SYNOPSIS

The action takes place in Gaul during the Roman occupation‚ at an unspecified pre-Christian date‚ usually set at around 50 B.C.

Act One

CD 1 [1] Sinfonia

Scene 1: The sacred grove of the Druids.

[2] Oroveso‚ the Head Druid‚ bids his followers to go to the hills to await the rising of the moon‚ at which time Norma‚ his daughter and the High Priestess‚ will come to the altar to perform the rite of cutting the sacred mistletoe. She will advise them when to rebel against their cruel Roman oppressors. [3] After they have departed‚ Pollione‚ the Roman Proconsul‚ appears with his friend Flavio to whom he confides that he no longer loves Norma‚ even though she is the mother of his two sons. (Norma has long since broken her vows of chastity‚ but none of her people suspect that she is not the virgin priestess demanded by her cult.) Pollione has now fallen in love with Adalgisa‚ a young and beautiful novice of the temple of Irminsul. Although he believes that his love is requited‚ he is worried about Norma’s wrath; he tells Flavio of a dream he has recently had. [6] The striking of the sacred shield interrupts the two Romans who leave‚ with Pollione threatening to destroy the blasphemous altars of the Druids in order to win Adalgisa.[ 7] The Druids assemble and Norma enters with her priestesses. [8] She rebukes the Druids for their impatience to start war against the Romans; her own oracular prophecy reveals that Rome will fall through its own decadence‚ and not at the hands of the Druids. [9] Norma then prays to the Chaste Goddess‚ the Moon‚ for peace. The Druids agree to strike only at her command‚ when they will kill Pollione first and then the rest of the Romans. Although outwardly Norma has to agree‚ she secretly and nostalgically professes her love for Pollione.

[13] The rite ended‚ they all depart except Adalgisa‚ who stays behind to pray for strength so that she might resist the illicit love she feels for a Roman. [14] Her prayer is interrupted by Pollione who entreats her to follow him to Rome. After considerable hesitation‚ Adalgisa helplessly consents and promises to meet him the next day.

Scene 2: Outside Norma’s dwelling in the forest.

[17] Norma is greatly upset because of Pollione’s recent indifference towards her and‚ because of his imminent departure for Rome‚ she has now developed a love-hate relationship with their two children. When presently someone is heard approaching‚ Norma promptly bids Clotilde‚ her confidante‚ to hide the children. [18] It is Adalgisa who‚ tortured by her conscience‚ has come to her superior and friend to confess her sacrilegious love and to ask to be released from her vows. [19] Norma is very understanding and she momentarily even forgets herself in sweet remembrances. Afterwards she sympathetically consents to release the novice from her vows. [20] “But tell me: this youth you love‚ which of our young men is he?” asks Norma. Adalgisa replies that he is a Roman‚ and points him out. For Pollione at that very moment appears in order to see his children prior to his departure for Rome. Norma immediately grasps the situation and furiously reproaches Pollione‚ her lover and the father of her children.

CD 2 [1] She then tells Adalgisa‚ who is at a complete loss‚ how she‚ too‚ has been deceived by the same man. Pollione protests and refuses to leave without Adalgisa. Finally‚ When the sacred shield is heard calling Norma to the temple‚ she pushes away Pollione and orders him to leave her house alone.

Act Two

Scene 1: Inside Norma’s dwelling.

[3] Introduzione

[4] In her rage Norma tries to kill her children but‚ unable to do the deed‚ she calls for Adalgisa‚ whom she asks to take the children and flee with the Roman. [5]–[7] Adalgisa agrees to go to Pollione‚ but only to persuade him to come back to Norma and their children. At first Norma will not hear of it‚ but when Adalgisa makes the children go to her‚ her motherly feelings are aroused and she accepts. [8] The two women‚ fully reconciled‚ prepare to face their problems together. Adalgisa leaves for the Roman camp.

Scene 2: Near the sacred Grove of the Druids.

[9]–[11] The Druids assemble secretly in a council of war: they want to rise against the Romans immediately. Oroveso informs them that Polllione is now in fact to be succeeded by an even more cruel Proconsul‚ but exhorts them to show patience and apparent docility for the moment; he too feels the burden of the Roman yoke and longs to fight back‚

Scene 3: The temple of lrminsul.

[12] Clotilde informs Norma that Adalgisa’s mission to Pollione has failed‚ he apparently has vowed to carry Adalgisa off by force. [14] In a frenzy of rage‚ Norma summons the Druids and declares war on the Romans; the necessary sacrificial victim will be provided in due course.

[16] Presently Pollione‚ who has been captured while trying to break into the temple‚ is dragged in before Norma for judgment. The Druids demand his instant death; as Oroveso is about to stab him‚ Norma intervenes‚ declaring that it must be she who should kill the victim. However she will first interrogate the prisoner privately.

[17] Left alone with Pollione‚ Norma offers to save his life if he will leave Gaul alone. [18] He refuses‚ whereby Norma summons the Druids and announces that the sacrificial victim will be herself‚ confessing her own betrayal of her God and People. [19] Turning to Pollione‚ she tells him that‚ in spite of everything‚ she still loves him‚ even to her death. [20]-[21] She then begs her father for forgiveness‚ and pleads that her children may be spared. The priestesses cover Norma with a black veil‚ and as she mounts the funeral pyre‚ Pollione‚ whose love for her is rekindled‚ joins her‚ both accepting their punishment for the sacrilege committed.

Stelios Galatopoulos