! I thoroughly enjoyed watching and listening to this."

A Historical Norma, first rate

S. Hutton | Hartsdale, NY USA | 03/13/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been following performances of NORMA since Mme Callas' time and, make no mistake, this is a historical interpretation. Mme Cedolin, I'm sure, is the first singing actor to show just how much the energy of Medea flows through Norma. Not even Mme Callas went that far. Her acting is not only superior; it is definitive. Such meshing of body movements and music one can find only in the rare Callas footage.

I for one find her voice ideally suited to the role as she interprets it and that puts her right smack in the Callas current. We are blessed to know of it. No, it is not the most beatiful Norma I ever heard, but it is the most telling and convincing.

That said, her colleagues do not let her down, and her conductor is superb. This is a Norma to cherish.

I long ago stopped searching for the "ideal" Norma. Almost every version out there is fine, and one should really know them all.

This one is VERY special. I wish you its acquaintance."

Not a true Norma

William B. Birdsall | Tampa, FL | 06/28/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I think people should stick with the Norma from L'Orange with Caballe if they want a DVD of Norma. Caballe was a true Norma. Cedolins tries hard, but I think she fails vocally. She looks and acts the part reasonably well, but this is not bel canto singing. The production is interesting, but the only singer that sounds like she is up to her role is Sonia Ganassi as Adalgisa."