Opera sensation

Asmik Grigorian’s Norma: angel with a dictator’s head

The desperate Norma (Asmik Grigorian) and her secret children.(Bild: Theater an der Wien/(c) Monika Rittershaus)

Theater an der Wien: The first round of the Viennese "Norma" match has been won. Asmik Grigorian thrills as the fiercely passionate title heroine and has a terrific rival in Aigul Akhmetshina's Adalgisa. 

Sometimes, the sensations that are announced do happen. Even if they are - in the truest (operatic) sense of the word - "hip". Because Theater-an-der-Wien director Stefan Herheim excused the title heroine Asmik Grigorian from the highly anticipated premiere because she was suffering from an ailment, after pre-cooling and co. had already disrupted rehearsals.

Nevertheless, the moon rose magnificently over Grigorian's Norma as she gracefully intoned her "Casta Diva". After this performance hit at the latest, it was clear to the worst doubters that Grigorian would also master this new operatic adventure.

Norma (Asmik Grigorian) and the novice Adalgisa (Aigul Akhmethsina, right)(Bild: Theater an der Wien/(c) Monika Rittershaus)

Norma is a killer role in a bel canto repertoire that is new to her. But Grigorian conquers it and lives through the role in her own personal way. She doesn't miss any runs or high notes, but rather sings - and acts - a strong, torn, gripping female destiny from her soul under high tension.

Norma is not a druid priestess in Vasily Barkhatov's convincingly chamber drama-style direction. Here, in the middle of the 20th century, she leads a religious commune as Capo and runs a distillery for angel statues. When the community is conquered by foreigners, they switch to dictator heads.

The love triangle surrounding Pollione, who has a family with Norma that is broken by his love for the novice Adalgisa, nevertheless works. Also thanks to Aigul Akhmetshina's magnificent mezzo as an equal rival. No wonder that Freddie De Tommaso's Pollione, who likes to overdo it, seems a little lost.

Until the Arnold Schoenberg Choir bravely calls for a revolt, while the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under Francesco Lanzillotta, which is genuinely striving for a light Italianità, sounds mainly dull from the acoustically catastrophic new pit.