# Norma from Aix - will it be accessible on France Musique and what to expect ?



## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

My first question - do you know if radio France Musique keeps the opera broadcasts accessible on the next day ? I am very curious about the performance on September 3, which I will not be able to hear.

Also, what to expect ? It will be Norma from Aix en Provence 2022, with Karine Deshayes, Michael Spyres and Amina Edris. The conductor, Ricardo Minassi, is known from the version with Cecilia Bartolli, quite unpopular by many of us. However, Karine Deshayes is a more standard voice, so I expect her to be more Norma-like than Bartolli. She is a mezzo crossing over to soprano. Adalgisa is a wider range soprano. Michael Spyres is a baritenor. He will probably sound soft and not macho-like, reviews suggest so. What else ? Has anybody seen it in Aix or have any info, or prophecies ?


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

BBSVK said:


> My first question - do you know if radio France Musique keeps the opera broadcasts accessible on the next day ? I am very curious about the performance on September 3, which I will not be able to hear.
> 
> Also, what to expect ? It will be Norma from Aix en Provence 2022, with Karine Deshayes, Michael Spyres and Amina Edris. The conductor, Ricardo Minassi, is known from the version with Cecilia Bartolli, quite unpopular by many of us. However, Karine Deshayes is a more standard voice, so I expect her to be more Norma-like than Bartolli. She is a mezzo crossing over to soprano. Adalgisa is a wider range soprano. Michael Spyres is a baritenor. He will probably sound soft and not macho-like, reviews suggest so. What else ? Has anybody seen it in Aix or have any info, or prophecies ?


Norma is one of those operas that is so dependent on the singing that modern productions are just not worth it, and haven't been for some time. I love the opera, don't get me wrong, but I can't imagine this being enjoyable.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Op.123 said:


> Norma is one of those operas that is so dependent on the singing that modern productions are just not worth it, and haven't been for some time. I love the opera, don't get me wrong, but I can't imagine this being enjoyable.


Yes, I am familiar with the beliefs, that current tendency to ask singers to sing piano frequently is restraining their voice and I agree it would be better not to do it. Sometimes I can hear it. But overall I can still enjoy contemporary singers.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

BBSVK said:


> Yes, I am familiar with the beliefs, that current tendency to ask singers to sing piano frequently is restraining their voice and I agree it would be better not to do it. Sometimes I can hear it. But overall I can still enjoy contemporary singers.


I would say that's only a small part of a large issue. If you can still enjoy the singing then that's good; personally, for such a purely vocal opera I can't imagine anything worse. As for for singers, I can't really stomach Michael Spyres but you might have better luck. The soprano has a fairly artificial voice, not very clear and lacking core, but these defects are more glaring in theatre and since its a broadcast it might not bother you as much. Amina Edirs, from what I can find, is fairly constricted too. Other users will no doubt have higher tolerance for these voices but as far as I can see from the cast it will be a fairly average affair, not noteworthily awful but far from good with all voices exhibiting the common defects of todays singers.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

OK, I'll narrow down what I want to know. I am always interested in the combination of mezzosoprano Norma and soprano Adalgisa, because there are not so many. However, performing Norma from critical edition was weird every time I heard it. Weird tempi, weird voice acting, piano-like instrument inserted. If it is weird like Bartolli, I will not invest an effort to hear it. If it is weird only like June Anderson in Parma, then I would probably still enjoy it and will try to hear it somehow.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

OK, the link stayed there after the broadcast.









Norma de Bellini avec Karine Deshayes au Festival d’Aix 2022


Riccardo Minasi dirige l’un des plus parfaits chefs-d’œuvre de l’histoire de l’opéra, où Michael Spyres et Amina Edris entourent la Norma de Karine Deshayes, au faîte de son art pour sa prise de rôle, en même temps que ses débuts au Festival d’Aix.




www.radiofrance.fr





Norma is weird. The voice is a little shaking, the top notes sound effortful/incomfortable and she is adding ornaments where I do not expect them to be added - in recitative or cantabile. I don't think Bellini would have wanted it. Or would he ? It is a critical edition.

But I like Pollione !


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