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Sutherland’s Norma offers ravishingly beautiful tone at a pitch where most soprano voices get thin, exquisite grace and agility in the elaborate ornamentation that characterizes bel canto style, and freedom from strain no matter what kind of vocal acrobatics a composer may demand. What one misses here is the heightened drama, the precise delineation of character and emotion, and the verbal mastery of Callas. Sutherland’s voice–the main reason for wanting to hear this record… More >>
Bellini – Norma / Sutherland · Caballé · Pavarotti · Ramey · WNO · Bonynge
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#1 by Gianluca Del Ponte on June 11, 2010 - 12:41 am
Dame Joan simply doesn’t get it. There is no drama in her interpretation of this complex role, she conveys nothing. Her husband’s conducting is bad as well. I am so disappointed by this recording.
Her pronounciation is bad, phrasing as well. “Qual cor tradisti…” is unbearable.
Whoever wants to hear real Norma, get Callas. Studio recording or live from La Scala. Those are ultimate Normas.
Rating: 1 / 5
#2 by The Cultural Observer on June 11, 2010 - 1:09 am
I always thought that canaries weren’t supposed to sing Norma. That is, until I heard Edita Gruberova in Vienna! Beautiful voice! Beautiful sound! Very good interpretation, with high notes reminiscing young Joan Sutherland, but only better! Sadly, I cannot say that about Joan Sutherland. As always, she sings wihout passion. Garbled pronunciation of Italian words, horrendous state of her middle voice, undesirable mezza voce, it puzzles me why many people would run after these divas who sing Norma with a ton of hot air…and that’s it. Puzzles me a lot, really. I mean, how on earth can people sing Norma without emoting their voice in singing? It’s atrocious! You’d think that a few years later, Sutherland’s dramatic insight would improve, but no! And they caught her voice at a very bad time too! Callas, as always, will be the sublime, definitive Norma, even until the end of her career where her voice had begun to fade. At least she still conveyed the needed emotions for this role. Caballe could do Norma well too, and recently, Miricioiu and Gruberova. If Renee Fleming will do Norma, then we’ll have another great Druid priestess on record. Not La Stupenda! It was a good thing that only very few records of her were preserved on tape. Otherwise, I would have recommended her live Norma from San Francisco. That, at least, is dramatically right. In this record, Caballe can of course, sing the role of Adalgisa, but I think she was better suited as the priestess. I can’t say the same about Pavarotti. I still think Corelli is the best Pollione ever. Avoid Sutherland’s studio Normas. Sure there is good singing, but you don’t get to hear what Norma is supposed to sound like. Besides, Bonynge always conducts sloppily, unlike Serafin who is the singer’s conductor (and possibly the greatest conductor of all time!).
Rating: 2 / 5
#3 by John Costello on June 11, 2010 - 2:24 am
If you want to hear Sub Par singing in this gorgeous opera purchase this set. This is not a good role for the Pav, along with his Don Jose in Carmen he lacks the punch in his delivery. If you want the best performance of this opera, pic up the Corelli-Callas version on EMI classics.
Rating: 1 / 5
#4 by Conrad W. Claborne on June 11, 2010 - 4:40 am
Unfortunately, this recording was made from behind the conductor in orchestra, rather than on stage. As a result the individual performances, and their power and subtlies get lost. This is very unfortunate. The entire recording shouldbe re-engineered.
Rating: 2 / 5
#5 by Anonymous on June 11, 2010 - 5:32 am
Sorry, Sutherland is way off here. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of insults for telling it as it is, but she is just awful here. For a great Prima Donna to admit that she’s lost it, I know it’s hard, but she has definitely lost it here. Check out her 1964 recording of Norma with the great Marilyn Horne, and you’ll be greatly satisfied…buy this and you’re heart will sinked. Sorry, I mean 2 stars only!
Rating: 2 / 5