The World's Most Famous Operas — Norma

Music by: Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835)
Rendered into Arabic by: Samir Shikhani
An opera in four acts, by Romani
First produced in Milan in 1831

The characters:
• Oroveso, the high priest
• Norma, the high priestess, his daughter
• Pollione, the Roman governor
• Flavio, his friend
• Adalgisa, a virgin of the temple
• Clotilde, Norma's attendant
Priests and priestesses, virgins of the temple, soldiers of Gaul, servants, and Norma's two children.

Time: during the Roman occupation of Gaul, about the year 50 before Christ.
Place: Gaul.

Act One

The scene: the sacred forest

Under Roman rule the people know no rest, and revolt seethes in their souls; but they can do nothing before their priests give them leave. The first act takes place at the sacred oak tree, in the midst of the forest, beneath which a huge stone altar has been raised. It is night, and now a solemn procession approaches the sacred tree, the Gallic warriors at its head, followed by the priests, and last of them Oroveso, the high priest. He stands before the altar and orders those present to climb the neighboring hills and watch for the rising of the moon, the signal for cutting the fruits that clothe the branches of the oak tree.

But before going they implore their god Irminsul to help them scatter the hateful legions of the Romans. Near the altar hangs the bronze shield of Irminsul, whose striking announces the beginning of the solemn ceremony.

When the place is empty, two Romans advance cautiously: Pollione, the Roman governor, and his friend Flavio, who reminds him that Norma warned them against entering the forbidden sacred forest, saying that such an act is punished by death. From the two men's talk we quickly learn that Pollione has secretly married Norma, the high priestess of the country and daughter of Oroveso, chief of the priests, and that she has two children by him. Pollione tells his friend that his love for Norma has died, and that he now loves another priestess, a young girl named Adalgisa. He knows full well that Norma's vengeance will be merciless should she discover this. Then he recounts to him a dream he had, in which he saw himself with Adalgisa at his side, kneeling before an altar in Rome; but Adalgisa suddenly vanished, and a voice echoed through the temple announcing that Norma had avenged herself in this manner.

Voices rise outside, announcing that the moon has climbed to the heart of the sky, and the two Romans slip away from the sacred forest while the priests return, followed by the people in an ordered procession to the rhythm of the "religious march."

After all have taken their places, the high priestess Norma enters, raising a sickle, accompanied by her attendants.

She mounts the steps of the altar that stands beneath the oak tree, then warns her people that the time for driving out the occupying Roman invaders has not yet come, saying that the fate of Rome lies in the hands of the gods, and that the end of Roman power will come not by any outside force but through inner decay. Under the bright rays of the moon, Norma turns and cuts the fruited branches and sings the hymn of "the Chaste Goddess," praying for peace. At the end she tells her people that she will give them the signal for revolt when the hour comes. The people cry out in answer that the first who must be brought down is the Roman governor Pollione. All leave the place, which remains empty for a few moments; then the young priestess Adalgisa returns, kneels before the altar, and implores the gods to deliver her from her sinful love. Pollione enters and asks her to flee with him to Rome. She repulses him at first, but soon yields to him; they embrace warmly, and she swears to him that she will follow him wherever he goes, whatever fate lies hidden for her. He then asks her to meet him at that same place, at the same hour, on the following night, so that they may flee together. The curtain falls as they sing their violent passion.

Act Two

The scene: Norma's dwelling.

Norma enters with her two children and their nurse Clotilde... She soon gives voice to her anxiety over her children's future, now that Pollione has been summoned to Rome; she fears he will forsake her and her children, and she knows well that the discovery of her secret marriage would bring down upon her a terrible vengeance.

She hears footsteps and urges Clotilde to hide the two children. Adalgisa comes in, showing the marks of deep distress from the violent struggle raging within her between her love for Pollione and her fidelity to her faith and her people and the vows she has taken. She kneels before the high priestess and confesses that she has fallen in love with a man and has resolved to abandon the temple and flee with her beloved to a distant land.

She begs forgiveness, or that she be given strength to conquer this sinful love. Norma remembers how she herself broke her own vows, and remembers the great secret happiness of the first years of her marriage; she feels deep tenderness for the young priestess and releases her from her religious vows, assuring her that the gods will forgive her. She asks about her beloved, and Adalgisa answers: "He is a Roman." At that instant Pollione stands before them, and Adalgisa cries in all innocence: "There he is!" Norma is thunderstruck, and a terrible silence grips them all, broken by Norma in a violent outburst in which she accuses Pollione of betraying her and her children. Then she turns to Adalgisa, saying that her beloved has committed two betrayals: he has deceived his wife, and deceived his mistress... Adalgisa is stunned at first and cannot believe what she hears; but when she is assured of the truth of it, she declares to Norma that her love for Pollione is dead, and that she has cast off every thought of fleeing with him...

Pollione implores Adalgisa not to forsake him, but she breaks free and throws herself into Norma's arms, begging her protection. Norma orders her husband Pollione to depart from her presence, but he defies her and refuses to go. As this stormy scene reaches its height, the striking of the bronze shield of Irminsul is heard, summoning the priests to the temple. While Norma stands with her arms around Adalgisa, Pollione rushes out, choking down his rage and his violent agitation...

Act Three

The scene: a chamber in Norma's house.

The two children lie asleep on their bed, side by side. Norma enters the room quietly, carrying a lamp, which she sets on the table, and gazes at her children in fierce agitation. Then she draws a dagger she had hidden in her breast, repeating with deepest sorrow: "Better for them to die than to live as slaves in Rome!" She raises the dagger, but she cannot kill the fruit of her own flesh; a cry of terror escapes her as she stands bewildered, and she falls kneeling before the bed, sobbing.

The children awake, and Norma calls the nurse Clotilde and orders her to summon Adalgisa. When she enters, Norma asks her to carry the two children to their father Pollione, at the camp of the Romans, and entrust them to him. Adalgisa perceives that Norma is resolved to put an end to her own life, and implores her not to do it. She herself has determined never to see Pollione again; yet she will go to him once more — not for the children's sake, nor for her own, but to beg him to return to the woman who loves him and who is, at the same time, the mother of his two children!

But Norma, stricken and broken, pays no heed to this plan, and insists on carrying out what she has resolved. Adalgisa, however, pleads with her, showing her devotion and her love for the high priestess, and Norma consents to the girl's plan...

Act Four

Scene One: a rocky cave near the sacred forest.

The Gallic warriors, eager to fight the Romans and drive them from the country, gather in one of their secret places in the forest. Soon the high priest Oroveso appears before them, saying that he brings them bad news: Pollione has been summoned to Rome, and the commander appointed to succeed him is reputed to be harsher and more oppressive than he.

The warriors, weary of waiting, ask whether Norma still counsels keeping to the path of calm... Oroveso answers that the high priestess has as yet given no signal... Then he assures them that he hates the Romans as they hate them, and advises them to go on feigning submission and weakness until the fitting time comes. When victory is certain, they will rid themselves forever of the hateful occupiers.

Scene Two: the temple of Irminsul.

Norma stands before the altar, waiting in hope for Adalgisa's return from her mission to Pollione. Clotilde enters — not Adalgisa — bearing the news of Adalgisa's failure in her attempts to persuade Pollione to return to her. Instead of listening to her entreaties, he renewed his own pleas to make her flee with him to Rome, and even tried to force her to it. Adalgisa fled from his presence and took refuge in the temple.

Norma is nearly driven mad on hearing this news; a violent fury takes hold of her, and she goes to the huge bronze shield and strikes it three times, its echo resounding through the temple and the forest around it. A great multitude pours into the place in answer to the summons — priests, priestesses, and warriors, with Oroveso in their midst. When this chief of the priests asks the meaning of the signal, Norma answers with composure that the hour of war has struck. A mighty shout rises from the assembled throng, which vows the enemy the worst of vengeance. Oroveso comes forward and says that no victim has been brought for the sacrifice — a ceremony necessary before embarking on so great a venture — and Norma answers that the victim will be ready at the fitting time.

A commotion is heard outside, and Clotilde rushes in, crying that a Roman has profaned the sacred forest. On her heels enter soldiers dragging Pollione; he breaks loose from the hands of his captors and stands before the altar, his hands bound, gazing at

his enemies with arrogance.

Oroveso raises the knife of sacrifice and advances toward the haughty Roman; but Norma snatches the knife from him and raises it over the defenseless Pollione. She pauses a moment, then asks the crowd to withdraw, for she wishes to learn from the prisoner whether he had accomplices in reaching the entrance of the temple.

Norma and Pollione remain alone, and she tells him that if he swears never to see Adalgisa again, she will grant him his freedom. He refuses, and will not bow to her command even when she threatens to kill his two children. Though he has no intention of giving up Adalgisa, he implores her not to harm the children, offering his own life in place of hers. Norma declares that the gods demand a victim, and that Adalgisa must be that victim. Once more Pollione offers himself in Adalgisa's stead. But Norma insists that by killing the woman he loves she will cause him a torment he could never suffer by any other means. Norma turns to the altar, mounts its steps, and stands like an avenging goddess. She summons the people and announces to them that the victim has been chosen, saying that it is a priestess... a priestess who has broken her priestly vows. The people demand to know the name of this false priestess, and Pollione, believing that Norma is about to expose Adalgisa, implores her not to do it... But Norma cries out: "I... I am the false priestess!"

She tears from her head the wreath of flowers that she wears at the solemn ceremonies and casts it to the ground, urging the priests to kindle the fire into which the victim is thrown. She turns to Pollione and tells him that she loves him still, and will go on loving him even after her death. Pollione is moved, and says that the veil has been lifted from his eyes, that his infatuation with Adalgisa was no more than a passing whim, and that his deep and great love for Norma has taken its place.

Amazement ties the tongues of Oroveso and the priests, and they implore Norma to take back her decision, believing she uttered it in a moment of madness. But Norma assures them that her sin is too great for forgiveness to encompass, and charges her father with the care of her two children.

When the fire has been made ready, Pollione asks Norma to allow him to share with her the expiation of their common sin. The priests chant, proclaiming that this sacrifice will cleanse their temple of treachery. A black veil is cast over Norma's head. She embraces her father Oroveso, bidding him the last farewell, praying that her two children may not fall victim to her sin. She places her arm in Pollione's arm, and they advance with slow steps toward their inevitable fate, while the priests send them on their way with the prayer for the dead.