Members of our Opera Lovers Group met on Thursday 23 July 2026 for a performance of Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma, set in Gaul at the time of the Roman Empire. This performance was given in 2015 by Gran Teatre Del Liceu in Barcelona. It featured Gregory Kunde as Pollione, the Roman Consul, Sandra Radvanovsky as Norma, Ekaterina Gubanova as Adalgisa, Raymond Aceto as Oroveso, Ana Puche as Clotilde, and Francisco Vas as Flavio.

Pollione has had an illicit affair with Norma which has produced two children. However, he now wants to take Adalgisa as his companion, and talks of taking her to Rome with him. Because both Norma and Adalgisa hold religious roles in their pagan community, they are forbidden from ‘knowing’ men. Added to that, Norma and Adalgisa are good friends.

The opera explores what will happen to Norma, her children and her friend Adalgisa, given the power of Pollione to do whatever he pleases, and whatever Rome pleases, in the community of villagers in Gaul.

The performance was truly outstanding, and demonstrated the power and ‘bel canto’ technique of all the singers to the full.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday 24 September 2026 at 1pm for a less intense and dramatic opera!