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Druid Priestess Conquers LA
JAMES SOHRE is impressed by
Bellini's 'Norma'
If you were to take all of the sopranos in our collective memory who have conquered the Everest role of Norma, pooled together all of their strengths and none of their weaknesses, it would probably result in something close to Angela Meade's towering performance at Los Angeles Opera.
Ms Meade surmounts the title role's every possible musical and technical challenge, gifting her superb vocalizing with clear diction and investing it with internalized dramatic fire. From the first time she opens her mouth, she serves notice that she not only has the heroic thrust necessary for Bellini's potent proclamations, but can also effortlessly spin a pianissimo filigree of accurately ornamented melodies that holds us spellbound on the edge of our seats.
I managed to miss Callas and Sutherland live in their much appreciated assumptions of the druid priestess, but quite frankly the former lacked inherent beauty of tone, and the latter the theatrical flair to completely fulfill the part...
Copyright © 25 November 2015
James Sohre,
Nevada, USA
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