Earlier this year, a new production of Norma debuted at the Theater an der Wien, directed by Vasily Barkhatov and conducted by Francesco Lanzillotta. Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian took on the title role, earning praise for her dramatic intensity and vocal precision.
Just two months later, the same staging traveled to the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, where the role of Norma was sung by American soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen. Once again under the baton of Lanzillotta, this second cast offered a fresh perspective on Bellini’s demanding score.
Rather than comparing the two sopranos competitively, this side-by-side presentation highlights how different artists can shape a role as complex and iconic as Norma in their own way—through voice, presence, and interpretation.
We hope you enjoy this as much as we did.
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