Mad. DE MERIC.
Clotilde, confidante of Norma
Mad. CASTELLI.
Flavio, friend of Pollione
Sig. G. GALLI.
‘The scene lies in Cambria, in the sacred forest, and in the Temple of Irminsul.’
The story is as wide a departure from anything in the shape of historical vraisemblance as can be imagined. The Gauls subjugate the Romans in Wales, then commit the government of that country to Pollio, a pro-consul of Rome! He becomes enamoured of Norma, daughter of the Arch-Druid, and is secretly married to her, though she, something like the Vestal virgins, had devoted herself to celibacy. After she has become the mother of two children, Pollio’s affections are transferred to Adalgisa, who consents at first to fly with him to Rome; but, struck by remorse, she reveals all to Norma, whose ‘love to hatred turns,’ and the latter determines to avenge herself by destroying her children; but she changes her purpose; impeaches herself in the assembly of Druids, and is condemned to be burnt alive; to which fate her faithless husband is also sentenced; but his love for her suddenly returns, and he unreluctantly ascends with Norma the fatal pile.
That this is an imitation of Medea is evident, and, as in that opera, Madame PASTA is the life and soul of this. Her acting alone saves it here, as it did in Milan, where it was first produced last year.
Considered as a whole, the music, though not censurable in regard to the rules of composition, possesses the most fatal of all faults—it is deplorably uninteresting: except the motivo of the duet, Deh! con te li prendi, an aria, Norma! che fu? and the finale, not a piece has the slightest pretence to originality, or produces the least effect. The overture and introduzione stun one with all kinds of noisy instruments, and half, or more, of the first act is accompanied by the same intolerable din. The music of the last scene, and the acting of PASTA, but especially the latter, will keep the opera on the stage while she remains to fill the part; without her, or her equal, if such should ever be found, it has no chance of being listened to in London; and even with her, it is with a half reluctance permitted[70].