And her depiction of the naive but morally upright Adalgisa was full of psychological nuance.Ĭompleting the trio of lead roles was tenor Marco Berti as the Roman proconsul Pollione, a weak-willed fellow who loves neither wisely nor too well. Barton's gifts were evident at once - in particular a gleaming vocal tone that is evenly produced throughout a large range, and the ability to shape a vocal line with both precision and emotional urgency. Barton's recent appearances at the Metropolitan Opera in this role garnered breathless praise from all quarters, and her last-minute inclusion in the cast (replacing former Adler Fellow Daveda Karanas) offered a welcome opportunity to experience her artistry in person.
There was never a moment's doubt that all the challenges of this role were easily within her grasp.Īlongside Radvanovsky and keeping pace with her at every turn was the young American mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, making a magnificent company debut as Norma's friend and unwitting romantic rival Adalgisa. Radvanovsky's contribution, in fact, was practically a catalog of operatic virtues - robust vocal coloring across a wide range, precisely placed high notes delivered with fervor and clarity, exquisite coloratura and a sense of rhythmic freedom that lent eloquence to individual moments without blurring the shape of the overall melodic line.
The Norma of soprano Sondra Radvanovsky had all that and more, in an appearance that lived up to all the extravagant hopes inspired by her 2009 company debut in Verdi's "Il Trovatore." The great opening aria, "Casta diva" (a prayer to the moon), unfurled in elegantly arching phrases that grew in intensity as they billowed higher and higher, and the rest of the performance seemed to spin off from the emotional charge of that rendition.
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