BELLINI: “NORMA.” Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballe, Luciano...

BELLINI: “NORMA.” Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballe, Luciano Pavarotti, Samuel Ramey; Orchestra and Chorus of the Welsh National Opera conducted by Richard Bonynge. London 414 476-2 (three compact discs). Sutherland can compete with her mid-1960s recording of this bel canto masterpiece only in the improved dramatic shaping and cleaner projection of the text. She remains an incomparable Druid priestess, though transpositions and aspirates are now part of her standard equipment. The revelation of the set is Caballe’s Adalgisa, a lyric, even virginal impersonation, closer to the composer’s wishes than the chesty mezzos who have prevailed in contemporary performances. Pavarotti pushes his spinto tenor hard to encompass the heroic demands of Pollione; age hasn’t added that much heft to his instrument, even for the microphone. Ramey offers even bass response, without mining Orovesco’s consuming vengefulness. Bonynge molds limpid phrases for the women, and runs the four-minute mile for everybody else.