This 1960 recording of Norma was EMI's second version with Maria Callas, made to transfer the catalogue from mono to stereo.
Composition History
Bellini's opera Norma is based on a French stage-play, Norma ou l'infanticide, by Alexandre Soumet, which premiered in Paris in 1831.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The enduring success of Norma lies in Bellini's perfect balance between musical beauty and theatrical expression, where the vocal line avoids excesses.
Critical Reception
Critics Andrew Porter and Desmond Shawe-Taylor noted a decline in Maria Callas's vocal powers in the 1960 recording, but still found her interpretation and middle register beautiful.
Performer Biography
By 1960, Maria Callas's public appearances were becoming rare, and she had begun to talk about retirement after over twenty years before the public.
Critical Reception
The premiere of Norma at La Scala, Milan, on December 26, 1831, was received coldly, but the work soon achieved success and remains emblematic of Bellini today.
Composer Biography
Felice Romani, the librettist for Norma, was a renowned man of the theatre who wrote over a hundred librettos for many famous composers, including Rossini and Verdi.
