Norma 1831 synopsis

Norma 1831 synopsis
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Norma, rollgestalten  är ett av operahistoriens stora kvinnoporträtt. Romani genomförde vissa djupgående förändringar i Soumets tragedi. Där dödar Norma verkligen sin barn. Soumets förebilder var såväl de mytologiska gestalterna Niobe och Medea som Shakespeares Lady Macbeth och Chateaubriands druidprästinna Velléda ur prosaeposet Les Martys ou Le Triomphe de la religion chrétienne. Till denna redan i sig komplexa kvinnobild tillförde Romani två viktiga aspekter: den eviga kärleken till Pollione och den lika djupa kärleken till barnen.

Medan Norma hos Soumet i sitt vansinne dödar barnen, sker detta inte hos Romani och Bellini. Deras Norma är en djupt inkännande gestalt med många bottnar: översteprästinna och mor, övergiven älskarinna och hämndgirig rival i en och samma person.

Hennes tragiska slut är ofrånkomligt och en följd av hennes inre konflikter av det omöjliga i att förena prästinnelöftet, plikten och den olyckliga kärleken. Hennes död handlar mindre om en självbestraffning än om att låta de olösliga konflikterna lösas i en katharsis. Finalen är en av operalitteraturens mest gripande scener och är uppbyggd på en enda storslagen melodi.

Operan utspelar sig under 50-talet f. Kr. i den del av Gallien som motsvarar nuvarande Frankrike. Landet som bebos av kelter, är ockuperat av romarna och motståndet mot inkräktarna leds av främsta ståndet, druiderna.

Norma 1831 synopsis

KUNGLIGA OPERAN

AKT 1

Scen 1. Druidernas heliga lund

Ärkedruiden Oroveso och de galliska befälhavarna möte i hemlighet vid druidernas heliga ek.De väntar på gudarnas signal att angripa romarna och det är Orovesos dotter Norma, den högsta prästinnan i gudinnan Irminsuls tempel, som vid nymåne skall skära mistelkvistar från eken och sedan eventuellt ge order om att gallerna kan börja anfallet.

Gömda i närheten finns även den romerske prokonsuln Pollione med sin vän Flavio.Norma har sedan länge varit hemlig älskarinna till Pollione med vilken hon har två barn och hon vill därför förhala en eventuell krigssituation så länge som möjligt. Hon åkallar den kyska mångudinnan och ber henne om fred.

Norma känner inte till att Pollione älskar en annan, den unga tempeljungfrun Adalgisa, som besvarar hans kärlek. Pollione och Adalgisa kommer överens om att fly tillsammans till Rom

Scen2. Utanför Normas boning

Norma delar sina föraningar om att Pollione kommer att lämna henne och barnen med sin förtrogna Clotilde. Adalgisa berättar för henne om sin “förbjudna” kärlek till en romare och ber att få bli löst från sitt heliga kyskhetslöfte. Norma, som ju är i samma situation, vill hjälpa Adalgisa, men när hon får veta att de båda älskar samma man blir hon rasande och förbannar Pollione och hans unga kärlek.

AKT 11

Scen 1. Normas boning

Norma vill i sin förtvivlan döda sina båda barn, men beslutar sig sedan för att avstå från Pollione och ta sitt eget liv. Hon anförtror därför barnen åt Adalgisa och hennes blivande make. Men Adalgisa kan inte längre tänka sig ett liv med en man som varit så trolös mot Norma. Hon erbjuder sig istället att medla mellan Norma och Pollione.

Scen 2. Druidernas heliga grotta

Gallerna har samlats på nytt,men Oroveso manar dem att vänta, gudarna har ännu inte givit signal till anfall.

Scen 3. Druidernas heliga tempel

Norma väntar på Adalgisa, vars medlingsförsök dock misslyckats och Norma tror därför att hon har blivit lurad. Av Clotilde får hon veta att Pollione tänker föra bort Adalgisa från templet mot dennas vilja. Nu ger Norma klartecken till strid mot romarna.

Pollione har tillfångatagits i templet. Straffet är offerdöden. I sin stora kärlek vill Norma först erbjuda Pollione livet om han avstår från Adalgisa. När han nekar ber hon i stället att få offra en trolös jungfru. Men Norma kan inte låta Adalgisa dö för ett brott hon själv begått. Ingen tror till en början på hennes bekännelse, men hon är orubblig. Hon ber sin far Oroveso ta hand om barnen och bestiger bålet. Nu vaknar Polliones kärlek till Norma upp på nytt och han möter döden vid hennes sida.

Norma 1831 synopsis

IN ENGLISH

Place: Gaul
Time: c. 100-50 BC (Roman occupation)

Act 1 

  • Sinfonia

Scene 1: The grove of the druids 

Oroveso leads the druids in a procession in the forest to pray for victory against the invading Romans: (Oroveso and druids: “Ite sul colle, o Druidi” / “Go up on the hill, O druids”). The druids pray that Norma will come and have the courage to broker peace with the Romans: (Druids and Oroveso: “Dell’aura tua profetica” / “With thy prophetic aura, imbue her, O terrible God”.) All leave to go to the temple.

Pollione and Flavio enter. Although Norma has secretly broken her vows in order to love him and has borne him two children, Pollione tells Flavio that he no longer loves her, having fallen in love with the priestess Adalgisa. But he expresses some remorse, describing his dream in which Adalgisa was beside him at the altar of Venus and a huge storm arose: (Pollione, aria: “Meco all’altar di Venere” / “With me at the altar in Rome was Adalgisa dressed in white, veiled all in white.”)

The storm presaged disaster for them both: “Thus does Norma punish her faithless lover,” he declares. They hear the trumpets sounding to announce Norma’s arrival. Flavio urges his friend to leave, but Pollione stands firm, proclaiming that he will confront them with a superior power and overthrow their altars: (Cabaletta: “Me protegge, me difende” / “I am protected and defended”)

As Norma leads the druids and priestesses, the crowd proclaims: “Norma viene” / “Norma is coming” and, as Oroveso awaits her, they describe her dress and manner. All kneel as she approaches. “The time is not ripe for our revenge”, she declares, stating that Rome will perish one day by being worn down. Then, with the mistletoe in hand, she approaches the altar with a plea to the moon (the “Chaste Goddess”): (cavatina: “Casta diva” / “Chaste goddess”).

Continuing, she pleads that the goddess shed upon earth that peace which she has created in heaven. She calls for all to complete the rites and then clear the uninitiated from the grove. To herself, she declares that she cannot hurt Pollione, but desires that things return to where they used to be: (Cabaletta: “Ah! bello a me ritorna” / “Return to me, O beautiful one”). The assembled crowd accepts her cautious approach, and all leave the grove.

Later that night: The Temple of Irminsul in the grove

Adalgisa prays at the temple, remembering with some sorrow how she became involved with Pollione. He enters, telling her that she prays to a cruel god and is not trying to invoke the god of love. While she appears to reject him, he declares (Aria: “Va crudele” /”Go, O cruel one”) but he is convinced that he cannot leave her; he is distraught, but she is equally torn, until the moment when he declares that he must return to Rome the following day. He begs Adalgisa to go with him: (Duet: Pollione, then Adalgisa, then together: “Vieni in Roma” / “Come to Rome”). She resists him, but finally appears to agree that they will leave together the following day.

Scene 2: Norma’s dwelling 

Alessandro Sanquirico’s set design for act 1, scene 2, for the original production

Norma appears to be upset and orders her maid, Clotilde, to take the two children away from her, expressing very ambivalent feelings about them. She tells Clotilde that Pollione has been recalled to Rome, but does not know if he will take her or how he feels about leaving his children. As Adalgisa approaches, the children are taken away.

Adalgisa tells Norma she has fallen in love with a Roman, whom she does not name. As she describes how she fell in love while waiting at the temple and seeing “his handsome face” appear, Norma recalls (as an aside) her own feelings for Pollione (“my passions, too, burned like this”), and more and more, their experiences of falling in love run parallel: (Norma and Adalgisa, duet: “Sola, furtiva al tempio” / “Often I would wait for him”).

Adalgisa pleads for help and forgiveness, and Norma pledges that she will do that and will also free her from her vows as a priestess: (Norma: “Ah! sì, fa core, abbracciami” / “Yes, take heart, embrace me”. Adalgisa: “Ripeti, o ciel, ripetimi” / “Say that again, heavens, say again”)

Norma asks Adalgisa to describe the man whom she loves. Responding, she tells her that he is a Roman, and, at that moment, turns to indicate that it is Pollione who is just then entering the room. As Norma furiously turns to confront Pollione, Adalgisa is confused: Norma: “Oh! non tremare, o perfido” / “O faithless man, do not tremble”.

Forcing the priestess to realise that she is the victim of a huge deception, Norma addresses Adalgisa. (Trio: each sings in succession, beginning with Norma: “Oh! di qual sei tu vittima” / “Oh, you are the victim”; then Adalgisa: “Oh! qual traspare orribile” / “What horror has been revealed”; then the two women together, followed by Pollione alone: “Norma! de’ tuoi rimproveri” / “Norma, do not reproach me now”, continuing with “Please give this wretched girl some respite”; after which all three repeat their words, singing at first singly, then together.)

There follow angry exchanges among the three, Norma declaring Pollione to be a traitor; he trying to persuade Adalgisa to leave with him; and she angrily telling him to go away. When he declares that it is his fate to leave Norma, she encourages the young priestess to go with him, but the latter declares that she would rather die. Norma then demands that her lover go, leaving behind his children—and his honour.

(Finale: brief duet, Adalgisa and Pollione: he declares his love, and she her desire to Norma not to be the cause of grief to her. Trio: Norma continues to rage at Pollione, Adalgisa repeats her desire to make him return to Norma, and Pollione curses the day when he met Norma.) Then the sound of the druids calling Norma to the temple is heard. They report that the angry god, Irminsul, has spoken. Pollione storms out.

Act 2 

  • Orchestral introduction

Scene 1: Norma’s dwelling 

Norma looks at both of her sons, who are asleep. She considers killing them. Advancing towards them with knife upraised, she hesitates. (Recitative: “Dormono entrambi … non vedran la mano che li percuote” / “They are both asleep … they shall not see the hand which strikes them.”) But she cannot bring herself to do it: (Aria: “Teneri, teneri figli” / “My dear, dear sons”) The children wake up and she calls for Clotilde, demanding that Adalgisa be brought to her.

The young priestess enters, concerned at how pale Norma looks. Norma makes her swear to do everything she asks and, upon her agreement, tells her that she is entrusting the two children to her care and states that they should be taken to the Roman camp to their father Pollione, a man whom she hopes will make a better mate for Adalgisa than he was for her. Adalgisa is aghast. Norma: “I beg you for his children’s sake.” (Duet, first Norma: “Deh! con te, con te li prendi” / “Please, take them with you”) Adalgisa tells her that she will never leave Gaul and only agreed to the request in order to do what was good for Norma.

(Duet, Adalgisa: “Vado al campo”) In the duet, Adalgisa agrees to go to the Roman camp and tell Pollione of Norma’s grief but her hope is to persuade him to return to Norma. She then renounces Pollione: (Duet: “Mira, o Norma” / “Look, o Norma”) They sing together, each expressing her own thoughts and feelings until Norma realises that Adalgisa will give up Pollione and remain with her: (Cabaletta: Duet, Norma and Adalgisa: “Si fino all’ore estreme” / “Until the last hour”)

Scene 2: The grove 

The druid warriors gather and prepare themselves to attack the Romans. Oroveso enters with news from the gods: the time has not arrived to strike. Somewhat frustrated, the soldiers accept the decision.

Scene 3: The temple of Irminsul[edit]

Norma enters. (Aria: “Ei tornerà” / “He will come back”) Then Clotilde arrives with news that Adalgisa has failed to persuade Pollione to return. Although Norma questions whether she should have trusted her, she then learns from her servant that Adalgisa is returning and wishes to take her vows at the altar and that the Roman has sworn to abduct her from the temple.

In anger, Norma strikes a gong-like shield as a summons to war. Trumpets sound and Oroveso and the druids all rush in, demanding to know what is happening. They hear Norma’s answer and the soldiers take up the refrain: “Guerra, guerra!” / “War, war!”, while Norma proclaims “Blood, blood! Revenge!”

In order for Norma to complete the rites to authorise going to war, Oroveso demands to know who will be the sacrificial victim. At that moment, Clotilde rushes in to announce that a Roman has desecrated the temple, but that he has been apprehended.

It is Pollione who is led in, and Norma is urged to take the sacrificial knife to stab him but, approaching him, she is unable to perform the deed. The assembled crowd demands to know why, but she dismisses them, stating that she needs to question her victim.

The crowd departs: (Duet, Norma and Pollione: “In mia man alfin tu sei” / “At last you are in my hands”). Norma demands that he forever shun Adalgisa; only then will she release him and never see him again. He refuses, and she vents her anger by telling him that she will then kill her children.

“Strike me instead”, he demands, “so that only I alone will die”, but she quickly asserts that not only will all the Romans die, but so will Adalgisa, who has broken her vows as a priestess. This prompts him to plead for her life. (Cabaletta: Norma and Pollione: “Già mi pasco ne’ tuoi sguardi” / “Already I take pleasure in the looks you give me”.) When Pollione demands the knife, she calls the priests to assemble.

Norma announces that it would be better to sacrifice a priestess who has broken her vows, and orders the pyre to be lit. Oroveso demands to know who is to be sacrificed while Pollione begs that she stays silent. Norma then wonders to herself if she is not in fact the guilty one, then reveals that it is she who is to be the victim: a high priestess who has broken her vows, has become involved with the enemy, and has borne his children.

(Aria, Norma to Pollione: “Qual cor tradisti” / “The heart you betrayed”; Duet: Norma and Pollione; ensemble, Norma, Oroveso, Pollione, druids, priests: each expresses his/her sorrow, anger, pleas to Norma, with Oroveso learning for the first time that Norma is a mother.)

In the concerted finale, Norma pleads with Oroveso to spare her children, reminding her father that they are of his own blood. (“Deh! non volerli vittime” / “Please don’t make them victims”). After he promises to take care of them, she prepares to leap into the flames, and the re-enamoured Pollione joins her, declaring “your pyre is mine as well. There, a holier and everlasting love will begin”

UPPHOVSPERSONER

Musik: Vincenzo Bellini
Text: Felice Romani efter Soumet och Chateaubriand.

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