Bellini: Norma (Metropolitan Opera Live Recording) - Sondra Radvanovsky (BluRay)

To open the Met's 2017-18 season, powerhouse soprano Sondra Radvanovsky tackled one of opera's most fearsome roles, the title druid priestess of Bellini's Norma, who wrestles with love and betrayal before making the ultimate sacrifice on a funeral pyre. Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato sang Norma's friend and rival, Adalgisa, in Sir David McVicar's evocative production. To open the Met's 2017-18 season, powerhouse Bellini: Norma (Met Live Recording).

Sondra Radvanovsky (Norma), Joyce DiDonato (Adalgisa), Joseph Calleja (Pollione), Matthew Rose (Oroveso), Michelle Bradley (Clotilde), Adam Diegel (Flavio)

The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Carlo Rizzi, Sir David McVicar

In Radvanovsky and DiDonato the Met production has two singers at the height of their formidable powers…Rizzi’s love for the score comes across in every bear; he conducts the Met Orchestra superbly and they play gloriously for him. David McVicar deserves praise for bringing out such moving acting from Radvanovsky and DiDonato in particular but the production itself is less satisfying…Happily, though, none of this significantly detracts from some glorious central performances, conducting and playing. - Gramophone