What is Norma (opera)?
{{italictitle}} '''''Norma''''' is an Italian [[opera]] in two acts. The music was composed by [[Vincenzo Bellini]]. The [[libretto]] is by [[Felice Romani]].The opera was first performed at [[La Scala]] in [[Milan]], on December 26, 1831. The work was based on Louis Alexandre Soumet's play ''Norma ou l'infanticide''. ''Norma'' is Bellini's masterpiece and one of the finest [[bel canto]] operas. The title role is one of the most demanding in the entire Italian repertoire. Sopranos [[Maria Callas]], [[Joan Sutherland]], and [[Montserrat Caballé]] have been amongst the best exponents of the role. ==Principal roles== * Norma – [[soprano]] * Adalgisa – [[mezzo-soprano]] * Pollione – [[tenor]] * Oroveso – [[bass (vocal range)|bass]] ==Sources== * ''The Complete Dictionary of Opera & Operetta'', James Anderson, Wings Books, 1989. [[Category:1830s operas]] [[Category:Compositions by Vincenzo Bellini]] {{music-stub}}