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Set in the time of the Roman Empire鈥檚 subjugation of Celtic Gaul (modern France), Norma deals with the clash of cultures, with what we know as 鈥渃ivilization鈥� (law, organized military, and so forth) pitted against a very different indigenous society. McVicar threw himself into a study of the ancient Celts鈥斺�渏oyously,鈥� he says, citing his own Scottish Celtic identity as one factor in his enthusiasm. He found much modern archaeology exploring these mysterious ancients that was unavailable to Bellini and his excellent librettist, Felice Romani. While Bellini and Romani relied on the Roman authors (most notably Julius Caesar, the conqueror of Gaul) to recreate this world, McVicar has found that more recent studies of Celtic culture amplify their vision of a culture clash. He was impressed by the centrality of nature in the religion of the ancient Celts and the druids, the ruling priestly class who played such a visible role in their society and particularly in the opera. It struck him that their religion might be analogous to the religion of the Native Americans, 鈥渋n the sense of their worship of nature and the importance of seeking a harmonious relationship with the natural world around them.鈥�

The setting and its stage realization are also important contributors to the main goal of illuminating the powerful human drama in the opera. 鈥淰isually, we鈥檝e tried to find a world which is true to history鈥攖hey worshiped in forests, in groves, and we鈥檝e tried to stay true to that,鈥� McVicar says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e also tried to find an aesthetic which matches the beauty of Bellini鈥檚 score, in that the music has a kind of classical austerity to it, a simplicity, a purity that is very difficult to actually find a fitting visual counterpart to. But we鈥檝e certainly tried.鈥�

狈辞谤尘补鈥檚 drama is expressed in its lead characters and especially in its title character, which is one of opera鈥檚 touchstone roles. It is also extraordinarily difficult to sing. 鈥淣orma is some of the hardest music for any soprano,鈥� says Radvanovsky, who has sung an impressively wide range of repertory. 鈥淪he鈥檚 constantly onstage, always singing, but not just singing pretty all the time鈥攁lso angry. And singing angry music is exhausting, because it鈥檚 just gut-wrenching. It鈥檚 鈥︹�濃�攕he pauses, searching for the exact word鈥斺�渢rue.鈥�

This truth extends beyond the music. The character makes emotional demands on the soprano, as well, something that has been noted by many of the great Normas of the past (Ponselle, Callas, Sutherland, Caball茅, Sills, et al.). The famous Wagnerian soprano Lilli Lehmann, who sang Norma at the opera鈥檚 Met premiere in 1890, famously said it was more stressful than it would be to sing Br眉nnhilde in all three of the Ring operas in which she appears鈥攊n one night!

Much of the challenge is emotional and personal: She experiences every human emotion at some point in the opera. 鈥淣orma is a woman who has a quick temper and changes emotions so quickly, radically,鈥� Radvanovsky says. 鈥淥ne second, she鈥檚 happy; next second, she鈥檚 really sad and wants to kill her children. She is a woman who is conflicted. She wants to be the druid priestess. She wants to be the leader of her people. But she also 诲辞别蝉苍鈥檛 want that. She just wants to be a normal woman, like all the women out there. She鈥檚 torn between her personal life and her business life.鈥� To Radvanovsky, 狈辞谤尘补鈥檚 dilemma resonates in today鈥檚 world. 鈥�Norma, in my opinion, is probably one of the most real operas. Women really have to be strong in this modern-day business world. If you let that fa莽ade down, it shows weakness. I think, of all the roles that I sing, Norma is the one I relate to the most.鈥�

Whatever the grandeur of 狈辞谤尘补鈥檚 stature, her character is defined by her relations with those around her, and in this aspect she is buoyed by a spectacular ensemble cast. Calleja, who has had much success at the Met, is her wayward lover, Pollione鈥攁 role that, like Norma, requires a rare vocal balance of lyricism, agility, and heroism. 狈辞谤尘补鈥檚 younger colleague Adalgisa is none other than Met favorite and international superstar DiDonato, who has long been celebrated for her interpretations of Rossini鈥檚 and Donizetti鈥檚 bel canto heroines. Bass Matthew Rose is 狈辞谤尘补鈥檚 formidable father Oroveso, and Carlo Rizzi, a master of the entire range of Italian opera, conducts. Radvanovsky praises both the ensemble and the production: 鈥淚t is beauty onstage. It is true to the character of this druid priestess and all of her people. I think it鈥檚 going to be a great combination. And all of us together, I think, is going to be magical.鈥�