parterre box

The second “episode” of Norma is now available for download at Unnatural Acts of Opera.

And speaking of Norma, can anyone confirm this story? It’s a regional production of the opera, sometime around the mid to late ’60s. The Adalgisa either learned the role in a big hurry or else was just congenitally not very bright (unusual for a mezzo).

Well, anyway, this mezzo made her entrance in Act 2, and Norma of course sang, “Adalgisa!” And then the mezzo greeted the two children, “Alma… Costanza!”

Yeah, I know, that sounds pretty apocryphal to me too.