Maria Callas sings Casta Diva (O Pure Goddess) from Bellini’s Norma.

This is one of the most beautiful examples of bel canto I know, and who better to sing it than Callas…

It’s an invocation to the moon goddess by Norma, the Druid priestess who prophesies the fall of Rome. A nice fit for my little blog’s entry into the world of multimedia…..

O Pure Goddess, who silvers
These sacred ancient plants,
Turn thy beautiful semblance on us
Unclouded and unveiled...
Temper, O Goddess,
The brave zeal
Of the ardent spirits,
Scatter on the earth the peace
Thou make reign in the sky…

PS: Here’s a quite lovely one by pop singer Nana Mouskouri, imaginatively set in Greece.