The Royal Opera, Antonio Pappano, Anna Netrebko, Joseph Calleja

Antonio Pappano returns to the Italian repertory for the opening of the Season with a new production of Bellini’s Norma, last seen in a staged production by The Royal Opera in 1987. It is directed by members of the innovative Catalan theatre group La Fura dels Baus, who make their first appearance with The Royal Opera during the 2015/16 Season with Enescu’s Oedipe.

The opera is regarded as a leading example of the bel canto genre and Norma’s aria ‘Casta diva’ is considered one of the most beautiful and demanding arias from the 19th-century bel canto tradition. Russian soprano Anna Netrebko takes on the challenge of the title role for the first time. Also making his role debut is Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja as Pollione, Norma’s former lover and an enemy of her people, who betrays her for Adalgisa, sung by Italian mezzo-soprano Sonia Ganassi who makes a welcome return to Covent Garden.

British bass Brindley Sherratt, whose recent roles at Covent Garden have included Prince Gremin (Eugene Onegin) and Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte), sings the role of Oroveso. Previous exponents of the title role of Norma at Covent Garden have included Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland and Montserrat Caballé. The opera is given a contemporary Western European setting by director Àlex Ollé and his set and costume designers Alfons Flores and Lluc Castells, and reflects on the role of fanatical religion in a society in crisis, dominated by a strong military power.