The famous singer Giuditta Pasta was the first performer of the role of Norma in Bellini’s opera of the same name. But still in the beginning of the rehearsals for the premiere, the singer was utterly displeased at her aria. But ... a little bit background.

In spring 1830, Bellini’s impresarios engaged Teatro alla Scala in Milan and Teatro La Fenice in Venice for the new opera by Bellini. So the composer received contracts for two of the most prestigious opera theatres not only in Italy, but also in Europe.

Teatro alla Scala received “Norma” for the opening of 1831 season, and “Beatrice di Tenda” went to Venice for the beginning of the Carnival season the next year.

After the success of “Sonnambula”, where Giuditta Pasta demonstrated her exceptional singing abilities and stage potential, she was engaged for her debut at Teatro alla Scala. At this time Pasta was the greatest singer in Europe and her exceptional talent made her a legend of her time. In summer 1831, Bellini and his librettist Felice Romani fixed on a piece by Alexandre Soumet, which Pasta had seen in Paris. In a letter to her, Bellini expressed his hopes that the drama would meet her taste and the main character would suit her.

Bellini finished “Norma” for three months. It was so far the beginning of the rehearsals on 5 December 1831, when Giuditta Pasta interrupted the performance of “Casta Diva” and said that the aria didn’t meet her vocal potential at all and she wouldn’t sing it. Bellini tenaciously insisted Pasta to rehearse one week and promised that if the aria still didn’t come out, to revise it according to the singer’s requirements. The great prima-donna listened attentively to the composer’s words and after one week she admitted her mistake. But at the premiere on 26 December “Norma” was welcomed by the audience with cold indifference. Bellini was so shaken that the only words he uttered were: “Fiasco! Fiasco! Solemn fiasco!”. But the audience was curious about the new opera, in the next evenings Teatro alla Scala was full again and the triumph wasn’t late. This way “Norma” slowly and gradually conquered Italy, and later Europe too. In 1837 the young Richard Wagner conducted the opera in Riga and defined it as “Bellini’s indisputably most successful opera”.

The part of Norma – one of the most difficult in the entire opera repertoire – turned into example of bel canto singing, and the aria “Casta Diva” became one of the best-known arias in the world. The great German singer Lilli Lehmann shared before the music critic of the Herald Tribune that to sing the three parts of Brünnhilde from “Der Ring des Nibelungen” in one evening would be less stressing than Norma for one evening. The next great performer of Norma was Maria Malibran, whom Bellini adored. In the beginning of the 20 century Claudia Muzio and Rosa Ponselle were the two singers, who won ovations with the role. They were followed by Gina Cigna, and in the years after World War II, Maria Callas elevated Norma to peaks, which remain unconquered up to this day.

Exceptionally bright performers of Norma are Joan Sutherland, Leyla Gencer, Beverly Sills and Montserrat Caballé. The great star of Italy – Mariella Devia – debuted in “Norma” at the age of 65, after 40 years career.

Nowadays, there is not a single opera singer, who to personify herself only and solely with the role of Norma. The time of the prima-donnas is past, but there is a row of names, who can be added to the wonderful interpreters of this so complicated role.

Bronislava Ignatova