Act II. _Norma_, filled with despair, is beside the cradle of her

little ones. An impulse to kill them comes over her. But motherhood triumphs over unrequited love. She will renounce her lover. _Adalgisa_ shall become the happy spouse of _Pollione_, but shall promise to take the place of mother to her children. _Adalgisa_, however, will not hear of treachery to _Norma_. She goes to _Pollione_, but only to remind him of his duty.

The scene changes again to a wooded region of the temple in which the warriors of Gaul have gathered. _Norma_ awaits the result of _Adalgisa's_ plea to _Pollione_; then learns that she has failed and has come back to the grove to pass her life as a priestess. _Norma's_ wrath is now beyond control. Three times she strikes the brazen shield; and, when the warriors have gathered, they joyfully hear her message: War against the Romans! But with their deep war song now mingles the sound of tumult from the temple. A Roman has broken into the sacred edifice. He has been captured. It is _Pollione_, who she knows has sought to carry off _Adalgisa_. The penalty for his intrusion is death. But _Norma_, moved by love to pity, and still hoping to save her recreant lover, submits a new victim to the enraged Gauls--a perjured virgin of the priesthood.

"Speak, then, and name her!" they cry.

To their amazement she utters her own name, then confesses all to her father, and to his care confides her children.

A pyre has been erected. She mounts it, but not alone. _Pollione_, his love rekindled at the spectacle of her greatness of soul, joins her. In the flames he, too, will atone for their offences before God.

* * * * *

The ambition of every dramatic soprano of old was to don the robes of a priestess, bind her brow with the mystic vervain, take in her hand a golden sickle, and appear in the sacred grove of the Druids, there to invoke the chaste goddess of the moon in the famous "Casta diva." Prima donnas of a later period found further inspiration thereto in the beautiful portrait of Grisi as _Norma_. Perhaps the last to yield to the temptation was Lilli Lehmann, who, not content with having demonstrated her greatness as _Brünnhilde_ and _Isolde_, desired in 1891, to demonstrate that she was also a great _Norma_, a demonstration which did not cause her audience to become unduly demonstrative. The fact is, it would be difficult to revive successfully "Norma" as a whole, although there is not the slightest doubt that "Casta diva, che in argenti" (Chaste goddess, may thy silver beam), is one of the most exquisite gems of Italian song.

[Music: Casta Diva,]

It is followed immediately by "Ah! bello a me ritorna" (Beloved, return unto me), which, being an allegro, contrasts effectively with the long, flowing measures of "Casta diva."

Before this in the opera there has occurred another familiar number, the opening march and chorus of the Druids, "Dell'aura tua profetica" (With thy prophetic oracle).

[Music]

There is a fine trio for _Norma_, _Adalgisa_, and _Pollione_, at the end of the first act, "Oh! di qual sei tu vittima" (O, how his art deceived you).

[Music: Oh! di qual sei tu vittima]

In the scene between _Norma_ and _Adalgisa_, in the second act, is the duet, "Mira, O, Norma!" (Hear me, Norma).

[Music: Mira, o, Norma! a' tuoi ginocchi,]

Among the melodious passages in the opera, this is second in beauty only to "Casta diva."

I PURITANI

THE PURITANS

Opera in three acts, by Bellini; words by Count Pepoli. Produced, Paris, Théâtre des Italiens, January 25, 1835, with Grisi as _Elvira_, Rubini as _Arturo_, Tamburini as _Riccardo_ and Lablache as _Giorgio_. London, King's Theatre, May 21, 1835, in Italian (I Puritani ed i Cavalieri). New York, February 3, 1844; Academy of Music, 1883, with Gerster; Manhattan Opera House, December 3, 1906, with Bonci as _Arturo_, and Pinkert as _Elvira_; and in 1909 with Tetrazzini as _Elvira_.

CHARACTERS

LORD GAUTIER WALTON of the Puritans _Bass_ SIR GEORGE WALTON, his brother, of the Puritans _Bass_ LORD ARTHUR TALBOT, of the Cavaliers _Tenor_ SIR RICHARD FORTH, of the Puritans _Baritone_ SIR BENNO ROBERTSON, of the Puritans _Tenor_ HENRIETTA, of France, widow of Charles I. _Soprano_ ELVIRA, daughter of Lord Walton _Soprano_

Puritans, Soldiers of the Commonwealth, Men-at-Arms, Women, Pages, etc.

_Time_--During the Wars between Cromwell and the Stuarts.

_Place_--Near Plymouth, England.