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L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O
I have been a devoted admirer of the bel canto repertoire for all of my operagoing life. In introducing Bellini’s glorious
Norma
– the
second bel canto opera on this season’s schedule – an anecdote comes to mind.
In Harrod’s record department in London, when I was in my early teens, I was wandering around and was suddenly transfixed
by an amazing voice. I’d never heard anything like this. It was Dame Joan Sutherland singing the heroine’s aria from Rossini’s
Semiramide.
That performance led me to investigate all the great works of bel canto,
which remains to this day one of my greatest enthusiasms in opera.
Following our success with this season’s production of Donizetti’s
Lucia di
Lammermoor
, we’re returning to bel canto with
Norma
(coincidentally, two works
closely associated with Dame Joan, who had so much to do with shaping my love
of bel canto singing).
Norma
stands with
Lucia
as arguably the greatest of all the
more dramatic bel canto pieces. It celebrates the glory of great singing, uniting
extraordinarily memorable melodies with vocal virtuosity within an intense romantic
narrative.
Norma herself is the epitome of what makes bel canto so exciting for singers
and so rewarding for audiences. The role requires the ultimate in vocal technique,
but also the ultimate in emotional investment. To portray the Druid high priestess
while doing full justice to Bellini’s music, stupendous vocal agility must be united
with genuine theatrical grandeur, making Norma among the most challenging
characters to sing and act in the entire operatic repertoire.
Of course,
Norma
is not a one-woman show; it needs an exceptionally strong
team of principal artists to fulfill the vocal and dramatic demands
.
Pollione asks for
a heroic machismo that makes him unique among bel canto tenors. Adalgisa has
much ravishing music to sing (including three of bel canto’s most rewarding duets),
and for the bass role of Oroveso a singer of innate majesty is required.
Our cast is made up of truly exceptional artists, from whom you can expect
sensational singing. Our leading lady, Sondra Radvanovsky, has previously captivated
Lyric audiences and critics alike in roles of Verdi and Donizetti, including her
extraordinary portrayal of Anna Bolena two seasons ago. Since making her role debut as Norma in Spain in 2011, Sondra has become
today’s pre-eminent interpreter of this formidable role, triumphing with it at the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, and most
recently the Canadian Opera Company.
We’re so pleased to welcome back Ryan Opera Center alumna Elizabeth DeShong (Adalgisa), who is thrilling audiences
internationally in bel canto roles. Like Sondra and Elizabeth, Andrea Silvestrelli (Oroveso) is a favorite at Lyric, and this season will
be singing his first bel canto role with us. In tenor Russell Thomas (Pollione) we have a very eagerly awaited Lyric debut, following
successes by this remarkable young American artist in many of the world’s most prestigious opera houses and concert halls.
Of course,
Norma
can’t succeed without brilliance from the pit and from the production team. Our debuting Italian conductor,
Riccardo Frizza, has made bel canto a specialty in many major houses. We can fully expect him to bring to this work a marvelous
authenticity of style that will hugely enhance our audiences’ experience. I am also thrilled to be presenting
Norma
in this magnificent
new Lyric coproduction, directed by Kevin Newbury.
From the General Director
STEVE LEONARD
Anthony Freud
General Director, President & CEO
The Women’s Board Endowed Chair
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January 28 - February 24, 2017