C8 - Friday, May 4, 1984 - North Shore News GS entertainment Diva to play divine opera role Bellini‘s Norma ‘*NORMA is the greatest of all the soprano roles and the most rewarding,’’ says Olivia Stapp, who is to sing Norma in Van- couver QOpera’s current production of the dramatic work sby Bellini. Ohvia Stapp should know. She has sung leading soprano roles in most of the world's most famous opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Hamburg State Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Deutsche Opera Berlin, the Rome Opera and La Scala. At her La Scala debut earher this year she sang Electra in Idomeneo with Lu- ciano Pavarotti, and she will be singing Tosca at ‘The Met’ during the 1984/85 season. With credentials like that Vancouver iS eager to hear Stapp, who is making her Vancouver Opera debut in Norma with its difficult bel canto singing. Stapp and the rest of the cast were selected by Irving Guttman, Van- couver Opera artistic consul- tant, who directs the produc- tion. Guttman has a fabulous track record. In a 1962 Van- couver Norma he selected Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne for the leading roles. **Norma is the most ‘Diva- esque’ of all roles as it en- compasses every possible part of one’s capabilities,’’ says Stapp. ‘‘l am so glad Irving Guttman offered me this role. He 1s CYNTHIA ASHTO order during the Roman oc- cupation of Ancient Gaul she has taken the vow of chastity. Despite this she has fallen in love with the Roman Procon- sul, Pollione (sung by vigorous Italian tenor Rug- gero Bondino in the Van- couver Opera production which will be conducted by Alfredo Silipignit, Artistic Director of the New Jersey State Opera. The couple have kept their love a secret, along with their two children. All! is well until Pollione falls in love with a glamorous young priestess, Adalgisa — to be sung in Vancouver by an outstanding young Polish soprano Ewa Podles. Norma and Adalgisa are friends — until Norma learns the name of Adalgisa’s new love. During the course of the opera Norma changes her mind from anger to cynicism to despair to — at last — a noble conclusion,’’ says Stapp. **She is angry and hurt that Adalgisa has fallen in love with Pollione, yet she does not blame the girl — she blames the man.” She 1s the older woman pitying the plight of the young girl who has been misled. “At first she is so angry she plans to kill her children, but she relents when Adalgisa pleads for continues. The opera’s grand finale features a funeral pyre — prepared for ae failen pnestess. But it is not Adalgisa who enters the flames. Norma decides to sacrifice herself, and, over- come with remorse, Pollione joins her in the fire. **Norma is almost Greek in the scope of its tragedy,” says Stapp. One is reminded of Medea, who did, in fact, kill her children to spite her faithless husband. “I! have sung Medea, of course, and I have also sung the role of Salome,’’ Stapp says. ‘‘But those roles are very dark and evil and you don’t know what side of the human spirit you are delving into, and | just don’t like to touch it,’’ says Stapp. ‘‘Norma, on the other hand, experiences great tragedy, but she reacts in a way that is noble and uplifting. “Since I like to become very involved in the character 1 am playing and | like to analyze the role, | prefer to be a character like Norma,”’ Stap continues. ‘*When | am working ona role, the score is always by my bedside. | wake up at two or three in the morning to practice a phrase. My sub- conscious 1s working even when I'm asleep! That degree of involvement is hard to them,’ Stapp handle with some of the ‘evil’ THE CORPORATIONS OF roles."” Stapp is distressed at the lack of cultural involvement among the young and their obsession with rock music. Her own 18-year-old son is already a rock musician. “It's great to have fun and have excitement in your life when you are young. But much rock music expresses negative, aggressive feelings and | tind this very disturb- ing,’’ Stapp says. Stapp was born in New York, but she grew up in Ita- ly, where she was surrounded by music, especially opera. “Young people who know only rock music sell Festival plans From page C3 educator,, Henry Elder; a fibre arts fantasy and fashion show at Leir House cultural centre, May 17-19; the Pen- ticton Art Gallery Benefit dinner auction, May 1S and **Windows by Artists’’ in the downtown area, as well as themselves short,’ says Stapp. ‘‘They should not deprive their soul of the in- spirauion music can bring. ‘Norma is cathartic in the Greek sense, Stapp con- tinues. *‘The audience lives through al! her emotions with her and they should leave the theatre in some way changed — | hope tor the better rather than worse!’ Stapp concludes. Vancouver Opera’s Norma will be performed at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on May 5, 8, 10 and 12. Curtain time 8 p.m. Tickets from ail VTC outlets (280-4444). numerous workshops and on- site demonstrations. The Festival’s operating budget will exceed $340,000 with $200,000 coming from the B.C. Lotteries. Accor- dingly, the 1!2-member Festival committee has relied heavily on donations and volunteers. Kk kkk kk kkk kkk we a+ Canadian Radio-television and Tetecommunications Commission Conseil de la radiodiflusion et des téiécommunications canadiennes NOTICE AM BOADCASTING SERVICES Agreement between tne Goverment of Canada and Governmen! of the Uniled States of Amenca ‘eranng lo the AM Houade ating Serece i tne Medium frequency Band 1 samuary 1984 the Lepartment of Communica tions announced the sigring of a Dilaterat agreement between Canada and the United States One of Ine pro vimons of the agreement afiocales and reserves ‘cy’ Canada > use more than 10U new frequencies di ‘uss the country as shown in tne Canada Gazette reterence -above The acensees of many AM radio stations have expressed tne desire to change te trequency on which ther present stabor operates to one of the new fre guencies iu the Allocation Plan A sigaitcant aumber of applications tor "equency . nanges nave already been received Dy Ihe Commussior Ir order that all such appiications may de pro cessed in 'ne nost expeditious and orderly manner the Commissior fe ques! wcencees who are con templating a change from ar. exrsting trequency autnroization tO one of the newly avaiable frequencies to submit thew applications to the Commission not vater thar, 29 June 1984. a Palenaude Secretary General CRTC applications and documents ‘elated to this NOUCe May atso De ex amimed during normal office nours at the :oca! address given in this notice at tne CRTC Central Building Les Ter ‘asses de ia Cnaudiere, | Promenade du Portage Room 561 Hull Quebec and at the tollowing regional office Comments may be submitted as in fervention to each application tn let ter oe ofher torr: stating your interest oa Ddélliculat application |' must point oul clearly whether you support oppose of propose changes to de ap plication and whether you wish lo ap pear at the publm hearing Note thal both the applicant and the Commis SOP Mus! oeceve your intervention and you must send the CRIC proot nal you Nave so served the appin ant dlong with the ocginal document ad dressed to the Secrelafy (renerdal Ul must be signed with name address always an . . grad tesephune sumber and be ecers Inspiration. THE CITY & DISTRICT this is the place ge [vn ne **‘Norma is the archetypal OF NORTH VANCOUVER to play the all new lune ‘44 woman. She is the lover, the mother, she is teyected, SPRINKLING PAPER BINGO *« Ta know more afoul the ight: and obigathions of al pares alo a jorititie angry, self-sacrificing, noble REG U LATIONS 3 EARLY BIRD GAMES S 4 Heanng please efer tO Me He, > ; . . Holes ot on edure avcseatitle tae She is everything a x $100 x $150 x $200 | ee toe ata es woman can be," says Stapp Pupisting Ceatie Departmen! Sue ‘ne Bib Ca AT RON GUM TOING SSRN ONG. ANE Tat he AWN ANY aA ALR NG URS I love to sing her because RATION Witt He EER EO Tivb on coat COUIVE FA FE HOOMA MAA oT bs reguiar games « $100 SUEY ANG: COS ER Tob NRE Te YAN Pty atid Syeevn es Punt Cette RA SEV TE MEE AY ce Trt Ga yea? Kk KKK KK KKK Kk she has so many colors and *K Seca preccnte ray De ota et oe he Pe vam abs Nay cal eo bet GAME 1000 JACKPOT mime en shadings, both tee hnically b overt crurtitserced) gore rises tat, wate meady rors were Mensa Pearters aned wed a 4 20th * * x nen “ee and emouonally, thus role ISN ernbiboerrerc) Gocetenses ude eee cha has bers Cr ewly poli ber) awns always a challenge, says Norma is certainly a woman who =o sulfers The high priestess of a Druid Sta peer gg Frege certs . tapp Teor setae t Licore thsee ce ee te baer Prizes increase with attendance Doors open 5:30pm * Bonanza starts 6:30pm « Kk kkk kkk hk kk kK Alan Pts boob ag bor three OF bg Dre Tor ot bogeoeerieny | Canada x City baginees ARE PEE EEO REET