{"id":13887,"date":"2013-07-16T07:18:31","date_gmt":"2013-07-16T12:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=13887"},"modified":"2013-07-16T08:13:21","modified_gmt":"2013-07-16T13:13:21","slug":"album-review-cecilia-bartoli-makes-compelling-case-for-a-mezzo-norma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2013\/07\/16\/album-review-cecilia-bartoli-makes-compelling-case-for-a-mezzo-norma\/","title":{"rendered":"Album review: Cecilia Bartoli makes compelling case for a mezzo Norma"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Cecilia<\/a>
Cecilia Bartoli and Sumi Jo during the Norma<\/em> recording sessions in Zurich.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Layers of change in interpretation are like dust: the accumulation is invisible until sunlight falls at the right angle to reveal the pollution. There’s no better recent example than Cecilia Bartoli’s latest operatic outing, a period-instrument recording of Vincenzo Bellini’s immortal Norma<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"norma\"<\/a>Released on the Decca label, this is no ordinary Norma<\/em>, but a careful scrubbing clean of the bel canto tragedy first performed on Boxing Day, 1831.<\/p>\n

The orchestration, the tempos and keys are all based on a new critical edition of the score, with careful consideration of everything known about the opera’s birth.<\/p>\n

Bartoli proposed herself for the title role, normally sung by a soprano, because it was written for Giuditta Pasta, a mezzo. Soprano Sumi Jo is Adalgisa, setting up a very effective female vocal counterpoint.<\/p>\n

The rest of the cast — including John Osborn as Pollione, Michele Pertusi as Oroveso, Liliana Nikiteanu as Clotilde and Reinaldo Macias as Flavio — is excellent. Zurich Opera’s period division, Orchestra La Scintilla is masterfully led by Giovanni Antonini.<\/p>\n

The big first-act aria everyone knows from Norma<\/em>, “Casta diva,” is sung by Bartoli in full tractor-beam mode, slowly, insistently, demanding our undivided attention.<\/p>\n

It’s the case all the way through this excellent operatic adventure, filled with fresh sounds from singers as well as orchestra.<\/p>\n

The recording, made in a Zurich church, sounds spacious yet clear. The accompanying book contains plenty of background information as well as Felice Romani’s full libretto.<\/p>\n

For all the details on this album, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here is the duet “Mira O Norma…” from the album, followed by the four trailer videos produced by Decca (“Casta diva” begins the last of the clips):<\/p>\n