The Casta Diva Scene from the Royal Opera House Production of Norma
This is a quick note to let everyone know that most of the delivery issues that started on August 19th have been resolved, but please whitelist @bioethikalist.com as this will improve delivery for all. All of the recent posts have been archived on sophiamillenotte.com.
Improvements have been made to the archiving. The search feature is very powerful, and there are indices by subject and chronology. Because the site is newly constructed, everything is currently listed as “recent” but eventually, that will pass. On sophiamillenotte.com, videos mentioned in the posts are embedded and some links and images have been added. For example, in the most recent post, I mentioned various recordings of Casta Diva, the most famous aria in the opera Norma which I watched last night. It is still available today for those who are very quick.
To be honest, if I had seen last night’s streaming years ago, Norma would not have been my favorite opera for so many years, but something triggered some neurons last night. I actually remember the first time I saw Sondra Radvanovsky on YouTube. It was a fiery duet with the late Dmitri Hvorostovsky and left an indelible impression for the ultimate in dramatic conflict. She definitely brought this energy to Norma and what happened was that the opera lost some of its transcendental nuance as the emphasis shifted to human issues like jealousy and love-hate conflicts. This was intentional on the part of the producer, but I do not feel the shift captured the inspiration that made the opera immortal.
This comment may or may not interest some readers, but I was really surprised by how many people read the post on Bel Canto. Moreover, it fit perfectly with the example I used of Aida Garifullina singing Casta Diva. Later I found a third recording and, if anything, the loss of purity was even more marked. For purposes of alignment, not to mention music therapy, it is really important to retain as much of the original inspiration as possible, which is, of course, complex because we are divine beings having human experiences and not the other way around . . . as must often seem to be the case. Lest this is unclear, many humans are seeking moments of guidance from a high level and these seem intermittent or sometimes elusive . . . or even illusionary; however the source of great music and art as well as insight and understanding is transpersonal and pure, i.e., not colored by emotion.
Some months ago, I had intense discussions on detachment with a small group of inner circle beings. I do not think compassion needs to be detached because purity of motivation more or less presupposes a depth of feeling and concern. That energy may extend beyond the immediate social network but it may also redefine our realm of responsibility. So, for me, what happened to the “new” production of Norma was that the personal issues took over the stage so the production was good but not sublime.
The Higher Realms
As mentioned in the previous post, music can be very powerful. It can be a force for alignment or discord. One subscriber studied music therapy, and I have meant to share a story of a session I had about forty years ago. I was in a deeply altered state of consciousness and heard many voices. After the session, I asked the facilitator where she found the recording of the Dvořák Cello Concerto with a chorus. She said, “There is no chorus.” I told her I heard a chorus from beginning to end. She showed me the CD. I knew the recording well, and, of course, there was no chorus. However, a level or two higher, there definitely was a chorus.
Being fiery, I confess a predilection for virtuosity so I love impossible solo performances, but harmony comes through best when many voices blend and I came to understand this even more thoroughly when Gail and I started working together. She was a Piscean and I have Pisces rising so within minutes of meeting each other, we went straight to the two Fish. Then, in altered states we explored both of the Fishes. I was completely in awe. In the entrance, there were thousands of voices in all ranges, and in the back was a Cosmic scale hospital where the very critically wounded were recovering from the horror of human incarnations. The music was vital to their healing and worked through a combination of harmony and entrainment.
To make this really clear, let’s take the example of how a voice can shatter crystal. A voice can also soothe and heal. It can also transmit inspiration, compassion, and integration. What I could see in Pisces was how music can repair the worst physical and psychological damage, but it is also therefore why I did not particularly like last night’s streaming. I felt the best part of the opera had been debased . . . and this may have been a timely commentary on society at a time when priests and pundits cannot be trusted to guide souls to immortality, but it was, for me at least, artistically flawed. Mind you, the performances were stunning, but not inspiring.
Changes
Then, I reflected on the fact that opera houses, theaters, and even sports arenas around the world have been shut down for months. This has an upside and downside. When we are very busy, there is not much time for reflection. Some people are never going to return to their old jobs. I don’t know what will happen in the entertainment industry, but many businesses will not reopen. People have, however, had more leisure and I have already seen some people make changes, a little ahead of the bell perhaps, but change is coming. The best way to prepare is to cultivate a willingness to consider new perspectives.
Since a large chunk of my life is invested in the health area, I predicted that the hoax is going to have repercussions that crash the medical system. I already see this happening, but we are still in the retrograde phase of this cycle when some are trying to preserve the old and some are flirting with visions of the future. For instance, during this time period, there has been hot debate on everything from masks to viruses and we are still only on first base . . . if even that. I don’t think we will recognize what is going to happen in the world of epidemics and immunology.
I promised to be brief because I have been seeking to restore deliverability and we are gradually succeeding. I will pick up on promised topics: equal time for water and further commentary on the sun.
Many blessings,
Ingrid
Copyright by Ingrid Naiman 2020
First posted to subscribers 21 September 2020
The following link is for the Institute and can also be used to make donations:
https://invisibleepidemics.com/
This is a wonderful excerpt from the opera.
Compare the trailers:
Compare the sets:
Dvořák Cello Concerto with Jacqueline du Pré:
Mischa Maisky:
Here we have Sondra Radvanovsky as Queen Elisabeth in Roberto Devereux. The performance was exquisite from beginning to end as was the interpretation of the historic events and fidelity to the composer.