57 Norma is caught between two worlds: as a priestess, she is the spiritual leader of an oppressed people, but for years she has been conducting a love affair with Pollione, the commander of the enemy, in utmost secrecy. Trapped between duty and longing, Norma leads a secret life: she keeps her two children with Pollione carefully hidden from the outside world. When Pollione wants to leave her for a younger priestess, Adalgisa, Norma’s carefully nurtured equilibrium collapses. Torn between feelings of love and revenge, she sees only one way out: destroying everything she holds dear. Jetske Mijnssen previously directed Donizetti’s Tudor trilogy and Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra at Dutch National Opera, with a keenly developed feel for the psychology of characters in opera. She approaches Norma as a domestic drama, a portrayal of a relationship that is falling apart, with the children as the main victims. Bellini cycle Bellini is renowned for the way he builds suspense and for his long, flowing melodies and beautiful cantilenas — Norma’s famous aria ‘Casta diva’ is a prime example. Norma is the second opera in the three-year Bellini cycle, following I Capuleti e i Montecchi (2025). The musical direction is in the hands of Enrique Mazzola, music director of Lyric Opera of Chicago and a leading authority on the bel canto repertoire. He previously demonstrated this with his celebrated performances of the Tudor trilogy with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. The role of Norma is sung by acclaimed soprano Federica Lombardi, who has established herself as one of today’s leading interpreters of the Italian repertoire. At Dutch National Opera, she previously appeared in Verdi’s Requiem and Simon Boccanegra. Rising star Elmina Hasan makes her debut in Amsterdam as Adalgisa. Norma’s secret lover Pollione is sung, in a role debut, by fast-rising tenor Attilio Glaser. New production Lyrical tragedy in two acts Libretto: Felice Romani Sung in Italian Musical direction Enrique Mazzola Stage direction Jetske Mijnssen Set design Etienne Pluss Costume design Hannah Clark Lighting design Valerio Tiberi Movement Jean-François Kessler Dramaturgy Laura Roling Oroveso Bogdan Taloş Pollione Attilio Glaser Norma Federica Lombardi Adalgisa Elmina Hasan Netherlands Chamber Orchestra Chorus of Dutch National Opera Chorus master Edward Ananian-Cooper Co-production with Tiroler Festspiele Erl and The Norwegian Opera and Ballet Premiere 12/5/2027 Subsequent performances: 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30* May, 2, 6* June 2027 | Curtain-up: 19:30 / *14:00 | Ticket sales start on: 27 August 2026 | Price Category: A | Location: Main Stage, Dutch National Opera & Ballet Photo: Petrovsky & Ramone Norma Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835)
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