Norma (2017)

Vincenzo Bellini’s tragic masterpiece, a score that captivated Richard Wagner himself, is brought to life in this acclaimed production by the Teatro Real, conducted by Roberto Abbado and directed by Davide Livermore, who transports the action to a timeless world, with mythological allusions to Celtic culture. At the heart of the story, soprano Maria Agresta embodies the heroine Norma, supported by the imposing Pollione, sung by tenor Gregory Kunde, and the heart-rending Adalgisa, sung by mezzo-soprano Karine Deshayes.

In a region of Gaul on the brink of armed insurrection, the high priestess Norma leads her people’s spiritual resistance whilst concealing a double life: she is having a clandestine affair and has two secret children with the enemy proconsul, Pollione. The geopolitical and personal landscape is turned upside down when the Roman military officer betrays the Druid leader in an attempt to flee with Adalgisa, a young and naive novice from the very same sacred temple. With the weight of an impending war on her shoulders, Norma is torn between her duty to her community, an unexpected alliance with her rival, and a violent moral dilemma.