Soprano Saioa Hernandez soars in Victorian Opera's Norma

Bellini: Norma
Victorian Opera, August 23

Victorian Opera subscribers showed how discriminating an audience they are by selling out this concert performance of Bellini's Norma last November, so that tickets never reached the public.

They must have left the Melbourne Recital Centre aglow after a thrilling performance of great artistry and conviction.
Every part came together in this pinnacle of bel canto; from the minor roles to the remarkably fine chorus, to polished and sensitive leadership from conductor Richard Mills, Victorian Opera's artistic director. But all these strengths count for little without a great Norma, for few operas are so dominated by one role; and in Spanish soprano Saioa Hernandez, this performance had a truly riveting Norma.

In one of the most demanding soprano roles in all opera, for both technical and emotional challenges, Hernandez was superb. She was by turns regal, wracked with doubts, resolute, vindictive and, finally, noble and heroic, all produced with great beauty of tone, almost immaculate security, and limitless power and authority.

After Norma, the next requirement is an excellent Adalgisa, and Nicole Car was certainly that. What a marvellous singer she has become, following recent triumphs as Tatyana and Donna Elvira for Opera Australia, and as the young druid acolyte she was virginal, tender and pure; her lighter, agile voice coping effortlessly with the coloratura. Her duets with Norma, one of the great joys of this opera, were deeply moving.

As the Roman Pollione, Rosario La Spina's strengths were prominent, his tone ringing and burnished, though he could not match the women for vocal emotional intensity. And what a luxury to have a bass of Daniel Sumegi's stature singing the comparatively minor role of Oroveso, while cameos by Carlos Barcenas and Lee Abrahmsen were accomplished. Orchestra Victoria was in great form.

It is perhaps difficult when the orchestra is on stage, rather than in the pit, for singers to soar above the tuttis – and the transparent acoustic of the recital centre leaves singers far more exposed than the State Theatre – but all were more than equal to the challenge. In fact, a couple of times I wished it had been scaled back just a little, the volume overpowering the detail.