NORMA
"Casta Diva, che inargenti
queste sacre antiche piante,
a noi volgi il bel sembiante
senza nube e senza vel.
Tempra, o Diva,
tempra tu de’ cori ardenti
tempra ancora lo zelo audace,
spargi in terra quella pace
che regnar tu fai nel ciel."
- "Casta Diva", Norma from Vincenzo Bellini's Norma, Libretto by Felice Romani, first performance on December 26, 1831 at Milan's La Scala, based on the play Norma ou L'Infanticide by Alexandre Soumet.
English Translation
NORMA
Chaste goddess, who dost bathe in silver light
These ancient, hallowed trees,
Turn thy fair face upon us,
Unveiled and unclouded.
Temper, o goddess, thou the burning hearts,
The excessive zeal of thy people.
Enfold the earth in that sweet peace
Which, through Thee, reigns in heaven.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Bel Canto opera fans from all over the world, I present to you my first submission for Brenda's aka 100millionPOINTS' 5000-Point Contest where artists draw this lovely young lady in a variety and outfits. For my theme, which might recur for the contest's duration, I chose bel canto opera because I am an aficionado if works composed by Bellini, Donizetti, and Rossini. I might even stretch my opera theme to the French grand opèras by Halèvy and Meyerbeer as well the operas by Mozart, but we will see. I am really excited to enact on what I have to offer.
What better way to commence this series of submissions than having the wonderful Brenda adorned in the garb of one of my most favorite tragic bel canto opera of all time, Norma the Druid high priestess sung by a dramatic coloratura soprano, daughter of the Druid high priest Oroveso sung by a basso cantante or basso profondo, and secret lover of the Roman proconsul from Gaul Pollione sung by a spinto tenor. In Norma's famous aria, "Casta Diva", she prays to the moon goddess for her people and the entire to be enveloped in peace. Despite Norma being a high priestess, she carries, as I mentioned before, a secret that she is Pollione's lover and has two young children from him. Unfortunately, he abandons her for the young virgin Adalgisa sung by a lyric soprano, although she is mostly given to mezzos. What happens in the course of the opera is up to all of you to see and listen in full, but be forewarned that the ending is heartwrenchingly tragic. Nevertheless, Bellini's Norma has a lot of beautifully exciting music to be found.
To accompany this picture are some of my favorite renditions of "Casta Diva' sung by Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Leyla Gencer, Cristina Deutekom, Montserrat Caballé, June Anderson, and Marina Rebeka. Callas, Gencer, Deutekom, and Caballé shall sing this in the mostly transposed version of F Major, while Sutherland, Anderson, and Rebeka will be singing it in the original key of G Major. Please enjoy and let me know which versions you like the most.
Maria Callas
Joan Sutherland
Leyla Gencer
Cristina Deutekom (main aria starts at 03:55)
Montserrat Caballé
June Anderson
Marina Rebeka
I hope you all enjoyed this, and I will see you in the next submission. Take care, stay safe, and demonstrate veneration to your local moon goddess, everybody.
Brenda belongs to 100millionPOINTS.