Opera night

with a performance of Bellini's Norma at Washington's Kennedy Center. That opera has just earned top spot in my list of favorites.

The role of Norma (soprano) is equivalent to the role of Hamlet for stage actors: it is astoundingly difficult vocally, musically, and dramatically. The melodies are long-breathed, graceful, and demand extraordinary breath control and flexibility: the quintessence of the Italian style known as bel canto.

I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and managed to sneak this shot of the final scene, where in operatic tradition, yet another 'good' woman will die for some chump of a guy... ;)

My favorite all-time duet: Lakme's Flower duet