Madison Opera

Call Directions Website Contact the organization

Madison Opera Universal Stories. Unique Experiences.

Tomorrow, October 14, tune in to the Midday Wisconsin Public Radio at 12pm to listen to an interview with Keely Futterer...
10/13/2026

Tomorrow, October 14, tune in to the Midday Wisconsin Public Radio at 12pm to listen to an interview with Keely Futterer, who will be singing the title role in Norma, and enjoy listening to some of the gorgeous music you will hear in Overture Hall on October 30 & November 1!

With Norma now in rehearsal, it’s time you meet the cast! Keely Futterer returns to our stage as the formidable head Dru...
10/13/2026

With Norma now in rehearsal, it’s time you meet the cast! Keely Futterer returns to our stage as the formidable head Druid priestess, Norma, whose every word is obeyed by her people, but who has secretly had two children with their enemy, the head of the Roman army. Read on to learn more about Keely and what she is most excited for about for this production.

10/12/2026

Don't miss Bellini's Norma, a gripping tale of passion, betrayal, and duty set in a world on the brink of revolution.

Norma rehearsals have officially begun, and we cannot wait to show you this masterpiece on October 30 & November 1. Get your tickets today to come see these unforgettable performances!

Music: "Guerra, Guerra" from Norma, performed by the Madison Opera Chorus and Madison Symphony Orchestra, July 2026.

Image of Keely Futterer photographed and digitally designed by Huff.Graphics.

Tune in to La Movida Madison at 10AM tomorrow, October 13, to listen to an exciting interview with Keely Futterer and Ka...
10/12/2026

Tune in to La Movida Madison at 10AM tomorrow, October 13, to listen to an exciting interview with Keely Futterer and Katherine Beck, who will be singing Norma and Adalgisa with us on October 30 and November 1!

On December 26, 1926, 100 years after its premiere, Norma (the second half) was heard around the world in a radio broadc...
10/11/2026

On December 26, 1926, 100 years after its premiere, Norma (the second half) was heard around the world in a radio broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera, starring Rosa Ponselle. This was new entertainment technology, as the Met had only aired its first such broadcast – Hansel and Gretel – the previous day.

In honor of International Stage Management Day, meet our wonderful Norma stage management team: Alycia Martin, Tracy Hof...
10/10/2026

In honor of International Stage Management Day, meet our wonderful Norma stage management team: Alycia Martin, Tracy Hofmann, Rachel Reichard, Katie Kutzko, and Nykola Polar. The team is pictured here prepping the rehearsal hall as Norma rehearsals start this weekend!

Norma opened at La Scala in Milan on December 26, 1831 was not an immediate success. Bellini wrote to a friend, “It was ...
10/09/2026

Norma opened at La Scala in Milan on December 26, 1831 was not an immediate success. Bellini wrote to a friend, “It was a failure, failure, complete failure.” The second performance went better, and it turned out that one problem was simply that the singers had been rehearsing all day on opening night, and thus were vocally exhausted by the time of the performance. With proper rest, the second performance went well, and audiences loved it. It was soon performed around the world.

Pictured: Drawing of Domenico Donzelli, Giulia Grisi, and Giuditta Pasta in Norma's premiere.

Norma was written for Giuditta Pasta, the most celebrated soprano of her day. Norma swiftly became famed for its title r...
10/08/2026

Norma was written for Giuditta Pasta, the most celebrated soprano of her day. Norma swiftly became famed for its title role, which is both fiendishly difficult to sing and dramatically rewarding. Over the decades, very different kinds of soprano voices have sung it, from Jenny Lind to Maria Callas, from Zinka Milanov to Shirley Verrett, from Giulia Grisi to Joan Sutherland. Lilli Lehmann, an acclaimed late 19th century Wagnerian soprano, said that singing all three Ring Cycle Brünnhildes in one evening would be easier than singing one performance of Norma.

Don't miss our Norma performances on October 30 & Novmember 1 as soprano Keely Futterer makes her Norma debut!

Although fictional, Norma is set during real historical events: the Gallic wars of 58-50 BC, when the Romans, led by Jul...
10/07/2026

Although fictional, Norma is set during real historical events: the Gallic wars of 58-50 BC, when the Romans, led by Julius Caesar, invaded Central and Northern Gaul, i.e. modern day France, Belgium, and Switzerland. In the opera, the Druids yearn to rise up against their Roman oppressors; in real life, the Romans won the war, and the Druids were banned from the European continent.

Pictured: Julius Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War, and Alessandro Sanquirico's original Norma set designs.

Norma is based on a French play of the same name by Alexandre Soumet, which had opened in Paris in spring 1831 to acclai...
10/06/2026

Norma is based on a French play of the same name by Alexandre Soumet, which had opened in Paris in spring 1831 to acclaim. As was standard practice at the time, Bellini and his librettist Felice Romani swiftly turned a successful play into an opera, which opened only eight months after the play and soon surpassed it in popularity.

Pictured: Alexandre Soumet’s Norma play cover.

Address

335 W Mifflin Street
Madison, WI
53703

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16082388085

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Madison Opera posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Madison Opera:

Shortcuts

Share

Category