Norma

"Coraggio! E il piu difficile di tutte le opere. In Bocca al Lupo"

So wrote Nicola Rescigno in my first score of Norma.

The great Maestro taught it to me himself at the age of 85 since he felt that I should sing it, and many were the moments when we broke for a cigarette (his!) and I beat the kitchen table with frustration and looking heavenwards, wished SO much that I could ask Callas how to negociate a certain phrase. The great salto or leap of almost two octaves, straddling the two ponte or bridges in the voice, in the duet with Pollione for instance, which has to be accomplished exactly in tempo, and this tempo must be precisely judged at the outset...fortunately in this case it is my responsibility and not that of the conductor. 

These great scores are really a life's work, and this one in particular is I feel, the perfect synthesis of Classic and Romantic, with the simplest of orchestration to illuminate the vocal line. It is this, at times spare writing, which makes all the more impact and gives the piece such elegance. 

Norma is so drenched with love and passion and is deeply moving not only for it's glorious music....... and this is Bellini's genius.

"You have been given Susan, a great responsibility, and inheritance which I hope you will bring to others and use for them, continuing these traditions in this great period of music.

 So profit, and I hope I've been helpful to you in being able to show you these things, and that you can be of help to others, bringing joy to people through singing these things well."

Nicola Rescigno to me,

Rignano Flaminia,

12th June, 1995.

"Courage! This is the most difficult of all operas." 

"Into the mouth of the Wolf."