Background

Gaul has long been besieged by the Romans under the command of pro-consul Pollione, who for many years has been the secret lover of Norma, the high priestess of the Druids and the daughter of Oroveso. Norma has borne Pollione two children.

Act One

Oroveso, the archdruid, and the Gauls are again waiting in the sacred grove of the god Irminsul for Norma to announce to them the will of the god and finally give them the sign to rouse the people to rise against the Romans.

Pollione and Flavio approach the sacred grove on their regular patrol, and Pollione confides to his friend that he no longer loves Norma and that he has fallen in love with a young novice, Adalgisa. The druids assembled in the sacred grove demand that the strangers should no longer disturb the silence of the sacred place.

Norma appears and informs the impatient assembly that it is not yet the will of the god that Gaul should go to war. She performs the holy rites and prays to the moon goddess for peace, a peace for which she herself, torn between duty and love, yearns. She again urges the Gauls to be patient until she announces the decision of the god and herself calls them to arms, something which she keeps putting off because it would mean the end of her relationship with Pollione.

After the ceremony is over Adalgisa enters the sacred grove and kneels at the altar  to beg the god to help her in her hour of need as she, too, has fallen in love with the Roman pro-consul.
He surprises her at her prayers and begs her passionately to fly with him to Rome. After some hesitation she succumbs to his entreaties and her feelings for him and promises to go with him.

Norma is in her own dwelling with her children. Clotilde, her only confidante, who knows about the closely kept secret of her affair with Pollione and also looks after their children, is with her. Norma has learned that Pollione is to be ordered back to Rome. She senses that there is a shadow over their love and is no longer sure that Pollione will take her and their children with him. She just manages to get Clotilde to hide them when Adalgisa comes in. The young novice has come to unburden her heart to her superior. She describes with great feeling how she has been approached for the first time by a man, how she has fallen in love with him and confesses that she is determined to break her vow as a priestess and leave her home. Deeply moved, Norma remembers her own unfaithfulness to her vows and how she has experienced what Adalgisa is describing. Seeing in Adalgisa a reflection of herself,  she is prepared to free her from her vows – the young woman should find happiness and not suffer the same fate she
has suffered.

When she learns that Adalgisa’s lover is Pollione, her love for him turns into bitter hatred. In her moment of great despair she is called to the ceremony in the temple by the sacred gong.
What will the god tell her now?

Act Two

Norma is determined to kill herself and the children. Her feelings are in a turmoil; on the one hand she wants to protect the children from punishment or shame, on the other she wants to blot out everything to do with Pollione and hurt him deeply with the death of his children. A mother’s love, however, triumphs over despair and unrequited love. She summons Adalgisa, confides in her about the double life she has been leading and entrusts the children to her care. She is to take them with her when she goes to Rome with Pollione and be a mother to them. Adalgisa, however, decides to go to Pollione and remind him of his duty to return to Norma. The two unhappy women are united in friendship against the man whom they both love and who has caused them both such endless suffering.

The Gauls are still waiting for the sign allowing them to rise against the Romans. They have heard that Pollione is to return to Rome. Oroveso tells them he has heard that his successor will be even harsher. But the god has not yet given the sign for battle and so Oroveso again urges the Gauls to be patient so that the Romans will be lulled into a feeling false security.

Trusting absolutely in Adalgisa’s friendship, Norma waits for Pollione to return. But Clotilde informs her that Pollione is not prepared to give up Adalgisa, on the contrary, he is determined to use force to carry her off from the altar of the god.

Now the god Irminsul has spoken to Norma; she herself strikes the sacred gong three times and proclaims to Oroveso and the Gauls that the hour of battle and bloodshed has come.

First, however, a sacrifice must be made to the god. Norma finds herself in the difficult position of having to name the sacrificial victim. At that moment Clotilde rushes in and tells her that a Roman has broken into the sacred area of the novices. Pollione is dragged in. Oroveso demands that Norma should kill him, but she seeks a reason for delay and insists that she be allowed to speak to the prisoner alone.

In a last, desperate attempt to get Pollione to change his mind, Norma promises to let him live if he will give up Adalgisa forever. When he refuses she even threatens to kill their two children and when even that makes no impression on him she is beside herself with anger. She swears that she will not only destroy all the Romans but that Adalgisa should also pay the penalty and die at the stake.

When Pollione tries to kill himself, Norma summons the Gauls to return. She announces that a perjured priestess, who has broken her vows, is to be sacrificed. Conscious of her own guilt, when asked to name the wrong-doer she utters her own name instead of Adalgisa’s. She confesses her love for Pollione, which for her cannot die even in death. Too late, Pollione realizes her greatness and his guilt and begs for forgiveness.

Norma’s last thoughts are now no longer for Pollione but her children, whom she entrusts to her father’s care. Although initially horrified at what he has heard, Oroveso is moved by her pleas and promises to fulfill her wish, whereas the Gauls remain pitiless and curse Norma even as she walks to her death

© Jürgen Rose / Bavarian State Opera

Place: Gaul
Time: c. 100-50 BCE (Roman occupation)

Act 1
Sinfonia
Scene 1: The grove of the druids

Oroveso leads the druids in a procession in the forest to pray for victory against the invading Romans: (Oroveso and druids: "Ite sul colle, o Druidi" / "Go up on the hill, O druids"). The druids pray that Norma will come and have the courage to broker peace with the Romans: (Druids and Oroveso: "Dell'aura tua profetica" / "With thy prophetic aura, imbue her, O terrible God".) All leave to go to the temple.

Pollione and Flavio enter. Although Norma has secretly broken her vows in order to love him and has borne him two children, Pollione tells Flavio that he no longer loves her, having fallen in love with the priestess Adalgisa. But he expresses some remorse, describing his dream in which Adalgisa was beside him at the altar of Venus and a huge storm arose: (Pollione, aria: "Meco all'altar di Venere" / "With me at the altar in Rome was Adalgisa dressed in white, veiled all in white.") The storm presaged disaster for them both: "Thus does Norma punish her faithless lover," he declares. They hear the trumpets sounding to announce Norma's arrival. Flavio urges his friend to leave, but Pollione stands firm, proclaiming that he will confront them with a superior power and overthrow their altars: (Cabaletta: "Me protegge, me difende" / "I am protected and defended")

As Norma leads the druids and priestesses, the crowd proclaims: "Norma viene" / "Norma is coming" and, as Oroveso awaits her, they describe her dress and manner. All kneel as she approaches. "The time is not ripe for our revenge", she declares, stating that Rome will perish one day by being worn down. Then, with the mistletoe in hand, she approaches the altar with a plea to the moon (the "Chaste Goddess"): (cavatina: "Casta diva" / "Chaste goddess"). Continuing, she pleads that the goddess shed upon earth that peace which she has created in heaven. She calls for all to complete the rites and then clear the uninitiated from the grove. To herself, she declares that she cannot hurt Pollione, but desires that things return to where they used to be: (Cabaletta: "Ah! bello a me ritorna" / "Return to me, O beautiful one"). The assembled crowd accepts her cautious approach, and all leave the grove.

Later that night: The Temple of Irminsul in the grove

Adalgisa prays at the temple, remembering with some sorrow how she became involved with Pollione. He enters, telling her that she prays to a cruel god and is not trying to invoke the god of love. While she appears to reject him, he declares (Aria: "Va crudele" /"Go, O cruel one") but he is convinced that he cannot leave her; he is distraught, but she is equally torn, until the moment when he declares that he must return to Rome the following day. He begs Adalgisa to go with him: (Duet: Pollione, then Adalgisa, then together: "Vieni in Roma" / "Come to Rome"). She resists him, but finally appears to agree that they will leave together the following day.

Scene 2: Norma's dwelling

Alessandro Sanquirico's set design for act 1, scene 2, for the original production
Norma appears to be upset and orders her maid, Clotilde, to take the two children away from her, expressing very conflicted feelings about them. She tells Clotilde that Pollione has been recalled to Rome, but does not know if he will take her or how he feels about leaving his children. As Adalgisa approaches, the children are taken away.

Adalgisa tells Norma she has fallen in love with a Roman, whom she does not name. As she describes how she fell in love while waiting at the temple and seeing "his handsome face" appear, Norma recalls (as an aside) her own feelings for Pollione ("my passions, too, burned like this"), and more and more, their experiences of falling in love run parallel: (Norma and Adalgisa, duet: "Sola, furtiva al tempio" / "Often I would wait for him"). Adalgisa pleads for help and forgiveness, and Norma pledges that she will do that and will also free her from her vows as a priestess: (Norma: "Ah! sì, fa core, abbracciami" / "Yes, take heart, embrace me". Adalgisa: "Ripeti, o ciel, ripetimi" / "Say that again, heavens, say again")

Norma asks Adalgisa to describe the man whom she loves. Responding, she tells her that he is a Roman, and, at that moment, turns to indicate that it is Pollione who is just then entering the room. As Norma furiously turns to confront Pollione, Adalgisa is confused: Norma: "Oh! non tremare, o perfido" / "O faithless man, do not tremble".

Forcing the priestess to realise that she is the victim of a huge deception, Norma addresses Adalgisa. (Trio: each sings in succession, beginning with Norma: "Oh! di qual sei tu vittima" / "Oh, you are the victim"; then Adalgisa: "Oh! qual traspare orribile" / "What horror has been revealed"; then the two women together, followed by Pollione alone: "Norma! de' tuoi rimproveri" / "Norma, do not reproach me now", continuing with "Please give this wretched girl some respite"; after which all three repeat their words, singing at first singly, then together.)

There follow angry exchanges among the three, Norma declaring Pollione to be a traitor; he trying to persuade Adalgisa to leave with him; and she angrily telling him to go away. When he declares that it is his fate to leave Norma, she encourages the young priestess to go with him, but the latter declares that she would rather die. Norma then demands that her lover go, leaving behind his children—and his honour. (Finale: brief duet, Adalgisa and Pollione: he declares his love, and she her desire to Norma not to be the cause of grief to her. Trio: Norma continues to rage at Pollione, Adalgisa repeats her desire to make him return to Norma, and Pollione curses the day when he met Norma.) Then the sound of the druids calling Norma to the temple is heard. They report that the angry god, Irminsul, has spoken. Pollione storms out.

Act 2
Orchestral introduction
Scene 1: Norma's dwelling
Norma looks at both of her sons, who are asleep. She considers killing them. Advancing towards them with knife upraised, she hesitates. (Recitative: "Dormono entrambi ... non vedran la mano che li percuote" / "They are both asleep ... they shall not see the hand which strikes them.") But she cannot bring herself to do it: (Aria: "Teneri, teneri figli" / "My dear, dear sons") The children wake up and she calls for Clotilde, demanding that Adalgisa be brought to her.

The young priestess enters, concerned at how pale Norma looks. Norma makes her swear to do everything she asks and, upon her agreement, tells her that she is entrusting the two children to her care and states that they should be taken to the Roman camp to their father Pollione, a man whom she hopes will make a better mate for Adalgisa than he was for her. Adalgisa is aghast. Norma: "I beg you for his children's sake." (Duet, first Norma: "Deh! con te, con te li prendi" / "Please, take them with you") Adalgisa tells her that she will never leave Gaul and only agreed to the request in order to do what was good for Norma. (Duet, Adalgisa: "Vado al campo") In the duet, Adalgisa agrees to go to the Roman camp and tell Pollione of Norma's grief but her hope is to persuade him to return to Norma. She then renounces Pollione: (Duet: "Mira, o Norma" / "Look, o Norma") They sing together, each expressing her own thoughts and feelings until Norma realises that Adalgisa will give up Pollione and remain with her: (Cabaletta: Duet, Norma and Adalgisa: "Si fino all'ore estreme" / "Until the last hour")

Scene 2: The grove
The druid warriors gather and prepare themselves to attack the Romans. Oroveso enters with news from the gods: the time has not arrived to strike. Somewhat frustrated, the soldiers accept the decision.

Scene 3: The temple of Irminsul
Norma enters. (Aria: "Ei tornerà" / "He will come back") Then Clotilde arrives with news that Adalgisa has failed to persuade Pollione to return. Although Norma questions whether she should have trusted her, she then learns from her servant that Adalgisa is returning and wishes to take her vows at the altar and that the Roman has sworn to abduct her from the temple. In anger, Norma strikes a gong-like shield as a summons to war. Trumpets sound and Oroveso and the druids all rush in, demanding to know what is happening. They hear Norma's answer and the soldiers take up the refrain: "Guerra, guerra!" / "War, war!", while Norma proclaims "Blood, blood! Revenge!"

In order for Norma to complete the rites to authorise going to war, Oroveso demands to know who will be the sacrificial victim. At that moment, Clotilde rushes in to announce that a Roman has desecrated the temple, but that he has been apprehended. It is Pollione who is led in, and Norma is urged to take the sacrificial knife to stab him but, approaching him, she is unable to perform the deed. The assembled crowd demands to know why, but she dismisses them, stating that she needs to question her victim.

The crowd departs: (Duet, Norma and Pollione: "In mia man alfin tu sei" / "At last you are in my hands"). Norma demands that he forever shun Adalgisa; only then will she release him and never see him again. He refuses, and she vents her anger by telling him that she will then kill her children. "Strike me instead", he demands, "so that only I alone will die", but she quickly asserts that not only will all the Romans die, but so will Adalgisa, who has broken her vows as a priestess. This prompts him to plead for her life. (Cabaletta: Norma and Pollione: "Già mi pasco ne' tuoi sguardi" / "Already I take pleasure in the looks you give me".) When Pollione demands the knife, she calls the priests to assemble. Norma announces that it would be better to sacrifice a priestess who has broken her vows, and orders the pyre to be lit. Oroveso demands to know who is to be sacrificed while Pollione begs that she stays silent. Norma then wonders to herself if she is not in fact the guilty one, then reveals that it is she who is to be the victim: a high priestess who has broken her vows, has become involved with the enemy, and has borne his children. (Aria, Norma to Pollione: "Qual cor tradisti" / "The heart you betrayed"; Duet: Norma and Pollione; ensemble, Norma, Oroveso, Pollione, druids, priests: each expresses his/her sorrow, anger, pleas to Norma, with Oroveso learning for the first time that Norma is a mother.)

In the concerted finale, Norma pleads with Oroveso to spare her children ("Deh! non volerli vittime" / "Please don't make them victims"). As she prepares to leap into the flames, the re-enamoured Pollione joins her, declaring "your pyre is mine as well. There, a holier and everlasting love will begin".