Norma is a tragedia lirica or opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini with libretto by Felice Romani after the play Norma, ou L'infanticide (Norma, or The Infanticide) by Alexandre Soumet. It was first produced at La Scala in 展开

Premiere performances
After rehearsals began on 5 December, Pasta balked at singing the "Casta diva" in act 1, now one of the most famous arias of the nineteenth century. … 展开

The title role—"one of the most taxing and wide-ranging parts in the entire repertory" —is one of the most difficult in the soprano repertoire. It calls for great vocal control of range, flexibility, and … 展开

Place: Gaul Time: c. 100-50 BC (Roman occupation)
Act 1
• Sinfonia
Scene 1: The grove of the druids
Oroveso leads the druids in a procession in the forest to pray for … 展开

Crivelli and Company were managing both La Scala and La Fenice in Venice, and as a result, in April–May 1830 Bellini was able to negotiate a contract with them for two operas, one at each … 展开

The action takes place in Gaul under the Roman occupation, and is centered on the love triangle between Pollione, the Roman proconsul of Gaul, Norma, his former companion, and the young … 展开

It was Giuseppe Verdi who—late in his life—made some perceptive comments in a letter of May 1898 to Camille Belaigue [fr], who had recently published a book on Bellini. In the letter, Verdi states:
Bellini is poor, it is true, in harmony and instrumentation; but rich … 展开