In fact, if I were to list my favorite five operas, I'm afraid the best I could do is to end up with some 50 works in my catalogue. Somewhere in the top of that heap, I'm pretty much sure, Bellini's Norma would stand unchallenged, due to it's rare balance between it's grand classical elegance, combined with it's sanguine italianate passion.
That unusual blend rends several lectures not only possible, but equally valid. They can range from bringing to the surface it's Apollineal, transparent, almost Mozartean texture, to an intense enactment of a hot-blodded romantic drama, even one with verismo overtones.
Not one performance, of course, can claim to have achieved that ideal balance, not even the much praised Callas' version which in my opinion (being my favorite) leans towards the dramatic involvement and dazzle of a Callas performance, in spite of her Greek-tragedy-heroine assupmtion. I'm getting into muddy waters here, I know, as I mention that icon.
Anyways, taking her as a reference, as a "before and after" time line, just as her fans tend to do, we should indeed mention some BC ("Before Callas") Normas. My absolute favorite is Rosa Ponselle, perhaps the only to question Callas' supremacy.
In fact, the Greek diva was not famous for her generosity in her comments on colleagues, not even those that were no longer "in office". Only Ponselle would merit her unreserved praise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGl0NQCYnTM
When the centennial celebration of Norma took place in Catania, the composer's birth place, the soprano chosen to portray the heroin was not Ponselle, though. Not even Muzio, or other well remembered diva of the day, but the Spanish singer Fidela Campiña, today nearly forgotten.
I presume that the election was carefully made, and it speaks a lot about Campiña's stature as a singer. She was great, ideed, if one is to judge her from her very rare recordings. I this one she appears with another great singer of the past, nearly forgotten nowadays, tenor Jesús de Gaviria. They sing the duet from Breton's La Dolores:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXdS88m7IDA
I haven't ever heard her rendition of Norma. I'm not even sure if that recording even exists, but she was much celebrated in her time. The reason I list her among the great "BCs" is very personal, though: she was not only my teacher's teacher, but also ended up being his wife.
In fact, Argentinian tenor Carlos Guichandut, one of the great Otellos of all time, died after a severe depression shortly after she passed away.
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