"If we weep from emotion on hearing it, it's nothing to be ashamed of" - Richard Wagner on Bellini's most famous opera Norma, the most successful work by the last and greatest composer of bel canto. Norma, one of the greatest operas in the repertoire, is also one of the most demanding for the title character. Lilli Lehmann once famously remarked that she'd rather sing ten Brunnhildes than one Norma. For Monserrat Caballé and Maria Callas, it was among their greatest triumphs. Interest runs unusually high when a soprano takes on the role for the first time and Maria Dragoni provides a strong and committed performance as the doomed Druid priestess. Maria Dragoni, Gianluca Zampieri, Raffaella Leveroni; Teatro dell'Opera Giocosa, Orchestre Sinfonica Savona, Massimiliano Carraro, conducting. - Publisher.