Live reviews

Also in this month's Opera magazine, a review of San Francisco Opera's new Norma, using a production borrowed from the Canadian Opera Company. The review refers to Druid's falling to the floor during Casta Diva and Oroveso's warriors, in semi-darkness, painting each other's buttocks during the Guerra chorus. Now the latter I would just love to have seen.

Regarding the amazing falling Druids, its not as stupid as it might seem. In his production for Scottish Opera with Jane Eaglen, Ian Judge had the chorus falling down flat during Casta Diva, the result was effective in that it gave Judge a credible way of highlighting Eaglen, who is not the tallest of people. Incidentally, having a large Norma at least gives credibility to her having had 2 babies without detection. Over-weight women often can be pregnant without detection.

The last Covent Garden Norma was a semi-concert performance, but the last full production included some wonderfully kinky leather costumes for Oroveso's warriors with lots and lots of bare flesh showing through the cut outs. Very entertaining indeed!