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Vincenzo Bellini

andThe School District of Philadelphia

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The School District of Philadelphia

School Reform Commission

Sandra Dungee Glenn, Chairman

Martin G. Bednarek, member

James P. Gallagher, Ph.D, member

Denise McGregor Armbrister, member

Tom M. Brady Interim Chief Executive Officer

Cassandra W. Jones, Ed.D. Interim Chief Academic Officer

Dennis W. Creedon, Ed.D.Administrator, Office of Creative

and Performing Arts

Opera Company of Philadelphia

Robert B. DriverGeneral and Artistic Director

Corrado RovarisMusic Director

David B. DevanManaging Director

Michael BoltonDirector of Community Programs

Sounds of Learning was established by a generous grant from The Annenberg Foundation

Dedicated funding for the Sounds of Learning program has been provided by:

$20,000 to $49,999

Connelly Foundation

Glenmede

Hamilton Family Foundation

Lincoln Financial Foundation

Presser Foundation

$10,000 to $19,999

The ARAMARK Charitable Fundat the Vanguard CharitableEndowment Program

Citizens Bank Foundation

Ellis A. Gimbel Charitable Trust

Ethel Sergeant Clark SmithMemorial Fund

Eugene Garfield Foundation

GlaxoSmithKline

Hirsig Family Fund

Merck & Co., Inc.

Morgan Stanley Foundation

The Patricia Kind Family Foundation

PNC Bank Foundation

$5,000 to $9,999

Alpin J. & Alpin W. CameronMemorial Trust

Bank of America Foundation

Barra Foundation

Deluxe Corporation Foundation

McLean Contributionship

Samuel S. Fels Fund

Sheila Fortune Foundation

Wachovia Foundation

$1,000 to $4,999

Louis N. Cassett Foundation

The Opera Company of

Philadelphia is supported by major

grants from The William Penn

Foundation, The Pew Charitable

Trusts, and The Lenfest Foundation.

Additional support is providedby the Independence Foundation

and the Horace W. Goldsmith

Foundation.

The Opera Company of

Philadelphia receives state arts

funding support through a grant

from the Pennsylvania Council

on the Arts, a state agency

funded by the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania.

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OperaA Family Guide to

Best Practices in Arts Education is sponsored

by Pennsylvania Alliance for Arts Education,

Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and

the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Pennsylvanias standards in education call for students to show what they know and are able to do and

children need to share what they have discovered or learned. Thus, the title of our program is Sounds of

Learning. It reflects our belief that children must be actively engaged in sharing ideas.

The Sounds of Learning workbook and teacher guide will integrate with local core literacy curriculum

in many ways. Just as opera is a uniquely integrated art, combining orchestra, voice, literature, drama, and

dance, Sounds of Learning is an interdisciplinary and student-centered program. The goal of the ActiveLearning sections is to have your children engaged in the process of self-teaching. They will be able to show

how they have gained insights into their learning by drawing, writing, and discussing the issues most relevant

to them. In this way, students demonstrate what they can do with what they know.

We believe the family is the most important foundation to learning. Let your kitchen table become a

classroom where your children can build their knowledge of opera and the humanities. As you join in the

teaching and learning process with your children, watch their eyes sparkle. Opera is a communal celebration,

so too should be your childrens education.

In reading the libretto, we suggest that you and your family members take turns reading particular roles.

Dr. Ellen Winner of Harvards Project Zero found that: drama helps to build verbal skills that transfer to new

materials; helps students in reading readiness and achievement; and oral and written language development.

( Journal of Aesthetic Education, v34, #3/4, Fall/Winter, 2000.)

In preparing for the opera, we suggest you purchase one of EMIs excellent audio or video recordings of

this opera. We are grateful to EMI for offering us their libretti for use in our program. Together, we hope to

build future audiences for, and performers of, the arts.

Goals and Objectives of the Sounds of Learning Improve literacy rates by using the operas libretto to teach courses across the curriculum

Understand the plot, characters, and their motivations

Learn something about the composer, and others involved in writing the opera

Know something of the historic and social context of the story

Know some key musical elements, recognize certain melodies, differentiate between voices

Understand the role music plays by expressing emotions and heightening the dramatic experience

Understand the various elements of producing opera and the functions of those involved;

e.g. conductor, director, set designer, technical crew, etc.

Develop the ability to make judgments about the opera, production, and performance

Relate incidents in the opera to those of the present day

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ofTableSoprano Christine Goerke stars

in the title role of Bellinis Norma.

Photo: Christian Steiner.

Please visit our webpage at

www.operaphila.org/communityfor more Norma information

and downloads!

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ContentsOpera 101: Getting Ready for the Opera

4 A Brief History of Western Opera6 Philadelphias Academy of Music8 Broad Street: Avenue of the Arts9 Philadelphias Walk of Fame

10 Opera Etiquette 10111 Why I Like Opera

Relating Opera to History: The Culture Connection12 Who Were the Druids?

13 The Druids Sacred Mistletoe14 The Celts of Old16 Gaul at the Time of Norma18 Rites and Rituals19 Italys Ancient Roman Foundation

NormaLibretto and Production Information20 The Life of Vincenzo Bellini22 Events During Bellinis Lifetime24 What is Bel Canto?25 Bellinis Norma: Creating a Masterpiece26 Meet the Artists27 Introducing Soprano Christine Goerke28 Game: Connect the Opera Terms

29 Norma Synopsis30 Norma LIBRETTO

Careers in the Arts50 So You Want to Sing Like an Opera Singer52 The Highs and Lows of the Operatic Voice54 Into the Pit: The Opera Orchestra57 The Art of Building Costumes and Character58 Careers in the Arts62 Game: Norma Crossword Puzzle

Lessons64 Norma Discussion Questions65 Sounds of Learning in the Classroom66 Conflicts and Loves in Norma67 Poetic Styles and Norma68 Norma Props and People69 Bellinis Norma: Contemporary Literature70 Produce Your Own Opera!72 The Italian-English Connection73 Parli Italiano?74 2007-2008 Season Subscriptions75 Invest in Grand Opera!

Glossary 76State Standards 79State Standards Met 80

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These early operas were

performed in the courts of noblemenin Italy, but soon opera became

popular among the general public

as well. Europe at the time had a growing middle

class with a taste for spectacular entertainment.

As operas popularity grew, so did the com-

plexity of operas and the level of spectacle. Many

opera houses had elaborate machinery that could be

used to create special effects such as flying actors

and crumbling buildings. There was much debate

about whether an excess of visual elements in opera

detracted from the quality of the music and drama.

Some people even worried that too much comedy inopera could lead to immorality among the public!

During the period from about 1600 to 1750,

the Baroque period in music, Italian opera spread

across Europe. In fact the Italian style of opera was

so popular that even though other countries and

regions often had their own traditions of musical

drama, the Italian form was usually preferred.

George Frederick Handel was a German-born

composer who lived and worked in England, but

his operas such as Julius Caesar (1724) were

in the Italian language and used an Italian style

of music. The only nation to develop a national

4

In its 400-year history each opera has been

shaped by the times in which it was created and

tells us much about those who participated in the

art form as writers, composers, performers, and

audience members.

The first works to be called operas were

created in Italy at the end of the sixteenth century.

They were inspired by a group of intellectuals known

as the Camerata who, like many thinkers of theirtime in the late Renaissance, admired the culture of

the ancient Greeks. They proposed the invention of

a new type of musical theater that would imitate

Greek dramas use of music.

The result was a series of operas based on

Greek myths, starting with Dafne by Jacopo Peri in

1598. The most famous work of this early period is

Claudio Monteverdis Orfeo (1607), based on the

myth of Orpheus. These early operas had all the

basic elements that we associate with opera today,

including songs, instrumental accompaniments,

dance, costumes, and scenery.

Claudio Monteverdi1567-1643

A Brief History of

Western Opera

A tense scene from Act II of Mozarts The Marriage of Figaro. (l-r: bass Richard Bernstein, baritone Simone Alberghini and

sopranos Christine Brandes and Mary Dunleavy.)

Theatrical performances that use music, song and dance

to tell a story can be found in many cultures. Opera isjust one example of music drama.

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tradition to rival the Italian was France, where

operas often included ballets inserted into the story.

Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau are

the most famous French Baroque opera composers.

By the middle of the seventeenth century

Europe was changing. The growing middle class was

more influential than ever, and people were starting

to talk about new forms of government and

organization in society. Soon the American and

French Revolutions (1776 and 1789) would seek to

establish the first modern democracies.

Music was changing, too. Composers abandoned

the complicated music of the Baroque period and

began to write music with simpler, more expressive

melodies. In opera, this meant that composers could

write melodies that would allow characters to expresstheir thoughts and feelings more believably. One of

the first operas to use this new style was Cristoph

Willibald Glucks Orpheus and Euridice (1762).

With the new democratic sentiments came

interest in operas about common people in familiar

settings, rather than stories from ancient mythology.

A good example is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarts

The Marriage of Figaro (1786), in which a servant

outsmarts a count. Several of Mozarts operas remain

among the most popular today. They include Figaro,

Don Giovanni (1788), Cos fan tutte (1790), and

The Magic Flute (1791).

In the nineteenth century operas continued to

grow more diverse in their subject matter, forms,

and national styles. The Italian tradition continued

in the bel canto movement. Operas written in this

style, which means beautiful singing, included

arias with intricate ornamentation, or combinations

of fast notes, in the melodies. The most famous

composers of bel canto are Vincenzo Bellini,

Gaetano Donizetti and Gioacchino Rossini, whose

The Barber of Seville (1816) is one of the most

beloved comic operas.

Wolfgang AmadeusMozart1756-1791

Later in the century the Romantic Movement

led many composers to take an interest their national

identities. As a result, operas in languages other than

Italian became more common, and new works often

reflected pride in a countrys people, history and

folklore. Among the operas that show the growth of

national traditions are Carl Maria von Webers DerFreischtz (Germany, 1821), Mikhail Glinkas Ruslan

and Lyudmilla (Russia, 1842) and Georges Bizets

Carmen (France, 1875). In Italy Giuseppe Verdi

composed in a bold, direct style, and his operas often

included elements of nationalism. In Germany

Richard Wagner took the Romantic style to the

extreme in an ambitious series of operas known

collectively as The Ring of the Nibelung(1876) based

on Norse mythology.

In the twentieth century opera became even

more diversified and experimental, to the point that

it sometimes became difficult to distinguish it from

other forms of musical theater. Some composers

such as Giacomo Puccini (La bohme, 1896), Claude

Debussy ( Pellas et Mlisande, 1902), Richard

Strauss (Salome, 1905), and Benjamin Britten (Peter

Grimes, 1945) continued to write operas that were

similar in many ways to those of the nineteenth

century. Others, horrified by the destructive effects of

World War I (1914-1919) and other aspects of modern

life, created works with radically experimental and

dissonant music. These operas often explored topics

that were either disturbing (Wozzeck by Alban Berg,1925) or absurdist (The Rakes Progress by Igor

Stravinsky, 1951). American opera also came intoits own in this century, beginning with George

Gershwins Porgy and Bess (1935) which incorporated

jazz and blues styles of music. In the latter part of

the century a repetitive and hypnotic style known

as minimalism was exemplified in Phillip Glasss

Einstein on the Beach (1976), a piece that would

hardly be recognized as an opera by earlier standards.

The late twentieth century even saw a return to

some of the traits of Romantic opera in works such

as John Coriglianos The Ghosts of Versailles (1991).

Today, opera is a living art form in which both

new works and those by composers of the past

continue to be performed. It remains to be seen what

the future of opera will be, but if history is any

indication, it will be shaped by the creativity of

librettists, composers and other artists responding

the changing times in which they live.

Bass Kevin Glavin gets a close shave from baritone Roberto

DeCandia in Rossinis The Barber of Seville.

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6

Philadelphias

Academy of Music

As the guests enter the Opera Houses main

hall, there above the proscenium arch, over the

Academy stage, a bas-relief of Mozart looks down

upon the audience. This place of prominence for

Mozart indicates that the builders of the Academy

expected to attract the finest performing arts known

to the world. However, building this Opera House

was not an easy task for the young country. Between

1837 and 1852 there were five attempts to raise the

funds needed to build an Opera House within the

city limits of Philadelphia. After Commissioners wereappointed by an act of the General Assembly of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Charles Henry

Fisher began to sell stock in the Academy of Music

on May 24, 1852. On October 13, 1854, the land on

the southwest corner of Broad and Locust Streets was

purchased. At that time, the area was undeveloped.

(The Old State House, now known as Independence

Hall, was the heart of the city at that time.)

The Commissioners held a competition to

select the design of the Academy. Fifteen architectssubmitted designs between October 3 and December 15

of 1854. The winners were announced on February 12,

1855. Gustav Rung and Napoleon le Brun won

the $400 prize. It was their idea to dedicate the

Academy to Mozarts memory. Within four months

the ground-breaking took place. This project was so

important that President Franklin Pierce, along

with Governor James Pollock and Mayor Robert T.

Conrad, laid the cornerstone on July 26, 1855.

On January 26, 1857, the Academy held the

Grand Ball and Promenade Concert of its opening.

The first opera presented in the brand new operahouse was Verdis Il trovatore on February 25, 1857.

Gounods opera Faust had its American premiere

here on November 18, 1863. On February 14, 1907,

Madama Butterfly premiered to emphatic success

with its composer, Giacomo Puccini, in attendance.

On May14,1897, John Philip Sousas composition

The Stars and Stripes Forever was premiered on

the Academy stage. On March 29 and April 5, 1900,

Fritz Scheel conducted two serious concerts of

professional musicians. These two concerts are

considered the genesis of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Today the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the

Pennsylvania Ballet call the Academy home.

Numerous presidents have visited the

Academy, including Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore

Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Richard

Nixon. The Academy has had many world-famous

performers on its stage: Peter Tchaikovsky, Sergei

Rachmaninoff, Richard Strauss, Igor Stravinsky,

Anna Pavlova, George Gershwin, Arturo Toscanini,

Marian Anderson, Maria Callas, Leontyne Price,

Luciano Pavarotti, and thousands more.

The Academy was made a Registered National

Historic Landmark in 1963. Since then, a few changeshave been made to the structure. In 1996 the

Twenty-First Century Project began, which allowed

for a new rigging system, replacement of the stage

floor, and cleaning and restoration of the historic

ceiling. With Mozarts image looking down on the

Academys audiences from his position above the

stage for over one hundred years, let the joy of

opera and dance continue forever.

Few Philadelphians know that the great Academy of Music

was dedicated to the memory of Mozart.

A wood engraving from the Academy Proscenium Box in 1857.

Historic images of the Academy courtesy of The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

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Academy Facts Built in 1857, The Academy of Music is the oldest grand

opera house in the United States used for its initial purpose.

In 1963, The Academy was honored as a National

Historic Landmark. As a National Historic Landmark, live

flame can never be produced on the stage.

The auditorium seats 2,897; 14 columns support the

Academys tiers; and the auditorium is encased within a

three foot thick solid brick wall.

The red and gold pattern on the Academys stage

curtain simulates that of a pineapple, a Victorian-era symbol

for welcome.

The Academy of Music has an expandable orchestra pit

to accommodate works with larger orchestral requirements.

The first two rows of seats on the Parquet level are on a

platform which can be removed to enlarge the pit. The

decorative brass and wooden orchestra pit railing is then

adjusted to ornament the expanded pit as well.

In the 1800s, an artificial floor was placed over

the Parquet level seats for balls, political conventions,

gymnastic and ice skating expositions, carnivals, parades,

and other events. Youll see a wooden guide along the

edge of the Parquet wall that helped support the floor.

The first-ever indoor football game was held on

the Academys Parquet level on March 7, 1889 between

University of Pennsylvania and Riverton Club ofPrinceton. At halftime, tug-of-war matches were held

as entertainment.

A motion picture was first screened at the Academy

on February 5, 1870. The silent movie consisted of an

oratory, an acrobatic performance by a popular Japanese

gymnast, and a waltz danced by the presenter, Henry H.

Heyl and his sister. 1,600 people attended.

There were talks underway to turn the Academy of

Music into a movie theater in 1920.

Starting in 1884, electricity was used to light thelarge chandelier (originally lit by 240 gas burners), the

auditorium, and stage lights. New regenerative gas lights

were placed along the exterior walls on both Broad and

Locust streets.

Incandescent electric lighting was introduced to the

foyer and balcony in 1892.

Air conditioning was installed in the theatre 1959.

There was no elevator for the general public in the

Academy until 1990!

For more information on the Academy of Music, go to the

library and take out Within These Walls, by John Francis

Marion or go online to www.academyofmusic.org.

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8

Broad Street:

Avenueof theArtsHere is part of a map of Center City. This area,

which includes Broad Street south of City Hall, is thehome of many famous theaters, museums, hotels,

restaurants and cultural centers. Here are some

descriptions of the attractions around the Academy

of Music. See if you can match them to the lettered

flags on the map.

_____ The Kimmel CenterDance, orchestra, chamber and folk music

_____ Prince Music TheaterContemporary music, musicals and blues

_____ Merriam TheaterTheater and broadway musicals

_____ University of the ArtsArt and Design School

_____ Wilma TheaterModern theater and musicals

_____ Ritz Carlton HotelWorld famous 5-star hotel and restaurant

1. The Academy of Music is marked on this map witha picture. What is its address?

_______________________________________

2. How many blocks is it from City Hall to the Academy?

_______________________________________

3.All but one of the East to West streets on thismap have names that have something in common.

What is it?

_______________________________________

4.You and your friends are planning a night on thetown. You will hear a lecture about famous artists,see the Broadway musical Wickedand scout

celebrities at a fancy restaurant. Where do you go?

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

For more information about this exciting part of the

city, visit www.avenueofthearts.org/visit.htm.

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Philadelphias

Walk of Fame

Marian Anderson Contralto Born in Philadelphia, attended South Philadelphia High School

for Girls First African-American to sing a leading role at the Metropolitan

Opera, singing the role of Ulrica in Verdis A Masked Ball Performed at the White House for President and

Mrs. Roosevelt as well as King George VI United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and winner of the U.N.

Peace Prize

Mario Lanza Tenor and Movie Actor Born in Philadelphia, performed in local operatic productions

here early in his career First artist for RCA Victor Red Seal to receive a gold disc and sell

two and a half million records Portrayed Enrico Caruso in the film The Great Caruso His recordings were the first to ever be transferred to CD

Frankie Avalon Popular Singer and Actor Born in Philadelphia His songs Venus and Why? both reached number one on

Billboard magazines Top 100 Played Teen Angel in the film Grease

Dizzy Gillespie Jazz trumpeter, Band Leader Moved to Philadelphia to pursue a music career

Major influence in the development of bebop and modern jazz Led the United Nations Orchestra

Anna Moffo Soprano Born in Wayne, Pennsylvania, graduate of Radnor High School Won a scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music Performed many roles at La Scala as well as at the Metropolitan

Opera including the role of Gilda in Rigoletto In Italy, she hosted The Anna Moffo Show and was voted one

of the 10 most beautiful women in the country

Will Smith Movie Actor and Hip-Hop Artist Born in Philadelphia; graduate of Overbrook High School Won two Grammys with longtime musical partner

DJ Jazzy Jeff, also honored on The Walk of Fame

Star of the T V sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in

The Pursuit of Happiness

Leopold Stokowski Conductor Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra Conducted the score of the movie Fantasia. Most of the music

was recorded at The Academy of Music First conductor in America to record all four Brahms

symphonies

As you walk down the Avenue of the Arts

between Walnut and Spruce Streets, you will findover 100 bronze plaques adorning the sidewalk.

Each plaque is imprinted with the name of a person

of importance to Philadelphias musical world,

from major influences in the classical music world,

such as contralto Marian Anderson, to hip-hop

successes like Will Smith.

The Walk of Fame was started by The

Philadelphia Music Alliance, a non-profit organization

founded in 1986. The Alliance was established by

music executives and local citizens who wanted to

commemorate Philadelphias contribution to the

world of music. Other programs offered by TheAlliance include an instrument donation program

in collaboration with the Mr. Hollands Opus

Foundation as well as the Philadelphia International

Airport Music Project and an annual piano competition.

The Philadelphia Music Alliance has also worked

alongside the National Academy of Recording Arts

and Sciences (Grammys), the Franklin Institute, the

Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, Trane Stop, the

University of the Arts, the Philadelphia Convention

and Visitors Bureau, and the City Representatives

Office on various projects.

New members are always being inducted onto

the Walk of Fame and the event is featured on local

television. To be honored with a plaque on the Walk

of Fame doesnt mean one has to be born or raised

in Philadelphia. Many of the honorees may not have

been from here, but made a significant impact on

the musical scene in Philadelphia. Honoree Eugene

Ormandy, for example, was a Hungarian conductor

and violinist who was the Philadelphia Orchestras

music director and conductor for 44 years. There is

also the example of Dick Clark, the New York born

disc jockey who gained huge success with the

nationally televised Philadelphia based teen dance

show, American Bandstand, and as host of NewYears Eve celebrations on TV.

There are several walking tours in the city

which feature this popular public attraction. The

Walk of Fame is a celebration of Philadelphias musical

contributions that everyone can enjoy. You may even

learn about some of the citys great musical

personalities with whom you may not be familiar.

Philadelphia Walk of Fame HonoreesHere are a few musicians honored on the Walk of Fame.Do you recognize any of these names?

Can you find the

plaques along th

Walk of Fame?

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10

Attending the OperaTheres nothing quite as exciting as attendingthe opera in a beautiful theater like the Academy of

Music. If this is your first time at the opera there are

a few things for which you should prepare:

You will be attending the final dress rehearsal

for this opera. This is the last opportunity that the

artists will have to rehearse the entire opera before

opening night just a few nights away. The goal is to

treat this rehearsal exactly like a performance and

perform the entire opera straight through without

a pause.

You may notice in the center of the Parquetlevel, the floor level of the Academy, several computer

monitors and a large table spread out over the seats.

Seated in this area is the production team: Director,

Assistant Director, Costume Designer, Lighting Designer,

Set Designer, and other members of the production

team. Theyll be taking notes andcommunicating via

headset with the many people backstage who help

make all of the operatic magic happen: Stage

Managers, Master Carpenter, Lighting Technicians,

Supertitle Operator, Stage Managers and more.

Theyll be able to give notes so changes can be

instantly made. Should things go awry, they may stop

and repeat a section to make sure that it is perfect.

Opera EtiquetteUnlike actors on television or in the movies,performers onstage are acutely aware of the

audience and want very much to share their love

of singing and acting with you. Everything you do

in the audience affects what happens on stage

and behind the scenes. Because this is a working

rehearsal, we ask that you please refrain from

talking. The production team needs to concentrate

on fine-tuning the production. You can show

them how much you appreciate their work and the

opportunity to come to this free rehearsal by being

as quiet as possible. Have you ever tried to study

for a test and theres just too much noise at homeor outside? Its almost impossible to concentrate!

So, please refrain from talking out of respect for

the cast, musicians, and the entire production team.

Give the artists and the production your full attention.

Heres a list of dos and donts so that everyone in

the theater can enjoy the opera:

The Holland Homeschool is prepared for the Sounds of Learning

Dress Rehearsal ofLa bohme.

Please Do... Applaud after the arias; you can shout Bravo! for the

men and Brava! for the women.

Enter and exit the theater in an orderly fashion.

Please use the bathrooms before the rehearsal begins orat intermission.

Be careful in the auditorium! Because the theatre is150 years old, its not necessarily designed for modernconveniences.

Turn off your cell phones and all electronic devices.

Enjoy the rehearsal. Youve worked too hard preparingfor the rehearsal not to!

Dont Forget... No food or beverages are to be brought inside the

Academy of Music.

Photographs or video footage may not be taken duringthe performance.

No talking or whispering during the rehearsal.

No shoving, jumping, running, or spitting in the Academyof Music.

No hooting, whistling, yelling or singing during therehearsal.

Keep all objects to yourself. If you throw something, youmight hurt someone and cause a disruption in rehearsal.It is grounds for removal from the auditorium.

MAKE YOUR SCHOOL PROUD!

Opera Etiquette101

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Why I Like Opera

By Jordan Thomas, 17Creative and Performing Arts High School

I used to think that opera was about a big fat lady

in a Viking helmet and armor singing a bunch of high

notes, or it was like Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd

singing kill the wabbit in the famous cartoon

Whats Opera, Doc? Im probably not the only one

who thought that the first time they heard the word

opera.

There are a lot of reasons why I like opera. One

of them is the story or drama. Some of my favorites

are Turandot, Tosca, Salome, Medea, and Norma.

When I start getting to know an opera I always read

the libretto first so I know whats going on.

Sometimes when I finish reading it, my mouth is

on the floor in amazement because the story is so

wonderful and dramatic. Sometimes I laugh out loud

if its a comic opera. Then I move on to the music.

I love Rossini. Somehow, you can always whistle

a tune from his operas, or find yourself dancing at

the end of his overtures!

Music is a big part of the opera because it sets

the mood for what is happening. I love when there

is a love scene and the music is so beautiful that it

can bring tears to my eyes. When you get to knowan opera well, you know whats going to happen,

but you still have that feeling that you are hearing

the music for the first time.

I also love when an operas setting is updated.

For example, Bizets Carmen is constantly being given

new settings. I was lucky enough to be in the Opera

Company of Philadelphias production of Carmen as

a member of the childrens chorus, and the setting

was different. I thought it was a good production

because it gave another point of view of the opera

instead of the traditional setting in Spain in the

1800s.

Lots of people make opera happen. You have

to give credit to the director, conductor, and all the

people who work backstage. But opera wouldnt be

opera without the singers. The singers make the

opera world happen. They make opera come alive.

Some make the characters their own, like the late

grand diva, American soprano Maria Callas, who is

famous for the roles of Tosca and Norma, or Dame

Joan Sutherland as Lucia di Lammermoor. When I

go to see an opera, my first words at intermission

are, werent those singers good or he or she really

played his or her part well. My favorite types of

singers are what I call the daring warriors, the

singers who really put emotion in their singing and

are not fearful of anything.

Well, I think I have said what I wanted to say,

and I hope that more kids my age will like opera andwill let opera continue forever.

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Charles Knight,

Arch-Druid in his full

Judicial Costume

etching from

Old England:

A Pictorial Museum

(1845)

12

Who were the

Druids?Druidism was the dominant religion in pre-Christian Celtic society throughout Continental

Europe, Great Britain, and Ireland. Druids were the

wise men and women of their tribes. Druids headed

worship services and sacrificial rites, political

governance, and educated young Druid students

about the order. They were philosophers, judges,

educators, historians, doctors, prophets, shamans,astronomers, and astrologers, too.

The Random House dictionary defines a Druid

as a member of a pre-Christian religious order

among the ancient Celts of Gaul, Britain, and

Ireland. The word is of Celtic origin and comes from

the Greek root drus (oak) and the Sanskrit vid (to

know or to see). Therefore, a Druid, was someone

who had oak knowledge or wisdom that was as

old, great, and as strong as an oak tree.

The Druid teachings and sacred rites were

passed down through an oral tradition nothing was

written down. Students could spend almost twentyyears learning all of the Druid teachings. Students

progressed through different levels as they advanced

in their studies: Bards, Ovates and Druids. Bards

were in charge of the arts and were keepers of the

tribes tradition and oral history. Ovates were in

charge of prophecy and divination. Druids were in

charge of philosophical, teaching, counseling and

judicial tasks.

Druids honored nature and humans relationship

to the Earth which they worshipped through their

gods and goddesses. They felt that mankind was just

one small factor in the context of all natural andanimal happenings that helped shape the state of the

world. Druid tribes did not all honor the same gods.

Clans could have as many as 33 a magical Celtic

number of their own deities. Some of the more

famous include: Arawn, Brigid, Cerridwen, Danu,

Herne, Morgan, and Rhiannon.

The Druids connection to nature led them to

base some religious ceremonies on phases of the

moon and sun like the Spring and Fall Equinox.

They based their calendar on solar and lunar cycles

together. The relationship between these cycles

would be measured together to form a Metonic cycle,

which measures the exact amount of time it takes the

sun and the moon to return to the same exact

meeting point in the heavens. A lunar cycle from

new moon to the next new moon lasts 27 days; a

solar cycle lasts about 365 days. These cycles werefrequently observed around a solar or lunar eclipse.

Unlike the Greeks and Romans, Druids did

not hold their rituals in temples. Their religious

ceremonies were held in groves and forests at one

with nature. The Druids would find omens in the

clouds and the movements of the sun, moon, and

stars. They revered the oak tree and would eat

acorns, the nuts from oak trees, to help them make

prophecies. Nothing was more sacred to the Druids

than mistletoe which grew on the oak tree, and

they would not perform any sacred ritual without it.

They would cut mistletoe from the oak trees witha gold pruning hook or sickle. While many people

think that the Druids constructed Stonehenge in

Salisbury, England, archaeologists have found that

Stonehenge was built around 3500 B.C. The Druids

didnt appear until almost 2,000 years later.

Druids were at one with the land and

worshiped the gods and goddesses who created

the earth. They were men and women who were

influential in Celtic daily life in matters ranging from

spirituality to politics.

Active Learning

1. Research one or more of the following fictionaland historical Druids: Allaid, Birog, Cathbad, Divitiacus the

Aeduan, Dub[h], the Gallizenae, Mel, or Mug Ruith.

2. How did their lives compare to that of Norma?What responsibilities did they share with Norma?

What responsibilities were different?

Druid. The word itself conjures up images of old wise men with long beards andlong hair in long woolen cloaks who worshipped at great stone temples. But who

were the Druids and what did they worship?

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A drawing of

European Mistlet

from Koehlers

Medicinal-Plants

1887.

The Druids Sacred MistletoeIn our opera, Norma is a Druid. One of the most

important elements in the Celtic Druids religious ritualswas mistletoe. Many Celtic mid-winter customs from

Northern Europe, like the Yule log, have continued

into modern times. We all know that mistletoe is

hung about the house during the holidays. Anyone

standing under the mistletoe may be kissed but

that tradition is certainly not new, as we will see.

In the days of the Druids, mistletoe was part

of the Winter Solstice celebration. The Druids

believed the plant to be magic, for it appeared

mysteriously, high in the branches of oak trees, and

grew without soil. Furthermore, it didnt seem to be

grown from seed, so speculation about its originsoften involved magic. That magic appearance in the

oak tree made it even more important to the Druids.

They saw in the berries of the mistletoe the seed of

the masculine oak god, Bil. This god was born of

the life-giving waters of Danu, the Celts mother

goddess of water. Danu is the root of the name for

their sacred river Danube from whose headwaters

the Celtic culture is believed to have evolved. This

river was as sacred to the Celts as the Ganges is to

the Hindus. With the union of the female god of

water and the male god of the oak, the mistletoe

appeared in the air of the tree. It was the symbol for

Dagda who was the son of both Danu and Bil.Dagda was the good god who was the father of all.

Thus, mistletoe had special spiritual and fertility

powers (this is the source of the tradition of kissing

under mistletoe at Christmas).

The oak was a source of medicine and food for

the Druids. It was thought to offer protection from

evil. The very name Druid means oak knowledge.

According to the Roman author Pliny the Elder, at the

time of the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the

year, the mistletoe was cut down by a white-robed

Druid priest wielding a golden sickle. This ritual

ceremony signified the death of the old year; thenew year would bring the rebirth of light. The cut

mistletoe would be caught in a white cloth. It is an

evergreen, so it represented the hope that the light

would return and that the earth was not dying, even

though the sun seemed to be lessening each day.

As it rooted itself in the soft bark of deciduous trees,

mistletoe brought green to the branches whose leaves

had turned brown and fallen. Its stems fork into many

branches, so even though its leaves are narrow,

it shows bright green. The berries, like little pearls,

ripen in December, just in time for the Solstice.

Mistletoe berries are poisonous to humans.

However, a drink made from the leaves of themistletoe was believed to be an antidote for poison.

The leafy branches also are not poisonous. Three

centuries ago, herbalists used them to treat epilepsy

and nervous convulsions, and today the plants active

ingredients are known to act as a sedative and to open

constricted arteries, which will lower blood pressure.

In cancer research, an extract of the plant is being

tested for properties which delay the growth of tumors.

So from the Druids to todays medical researchers, the

mistletoe has been the source of interest, awe, and hope.

Mistletoe grows from northwestern Europe

south to the Mediterranean and east to China.American mistletoe is found from New Jersey to

Texas. In England, the oak is a favorite host tree, but

mistletoe grows on a number of trees with leaves,

especially on apple trees. In America it seems to

prefer juniper trees.

Active Learning

1. Research and discover from where the namemistletoe comes.

2. Norma cuts mistletoe at the beginning of the opera.Why do you think she does this? What other clues in thetext or music show what is the time of year in which the opera

takes place?

3. What other mistletoe traditions do you know?

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The opera Norma is about the Celts. Several

ancient sources on the Celts depict them as barbaric.The ancient Greeks and Romans feared the Celts

because of their advanced knowledge in making iron

weapons. This fact made them superior in many battles.

In 474 B.C. and in 387 B.C., the Celts of

Northern Italy fought against the allied forces of

Etruscans and Romans. They were both defeated and

the Celts took hold of Rome itself. In 334 B.C.,

Alexander the Great made a peace treaty with the

Celts where he recognized them as equals. In 280

B.C., the Celts reconsidered the peace treaty.

Alexander died in 323 B.C., and his once great

empire was in ruins. The Celts decided that thetreaty was with Alexander and not his country. As a

result, they invaded Macedonia and killed his heir.

At the same time, another branch of the Celtic army

entered the Greek peninsula and defeated the united

army of the Greek states. They sacked the Greek holy

site of Delphi, and carted much of the treasure back

to southern Gaul.

After this campaign, tens of thousands of Celts

entered Asia Minor (present day Turkey) and joined

forces with a local king who was fighting against

Syria. These Celts founded the city of Galatia.

Thus, Celtic culture extended from Turkey all the

way to Ireland.

The Celts were not savages. They invented

soap, were master road builders even before theirinvasion of Rome, and made great advances in

metallurgy (the smelting of metals). Celtic military

words found their way into the Latin language of the

Romans. The Celts used Greek to record facts on

accounts; however, their educated class, the Druids,

did not put their knowledge into writing for fear that

alien tribes could capture their writings and discover

their wisdom. An educated Celt would spend twelve

to twenty years mastering the oral knowledge of his

or her people. Once they were tested and found to

have mastered their school of wisdom, he or she

would be recognized as a Druid. The Druids had an

elected leadership and their opinions in matters oflaw, philosophy and medicine were the final word.

In many ways, Celtic society was structured much

like that of India. There were the chieftains or kings,

the learned class of people who were called Druids,

the professional military class called Gaesatae,

and the working class that included the farmers,

potters and weavers.

The evolution of the Celtic culture put it at

odds with the evolving culture of the Roman world.

Romans were materialistic while the Druids Celtic

culture was primarily spiritual. Rome placed its gods

in temples; the Celts held that nature was the temple

14 The Celts of Old

Vercingetorix, the

great leader of the

Gaulish war of

independence, led

one of the bloodiest

campaigns against

Rome in history.The Romans made

him a human

sacrifice to their

god of war, Mars,

in 45 B.C.

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because no creation of man could match their gods

glory as they found it in nature. Rome had adisciplined united state, the Celts were united in

their myths and communal laws. While private

property was of utmost importance in Rome, in the

Celtic culture most property was held in common. In

Rome, leadership and inheritance was passed to the

eldest son, while in Celtic culture leadership was

achieved through election by peers within the clans,

and inheritance was communal. Another major

difference was that women in the Celtic culture held

positions of leadership within the Druid class and

could be rulers of the people. In many ways Celtic

culture was seen as subversive to the world order

and was condemned by Romes peaceful empire. TheCelts didnt fit into the Roman world.

Due to these differences, a basic culture clash

existed between the Romans and the Celts. During

times of peace it was a cold war, and when Rome

was at war, the Celts supported their enemies with

troops and arms. Rome looked upon the Celts as a

primary enemy of their people. Even though the

Romans learned many things from the Celts, and

adapted their iron working and road building to meet

their needs, Rome did not feel safe as long as the

Celtic people were at their borders.

Roman and Greek historians of the era looked

negatively upon the Celts because they had defeated

both nations in the past. When the historians from

these two cultures wrote of the Celts they focused on

what they saw as negative aspects of their traditions.

As a result, what we have as Roman and Greek

history is largely propaganda. As an example,

much writing was done on the fact that the Celts

held human sacrifices in their religious traditions.

(There is very little evidence of this in present

scholastic research, and leading scholars are now

doubting this to be true.) All the same, while this

seems savage to us, it is important to remember whowas calling this culture barbaric. The Romans fed

people to wild animals for entertainment in their

capitals great forum. Also, thousands of gladiators

died in the bloodthirsty public games in the

Colosseum. When Caesar captured the leader of the

Celtic resistance, Vercingetorix, he was led back to

Rome where he was strangled to death in honor of

their god of war, Mars.

Caesar claimed that the British Celts wore

skins, yet even in his day British woolen goods were

prized items in the markets of Rome. Britain was the

center of commercial trade outside of the Roman

sphere of influence. There was more than one reason

why Rome wanted to crush the Celts. They hoped to

unify the economy of Europe under their power.The Celts were given a bad reputation due to

Rome and Julius Caesars need to show why the

financial and human costs of this war of conquest

were justified. Other historians based their writings

on other authors who feared and/or hated the Celts

for past sufferings in previous wars. The Roman

people were told that they were superior to the Celts

so that the Romans would not question their right to

conquer this feared people.

The Celts were a powerful enemy. The warrior

class would enter battle naked but for their

armaments and gold collars around their necks. Theywould also paint their bodies blue to terrify their

enemy. The Celts believed that they came into the

world naked, and fighting naked prepared them to

leave this world. They were considered ferocious on

the battle field. Because they considered the head to

be the depository of the soul, they would cut off the

heads of the leader of their enemies in battle and

take it back to their homes. This may have been

done to prevent them from being reborn.

Yet as we have learned in our own recent

national history, people cannot always trust their

government to tell their citizens the whole truthif a secret agenda is the basis for military activity.

The wars in Vietnam, Central America, and the

current War in Iraq come back to remind us what

Ben Franklin advised us: we have a democracy

as long as we can keep it. When we think of our

history, we should be mindful of how Rome depicted

her enemies.

Active Learning

1. Research the Gulf War and the Iraq War and writea paper on these military actions.

2. Research the Frankish chief that conquered Roman Gaul.What name did his nation take?

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16

Within our opera, Norma is a Druid who is a

leader of her people. As we will see later, this was

not uncommon. The Romans came to occupy Gaul

when Divitiacus, a Celtic chieftain, went to Rome in60 B.C. to address the Senate and request a military

alliance against the invading Germans. Divitiacus,

a Druid and well educated man, returned home with

a promise of support from the Romans. Divitiacus

younger brother Dumnorix feared that the Romans

would seek to take over their country and felt that

they could not be trusted since they had already

destroyed the Celtic culture in northern Italy. As a

result, the Celtic leadership and nation split between

these two leaders.

Gaulat theTime ofNorma

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Caesar, seeing an opportunity for conquest,

encouraged the Senate to support King Ariovistus of

the Germans. Having the northern tribes at war with

one another caused them to wear each other downto Romes benefit. After two years of warfare, Caesar

invaded the lands of Gaul with an army and began

to conquer its heartland. The young Dumnorix led

a resistance movement against the Romans. When

Rome conquered the Celts professional warriors

(the Gaesatae) in 54 B.C., Divitiacus, who had

turned to Rome for aid, disappeared. Dumnorix

became the leader of the Celts and continued to fight

but was taken hostage by Caesar.

Caesar then turned his attention to Celtic

Britain. He planned to take Dumnorix with him

because he feared leaving the young Druid under

guard. If a revolution were to take place, Caesar knew

that Dumnorix would lead it. Dumnorix asked not to

accompany Caesar to Britain because he had religious

responsibilities to perform as a religious leader of his

people. The young Druid escaped on the coast of

Gaul and Caesar had his forces hunt him down.

Dumnorix fought to his death declaring that he was

born a free man in a free Gaul. His statement became

the rallying cry of an uprising that took the Romans

four years to quell. The warfare ended in 50 B.C.,

the time of our opera Norma.

The following year Caesar crossed the

Rubicon River against the orders of the RomanSenate and took his army home to seize control of

the government. Five years later, Caesar met his fate

on the ides of March, 44 B.C.

With Caesar dead, a civil war broke out across

the Empire. Time and again the Celts rose up in

revolution. Rome realized that the intellectual

leadership of the people were the Druids and passed

laws against them. This was done to pacify the nation.

Often in history, when one nation conquered another,

the educated class of the conquered people was killed.

This enabled the Romans to try to reeducate the Celtic

people into their belief system which matched theirpolitical goal Peace of Rome PAX ROMANA.

However, the Celts continued their schools in

the forests and the Druids continued to lead their

people against repression. One of the traditions of

Rome caused great difficulty for the women of Celtic

culture. The Celts had much greater equality for

women than most cultures in history. Celtic women

were doctors, lawyers and judges. They could

divorce and take with them the wealth that they had

brought into the marriage. They could also keep any

wealth that their husbands had given them. They

were also independent before the law from their

husbands. If he was found guilty of a crime, it did

not impact her or her standing in society. Women

had the same rights as men in succession to leadership

within the clans and could attain supreme authority.Many female warrior queens led their people. As far

back as 377 B.C., Macha of the Red Hair was ruler of

all Ireland. In 61 A.D., the female ruler of the British

Celts, Boudicca, led her people in a massive and

bloody war against Roman rule. Throughout Celtic

history, women were leaders in war, ambassadors of

their tribes in peace, and rulers of their people.

Active Learning

1. Research Boudicca and write a report on her.

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Italys Ancient

Roman FoundationBellini was a composer from Italy. Few nations

on earth can boast as great an impact upon thecollective human consciousness as the people of the

Italian peninsula. Between 1200 and 700 B.C. a highly

civilized tribe known as the Etruscans lived north of

the Tiber river and south of the Arno river. Their

land was roughly the same in size as that of Tuscany.

To their south, the Latins began to develop a

civilization built on the south bank of the Tiber

River. Later they became known as the Romans after

their city Rome. The Roman people had a legend

that told of the birth of their city. It stated that twin

boys were born of Mars, the war god, and Rhea

Sylvia, a Vestal Virgin. The babies were abandonedbut were suckled by a she-wolf. The boys Romulus

and Remus grew strong and founded a city. Later the

boys quarreled and Romulus killed Remus and gave

Rome his name.

The Etruscans of the north had great influence

on Rome, and the last three Roman kings before

the republic was formed were Etruscans. However,

a rivalry between these two peoples ended with the

Romans the victors. Rome then conquered the other

Latin cities and dominated over all of Italy by the

year 42 B.C.

The Roman Republic saw the people elect acouncil. The government also had a senate and a

consul as chief ruler who was elected every year.

Roman law was published by the assembly in 451-450

B.C. These twelve tablets covered all areas of law.

Roman society was divided into two camps,

the patricians (fathers) and the plebeians (masses

or peasants). In the early days of the republic, the

patricians held all the high offices of state. This

created instability in the government. The plebeian

majority demanded the right to hold high office. In

366 B.C. the first plebeian council was elected in

Rome which made the society stronger. After thisdate a new ruling class, known as nobles, evolved.

They derived their power from their personal wealth.

Between 90-88 B.C. a great revolt spread throughout

Italy, and all Italian people were given citizenship in

the Roman Republic.

In time the generals of the Roman armies

became very powerful. This led to the dictatorship

of Julius Caesar who was assassinated by Brutus and

Cassius in the Senate. After this, Mark Anthony and

Gaius Octavius ruled the Empire

as consuls. After Mark Anthonydied, Caesars nephew and heir,

Octavius, ruled alone and was

later declared Augustus (exalted)

by the Senate. From that point

on, he ruled with absolute power.

Caesar Augustus was the first

Roman emperor and was the

ruler during the time of Jesus of

Nazareth.

Early Roman religious

beliefs were based upon nature

myths. Many of these werereplaced by the gods of Greece

after Rome conquered it in 146

B.C. The Greek gods took Latin

names: Aphrodite became Venus,

Hermes became Mercury, and

Aries became Mars.

When the Christian movement spread to

Rome, its followers were considered traitors for not

accepting the state religion. The persecution began

under Emperor Nero in 64 A.D. and lasted until

Emperors Constantine, a Christian, and Licinius

ended it in 313 A.D. In 314 A.D. Pope Silvester was

crowned by Constantine as a temporal prince in

Rome. The Popes (Fathers) ruled Rome until 1870.

Starting in 407 A.D. Rome began to pull its

forces from the outlying provinces of the Empire.

However, these forces were too weak and Rome was

sacked twice in the next 48 years. With the libraries

burned and many of the educated citizens and

skilled craftsmen killed, Roman society declined.

The Dark Ages fell upon the lands of the once great

empire as the Huns, Visigoths and Vandals soon

settled in. In time, they converted to Christianity

and a new European culture replaced ancient Rome.

It was now the Holy Roman Empire.

Active Learning

1. Make a map of the ancient Roman world.

Gaius Octavius

was later known

Caesar Augustus

and ruled with

absolute power

over the Roman

Empire.

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20

Vincenzo Bellini was born

in Catania, Sicily, onNovember 3, 1801, the son

of a maestro di cappella (a

private music teacher) and

composer. His grandfather,

Vincenzo Tobia Bellini, was

also a composer, and studied

at a music conservatory in

Naples. From an early age,

Bellini displayed musical

talent well beyond his years.

As a child, he used to play

with music papers in his

hands and often imitated hisfather holding a baton and

conducting an orchestra. He

began playing piano at three

and had composed his first

works by age six.

Because Catania was a small town, the only

chance to hear music in public was at church,

weddings, or funerals. The young Bellinis first

compositions, then, were intended for performance

in church services. In 1811, when he was ten, Bellini

bet his friends some candy that he could play the

organ in church. But because he was small, he couldnot reach the pedals. So he directed his friends on

the keys while he worked the pedals. When his

father and grandfather found out about this, they

decided to tutor him themselves, because there was

no music school in Catania. For the next seven years,

under his father and grandfathers guidance, Bellini

composed two Masses, as well as a Salve Regina for

chorus and orchestra.

Vincenzos grandfather saw the promise his

grandson had, but because the Bellinis were not

wealthy, they could not afford to send him to the Real

Collegio of music in Naples. So he petitioned the citycouncil of Catania to send his grandson away to

school. The council accepted the proposal and Bellini

moved to Naples to begin his studies in 1819. After his

first year there, Bellini did well on an annual exam and

was offered a free place at the Real Collegio. While in

school, he composed many songs, wrote a number of

symphonies, and a concerto for oboe, along with his

school work. Meanwhile, his masses were performed

in churches in his hometown of Catania.

At the Real Collegio, it was customary to

introduce a student to the public with a performanceof one of his works. In 1825 Bellini and his classmates

performed the semi-serious opera Adelson e Salvini,

his first opera. Due to the overwhelming success of

this work, Bellini was commissioned to compose a

new opera in 1826, Bianca e Gernando. Bellinis next

work was commissioned as well, to be performed at

La Scala, Milan. In 1827 he moved to Milan, where

he met Felice Romani, the famous librettist. The two

became close friends and Romani collaborated with

Bellini on his next seven operas. No other Italian

composer in the bel canto era showed such dedication

to a single librettist, probably because Bellini was

very fond of good words, and Romani was consideredthe best versifier of the time. In Milan the two began

work on Il pirata.

Il pirata was first performed in Milan on

October 27, 1827, and due to its success, Bellini was

offered another commission to compose. Because this

proposed opera came quickly on the heels of Il pirata,

Bellini had no time to compose a new opera. Instead,

he rewrote Bianca e Gernando and retitled it Bianca

e Fernando out of respect for the dead king of Italy.

It opened a new opera house in Genoa on April 7, 1828.

Around the same time he met Giuditta Turina, the

unhappily married woman with whom he was tohave a love affair for the next five years.

In the meantime, Bellini was offered another

contract at La Scala, but before he could finish it,

Bellini fell ill in the final months of 1828. This opera,

La straniera (dedicated to Turina), was eventually

completed and performed February 14, 1829, to great

acclaim. In that same year, Bellini and Romani left

Milan for Parma, where the two worked on Zaira,

which was poorly received, and remains the only

lasting failure of Bellinis career. He and Romani left

for Venice late in 1829, where they collaborated on

I Capuleti e i Montecchi, with the libretto looselybased on Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. After

its success in 1830, Bellini fell ill once again and

traveled back to Milan to recuperate.

Bellinis La sonnambula and Norma, both

written and performed in 1831, are considered to be

his greatest works. The title roles of these operas

were sung by the celebrated diva Giuditta Pasta.

Throughout early 1832, riding on the waves of praise

for Norma, Bellini travelled throughout Italy and

The Life of

Vincenzo Bellini

Composer

Vincenzo Bellini.

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2

spent time with his love Turina. At the end of 1832,

Bellini decided to compose another opera, Beatrice di

Tenda, but, because Romani didnt send his libretto

soon enough to Bellini, the composition was rushed.

After several postponements, the opera opened on

March 16, 1833 and was only somewhat successful.

The disagreement over the libretto led to a rift in thefriendship of the two men, which wasnt healed until

a year later. Bellinis relationship with Giuditta

Turina also came to an end, as her husband found

out about her affair, and began divorce proceedings.

Sadly, Bellini rejected his former love and remained

indifferent to her troubles.

Bellini, after moving to Paris, obtained a contract

for the Thtre Italien and worked on I puritani, with a

libretto by Count Carlo Pepoli of Bologna. During this

time, Bellini renewed his friendship with Romani

through correspondence. I puritani was first performed

in early 1835 and was showered with praise.

Bellini was planning to compose another

opera when he died, after a short illness, in his

house outside of Paris on September 23, 1835 at the

age of 33. The famous composers Gioacchino Rossini

and Luigi Cherubini, both at Bellinis funeral, held

the funeral shroud. The first line of a famous aria

from the composers La sonnambula was engraved

on Bellinis tomb in Pariss Pre Lachaise Cemetery.

The line, Ah, non credea mirarti si presto estinto, o

fiore, translates as Ah, who would believe that this

flower would die so soon. It is a fitting tribute to a

composer who passed away at far too young an age.

He will live on through his touchingly poignant andhauntingly beautiful music in theaters throughout

the world.

Active Learning

1. Make a drawing or painting of Bellini.

2. Illustrate your favorite part of the libretto of Norma.

3. Make a map of Sicily and show the birth-place of Bellini.

4.Go to an encyclopedia and research the events of 1831

in Bellinis life. Write a short paper on this Year in the Life

of Bellini.

5. Create a diorama on the opera and show the scenethat you feel displays the most action.

6. Write a poem based on a character in the opera.

Soprano AnnaNetrebko sang th

role of Juliet in th

Opera Company

of Philadelphias

2002 production

of Bellinis

The Capulets and

the Montagues.

Photo courtesyPaul SirochmanPhotography.

The Operas of Vincenzo Bellini1801-1835

Adelson e Salvini (1825)

Bianca e Gernando (1826)

Il pirata (1827)

Bianca e Fernando (1828)

La straniera (1829)

Zaira (1829)

I Capuleti e i Montecchi (1830)

La sonnambula (1831)

Norma (1831)

Beatrice di Tenda (1833)

I puritani (1835)

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1827 Bellini moved to Milan where he met Felice Romani, who collaborated with him on seven operas.On October 27, his opera Il piratawas premiered at La Scala in Milan.

1827 Joseph Dixon began manufacturing lead pencils.

1828 Bellini rewrote his first opera as Bianca e Fernando for the April 7th opening of a newopera house in Genoa.

Bellini met Giuditta Turina, with whom he has an affair for the next five years.

1829 Bellinis highly successful La stranierapremiered on February 14 at La Scala while his Zairahad a disastrous premiere on May 16 in Parma.

The cornerstone was laid for first United States Mint on Chestnut and Juniper Streets in Philadelphia.

The Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia received its first prisoner.

1830 March 11, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, based on Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, was produced in Venice.After falling ill, Bellini spent the summer at Lake Como where he wrote La sonnambulafor his friend,

the famous diva, Giuditta Pasta.

May 24, Mary Had a Little Lamb, was written.

1831 La sonnambula(with Pasta in the title role) was first performed on March 6 at Teatro Carcano in Milan.Norma(again featuring Pasta) premiered on December 26 at La Scala. Both operas were great successes.

Naturalist Charles Darwin set out on a voyage to the Pacific aboard the HMS Beagle.

1832 Bellini traveled to Naples and Sicily for a holiday and was honored by his native Cataniaand elsewhere in Italy.

The song America was sung publicly for the first time at a Fourth of July celebration by a group of

children at Park Street Church in Boston.

1833 On March 16, Beatrice di Tendareceived poor reviews following its premiere in Venice and Belliniand Romani have a falling out.

Barney Flaherty (aged 10) answered an ad in The New York Sun and became the first newsboy,

what we now call a paperboy.

1834 Bellini signed a contract for an opera with Thtre Italien in Paris. Through letters, renews hisfriendship with Romani. Finishes I puritaniand begins rehearsals in December.

1834 The British Emancipation Act began, abolishing slavery throughout the British Empire.

1835 I Puritaniis staged on January 24 at the Theatre Italien in Paris and is a triumph. Falls ill inSeptember and dies alone in a suburb of Paris on September 23.

Active Learning

1. Explore the library or the internet and discover more events that occurred during this era.Create your own timeline and include other historical and cultural information from the time.Find the answers to the questions below and add the information to your timeline.

2. Much expansion and exploration took place in this time period in North America.a. Which states entered the Union during Bellinis lifetime?

b. Which presidents were in office?

c. When were the following political leaders in power?

1. Napoleon (France) 2. Nicholas I (Russia) 3. Louis Philippe (France) 4. Queen Victoria (Great Britain)

d. During what year were the following invented?

1. Bicycle 2. Stethoscope 3. Internal combustion engine 4. Refrigerator 5. Lawn mower

Information taken from Timelines of Historywebsite at http://timelines.ws.

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Literally, the Italian words bel canto mean

beautiful singing. The term originated in 16th century

Italy and was used to describe the Italian operatic

style which was popular through the 19th century.

Bel canto singing is elegant and arose as a musical

protest against the supposedly crude medieval way

of singing. In bel canto, a fuller vocal tone with florid

and ornamented singing was praised, and lighter

vocal tones were less prevalent.

The beginning of bel canto as a way of singing

is attributed to Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612), who

was a voice teacher in Venice. By the end of the 17th

century, bel canto had become the dominant style

in Europe and had even influenced church music.

The famous Italian composer Rossini (1792-1868)

was probably bel cantos biggest supporter, as well

as its last. According to an interview with Rossini

held in 1858, where he mourned the demise of

bel canto, he stated that a bel canto singer had to

have three requirements. He or she had to have a

beautiful, even-toned singing voice; he or she had to

be trained to sing highly florid music; and his or hervocal style was something that was assimilated from

other bel canto singers and could never be taught by

any other singers. Rossinis requirements were the

first time that such a definition of bel canto singing

was succinctly expressed.

The castrati, often identified with the bel canto

era of singing, were male singers who were castratedbefore they reached puberty in order to preserve their

voices. However, it was not this operation alone that

allowed them to reach the levels of singing popularly

associated with the bel canto; their intense and

continual training, rather than their preserved voices

alone, led to their power and range. Castrati occupied

an interesting position in society. On the one hand,

they were adored and praised for their singing

abilities. But on another, they were ridiculed for their

supposed lack of masculinity and their grotesque

appearance (one side effect of their operation was an

obesity in their faces and bodies).

One of the most famous castrati was Farinelli

(1705-1782). His popularity was so great that at one

18th century performance, a woman attending the

opera he was singing shouted, one God, one

Farinelli! After leaving public performances in 1737,

Farinelli became an assistant to the Spanish kings

Philip V and Ferdinand VI. So great was his fame that

in the late 18th century, one writer accredited him

with actually inventing the vocal style that came to

be known as bel canto. Castrati disappeared from

the world of opera singing in the 1830s, probably

as a result of the disappearance of bel canto. These

castrati often had careers after they left the stage.Their popularity was such that several became

involved in politics.

After Rossinis death, bel canto became

something open to an individuals own interpretation.

It has since never been applied to any singular vocal

style after Rossinis time. And since Rossini, many

people, including composers, music teachers, and

voice teachers have used the term to apply to

whatever they want it to mean. In this way, the

traditional or classical meaning of the term has

been changed. With the advent of Giuseppe Verdis

compositions in the 1830s and 1840s, bel canto haddied out.

Active Learning

1. Listen to Casta Diva (Track 2) or Mira, O Norma(Track 6) on your teachers CD of music.

How would you describe this music? What qualities does

it have that seem to meet the definition of bel canto?

Bellinis Norma is considered one of the greatest bel

canto operas. Other famous composers of that era

include Gioacchino Rossini and Gaetano Donizetti.

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What is

Bel Canto?

Baritone Roberto de Candia and mezzo-soprano Laura Polverelli

in Rossinis bel canto comedy, The Barber of Seville.

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Bellinis Norma:

Creating a MasterpieceIt was in April 1831 that Bellini knew he

would be opening the carnival season at La Scalathat year with a new opera. He also knew that

Giuditta Pasta and Domenico Donzelli would be the

leads. By late July he had chosen the subject, which

he thought would showcase Pastas exceptional talent.

The opera would be based on Alexandre Soumets 5-act

play, Norma, which had been a huge success with

both critics and audiences when staged earlier that

year. His librettist, Felice Romani, provided the text

for the introduction on August 31st, and Bellini

began to compose in early September. The two men

worked closely together for three months, and the

opera was ready for rehearsal by the first week of

December. It premiered on December 26, 1831.

The first night did not go well, but after that

the audiences showed their approval, and Norma

was performed at La Scala 34 times that season.

It was staged all over Europe in the next few years,

and soon became one of the 19th centurys most

popular operas. Singers everywhere desired to sing

its leading roles. (Also, one interesting note is that

many baby girls at that time were being named

Norma.) Norma reached the United States in 1841,

where it was first staged in Philadelphia and then

went to New York.

During the 20th century, Norma continues to

be performed throughout the world. Two of its most

famous lead singers were Rosa Ponselle and Maria

Callas. Rosa Ponselle sang her first Norma at the

Metropolitan in 1927. Maria Callas made her London

debut at Covent Garden in 1952, her American

debut at Chicago in 1954 and her first appearance at

the Metropolitan in 1956, all in the same role. On

March 3, 1970, the Metropolitan Opera received its

highest ticket sales up to that time and many

standing ovations when Joan Sutherland and

Marilyn Horne shared the stage for the first time in

the lead female roles.One of the most celebrated of soprano arias in

opera is in the first act of Norma. Casta Diva is a

prayer to the moon (the chaste goddess). When

Giuditta Pasta first heard it, however, she did not

think it was her style. But Bellini asked her to sing it

every day at home for a week, and if she still did not

like it, he would write another aria for her. During

that week Pasta fell in love with it, and made it one

of the highlights of the opera and her career.

Though the lyricism of Norma has always

been highly regarded, many critics have complained

about the poverty of Bellinis orchestration.

However, when asked to reorchestrate Norma to

meet French taste, Bellini wrote in 1835: You are

mistaken: here and there it might work, but in

general I would find it impossible because of the

plain and flowing nature of the melodies, which

admit no other kind of instrumentation than what is

there already: and this I have fully thought through.

Wagner, who conducted Norma on several occasions

and tried to reorchestrate it himself, eventually came

to the same conclusion.

What makes Norma stand out is its achievementof tragic splendor through musical organization.

At the end of Act II, which Bellini considered some

of the best work he had done so far, Bellini shows

the spiritual elevation and the despair of the main

characters through a smooth, lyrical, flowing style

that draws out the tears and sympathy in one long,

sustained musical form. In Norma, Bellini combines

a romantic intensity of emotion with a classical

dignity that continues to move audiences today.

This image depic

the world premie

of Norma with

Domenico Donze

as Pollione,

Giulia Grisi as

Adalgisa, and

Giuditta Pasta as

Norma.

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Norma

Christine Goerke, soprano

Rosalinde, Die Fledermaus (2005)Alice, Falstaff (2007)

Pollione

Philip Webb, tenor

OCP Debut

Oroveso

Eric Owens, bass

Sarastro, The Magic Flute (2001)

Banquo, Macbeth, (2003)

Friar, Don Carlo (2004)

DirectorKay Walker Castaldo

Werther (2001)

The Capulets and the Montagues (2002)

Madama Butterfly (2002)

Il trovatore (2003)

The Pearl Fishers (2004)

Adagisa

Kristine Jepson, mezzo-soprano

OCP Debut

Flavio

Dominic Armstrong, tenor

Borsa, Rigoletto (2007)

ConductorCorrado Rovaris

La traviata (2003)

Don Pasquale (2004)

Aida (2005)

Die Fledermaus (2005)

A Masked Ball (2005)

The Barber of Seville (2005)

The Marriage of Figaro (2006)

La bohme (2006)

Cinderella (2006)

Falstaff (2007)

Rigoletto (2007)

Hansel and Gretel (2007)

Meet the

Artists

Clotilde

Allison Sanders, mezzo-soprano

Annie, Porgy and Bess (2007)

Giovanna, Rigoletto (2007)

You may have seen these artists in one of our recent productions.

To learn more about them, visit our website at www.operaphila.org.

26

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Introducing Soprano

Christine GoerkeIts been an interesting road to the opera stage.

I never even thought of pursuing a career as a singerwhen I was in high school. I started out wanting to

teach high school band. I played the clarinet for years

and learned to play other woodwind instruments too.

Flute and saxophone were fun, but when I learned to

play the Bass Clarinet, I thought that was a blast! I

didnt really know I could sing until I was in college.

I had to take a placement test at the music school to

see if I could sight read music. That means just

looking at a piece of music and singing whats on

the page. You dont have to sing it well, just get the

notes and note values right. It turned out that the

school liked my singing more than my clarinet

playing! I was very confused by this, but then realizedthat I didnt have to carry around an instrument in a

case, and could just sing instead... so I guess you

could say Im a singer because I was lazy!

Actually, I laugh sometimes when people say

that they think that singing is something that you

just get up and do, and thats that. Singing is really

hard work! Education plays a very big part in it, too,

but education is important in any choice of career,

not only music. We singers all train for years. Not

just learning how to sing, but learning about different

kinds of music, different composers, and what was

going on in the world historically when pieces werewritten. This makes a difference when youre trying

to become a character in a different time period.

We study movement, acting, and I even studied

Oceanography and Statistics too! Then there are the

many languages we have to learn and study in order

to be able to sing in them.

Norma is by Vincenzo Bellini. It was written

in Italian and was first performed in Milan, Italy on

December 26, 1831. I had to study Italian, and learn

Italian diction when I was in college. Diction is just a

schmancy word for pronouncing a language correctly

when you sing in it. I started to study differentlanguages in college. Im not fluent in all of them,

but I can speak enough Italian, German, and French

to get by - and I can understand what Im saying

when I sing in all of them now. But it took time,

like anything that you learn for the first time!

The first time I had to sing an opera in a

language other than English I was scared to death. I

was in college and didnt know Italian very well yet.

I translated everything on the top of the page and

hoped that it would be

enough. I somehow wasable to get through it and

made lots of mistakes! I

was able to laugh about

it. That was the greatest

thing I learned very early

on. We will always make mistakes and if we cant laugh

about them and learn from them? What is the point?

I came away from my education with so much

more than just my knowledge and understanding

of music. This is the way that any education or

career path should go. Learn everything that you

can. Soak it up like a sponge. I promise youll neverknow when you can use the information that youve

learned, and when it will make you more valuable at

your job!

I really love what I do, but being away from

my friends and family when I have to travel far from

home is toughest part of the job. So, when Im home,

I really make the time count. My husband Jim used

to be a chef - hes incredible in the kitchen, and

Im a very lucky lady... but we love two things:

pizza night and BBQ night. There is a place near our

house called Cubbys BBQ. The most amazing ribs!

We also really have an addiction to miniature golf.

I know that probably sounds stupid but its so

much fun! I love watching Family Guy it cracks me

up, and I was hooked on Days of Our Lives every

since my Mom got me started watching it when I was

10 years old!

Despite all the hard work, its so much fun to

be able to sing. Singing is fun wherever you do it: in

the bathtub, in the car, on stage, in school you name

it. Im very lucky because I get to make a living doing

what I love, and having fun too! Plus, I love seeing

and feeling the audience enjoying themselves. When

people sit in an audience to watch a show, and they

get involved with what is on stage? The performerscan Feel that involvement. When I know that the

audience is being moved by what Im doing? Its the

best reward I could ask for.

I hope you enjoy Norma!

Christine

To learn more about Christine, check out her webpage at

www.christinegoerke.com, and send her a message!

Soprano

Christine Goerke.

Photo: Christian Ste

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Connect the

OperaTerms1. Opera Seria

2. Baritone

3. Opera

4. Ballet

5. Orchestra

6. Libretto

7. Duet

8. Aria

9. Soprano

10. Chorus

11. Act

12. Contralto

13. Tenor

14. Opera Buffa15. Recitative

16. Bass

17. Overture

18. Verismo

A. Dance spectacle set to music.

B. Highest pitched womans voice.

C. Dramatic text adapted for opera.

D. Low female voice.

E. Comic opera.

F. A drama or comedy in which music isthe essential factor; very little is spoken.

G.Opera with dramatic and intense plots.

H. Music composed for a singing group.

I. A composition written for two performers.

J. A group of musicians who play togetheron various musical instruments.

K. Highest pitched mans voice.

L. A musical style used in opera and oratorio, inwhich the text is declaimed in the rhythm of

natural speech with slight melodic variation.

M. Male voice between bass and tenor.

N. A piece of music originally designed to beplayed before an opera or musical play.

O. The term describing the realistic or naturalisticschool of opera that flourished briefly in the

late 19th and early 20th centuries; libretti were

chosen to depict a slice of life.

P. Deepest male voice.

Q. Elaborate solo in an opera or oratorio.

R. Main division of a play or opera.

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The Romans, having conquered the Gauls, put

the reins of government into the hands of Pollione,

a Pro-Consul. Pollione fell in love with Norma, the

daughter of Oroveso, Arch Druid. Norma was regarded

by the superstitious Gauls as the oracle through

whom their grand deity, Irminsul, communicated.

Norma, however, had become secretly united to

Pollione and given birth to two children, which had

remained a secret to all except Clotilde.

In the Sacred Forest of the Druids, the high

priest Oroveso and the Druid people gather in the

forest to pray for a signal from Irminsul to go to waragainst the Roman invaders. When they have left,

the Roman proconsul, Pollione, confesses to his aide

that he no longer loves the high priestess Norma,

who has broken her vow of chastity and borne him

two sons. Instead, he has fallen in love with

Adalgisa, a young temple priestess, and despite an

ominous dream, is determined to bring her to Rome

and marry her. They leave as the Druids assemble

and Norma, Orovesos daughter, prays to the moon

goddess for peace. After the Druids disperse,

Adalgisa arrives to pray for strength to resist

Pollione, but when he appears he persuades her to

flee with him to Rome the next day.

In her home Norma tells her companion

Clotilde that she fears Pollione will abandon her and

her children. Adalgisa comes to confess h