Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

had two sons. At the opening of the opera, however, the Roman's love for his Druidess wife has
cooled, and he has conceived a passion for Adalgisa, one of the younger priestesses of the temple.
Norma, in spite of the sacrifice and betrayal of her religious vows which she has made, still loves
her secret husband, though aware of his cooling passion; but, being sincere in her sacred vocation,
she performs her ceremonies and duties conscientiously, and consequently is beloved and revered
by the people, to whom she reveals the will of the oracle. She prophesies the downfall of Rome,
and encourages the people in their resistance to the invaders, during one of the mistletoe
ceremonies. When the ceremony is over, Adalgisa has a secret meeting with Pollione, who
entreats her to depart with him to Rome; but the young priestess is now overcome with remorse
for her betrayal of the revered Norma, and she seeks an opportunity to confess all to the High
Priestess. Norma, sympathising with a sin akin to her own, at first offers her pardon and means of
escape; but when she next learns that the girl's lover is her own faithless husband, she is filled with
anger and despair.
In Act 2 she determines to slay her children, but her love for them renders her incapable of doing
the deed; and on the entrance of Adalgisa, who desires her forgiveness, she entreats her rival to
take charge of the boys and deliver them into the care of their father, since she is resolved to die,
meaning to offer herself as a victim on the funeral pyre at the sacrifice about to be offered
preparatory to the warriors going forth to do battle against their invaders. Adalgisa is so touched
by this noble renunciation that she declares she will beg the faithless husband to return to Norma's
love once more; but all her efforts are in vain. Pollione, on the contrary, only heeds the force of his
new passion; and being seen to snatch his adored Adalgisa from before the temple altar, he is
seized by the priests and condemned by them to expiate his impious act as the victim for the
sacrifice just about to be offered. He is brought for judgment to the worshipped High Priestess,
Norma, who declares she will set him free if he will renounce Adalgisa, which, however, he firmly
refuses to do. Norma, seeing thus that his love for her has indeed vanished utterly, is more
determined than ever to encompass her own death; and summoning all the priests and votaries of
the temple, she begs them to condemn a sinful priestess who has broken her sacred vows. She then
declares herself to be the erring one; and amidst the execrations and groans of the people, she
ascends the funeral pyre, willingly awaiting her doom. Pollione, overcome by her noble
renunciation and generous shielding of her rival, feels remorse for his faithless conduct; and, his
dormant love for the great-hearted Norma reviving, he confesses his own share in her guilt, and
mounts the pyre also. Thus, after commending their children to the care of the High Priest, the
husband and wife are reunited in death.
15. I PURITANI
Grand Opera in Two Acts By Vincenzo Bellini
Libretto By Count Pepoli
First Produced Paris, January, 1835
Chief Characters Elvira, Queen Henrietta, Lord Arthur Talbot, Sir Richard Forth, Sir George
Walton
THE action takes place at the fortress of Plymouth during the civil war of the Cavaliers and
Roundheads. Queen Henrietta, widow of Charles I., is a prisoner in the fortress, her identity not