Description:

Despite the challenges posed by the recording's sound quality, the brilliance of this performance still manages to shine through. The collaboration between Sarah Caldwell and Beverly Sills stands as one of the legendary partnerships in opera. Together, they bring the composer’s vision to life in a way that feels both faithful and almost radical at the same time.

Beverly Sills delivers a compelling performance in the title role, bringing her signature commitment and intelligence to this iconic character. She makes thoughtful adjustments to suit her voice, the most intriguing being her decision to transpose "Casta Diva" up. As Pollione, John Alexander sings with confidence, elegance, and refinement, while Beverly Wolff excels when the music allows her to showcase her warm middle register, though she is less effective at the top of her range. Donald Gramm’s sumptuous voice lends great authority to Oroveso, a fortunate asset given the additional arias interpolated into Act 3.

Presented uncut, this is the longest Norma I have ever encountered, yet the sheer vocal prowess and carefully considered interpretative details ensure that the performance remains thoroughly engaging from start to finish.

We have corrected the pitch, but some digital artifacts remain in the Norma/Adalgisa sections, and there is a slight flutter in the sound at the beginning of Act II that could not be removed.

In Mono

OD 12190-3