Casta Diva

Aria of the high priestess Norma, from the opera "Norma" by Vincenzo BELLINI, libretto by Felice ROMANI. Arrangement for SATB choir and piano by Emmanuel ROBIN. Norma, a Gallic high priestess, is secretly in love with Pollione, the commander of the Roman army, with whom she has two children. While her father, the chief Oroveso, gathers warriors and druids to fight against the invader, she invokes the goddess of the Moon, offering her a branch of mistletoe to preserve peace. Pollione rejects her, in love with a young priestess, Adalgisa. In spite of her attempts of reconquest, and after having hesitated to kill their children, Norma then turns her despair into revenge : she calls the Gauls to war, accuses Pollione of rape of the sacred sanctuary, and reveals her own treason by her union with the enemy. They are united in death, condemned to be burned alive in sacrifice to the gods. A well-known aria, ideal for choirs and conductors who already have a good level of practice: a demanding but rewarding repertoire! A choir setting on an original solo aria: it’s the crazy challenge of our "Arias be good" series (Les grands airs vous feront du bien).