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14 In the summer of 1960, while travelling in Greece, 1was very fortunate to be present at the performance of Bellini's opera Norma at Epidaur帥， with Maria Callas singing the star role. The old port of Epidauros lies in Peloponessos, on the southern shore of the Saronic Gulf. Four miles inland from the old port, and off the main road, lies the famous Theatre of Epidauros, the largest and best preserved of the ancient, open-air Greek amphitheatres. Untouched by modern restoration, its steeply rising tiers of hewn rock spread upwards and outwards like a fan, and can accommodate up to sixteen thousand spectators. The acoustics are so remarkable that the softest voice spoken in the centre of the circular stage can be heard clearly from the topmost tier. All around is beautiful, fir tree-covered land, and Nature itself seems to be the stage of this magnificent theatre. Nearby are the ruins of the temple of Aesclepios, the god of healing, and it is tempting to think that perhaps the ancient Greeks regarded theatre as a valuable aid in the process of healing. During the preceding years, an annual festival of ancient classical plays was held in Epidauros in summer time. The dramas of Aeschylus and Sophocles, the comedies of Aristophanes, had all been given superb performances in these beautiful surroundings. This was the first time, however, that an opera was presented in the Theatre of Epidauros. The production was part of the Athens Festival of Arts which lasted from 29 July to 15 September. The Festival included some twenty musical and stage presentations, but Norma with Maria Callas was undoubtedly the highlight of the Festival. There were to be only three performances, all at Epidauros, and special coaches were provided for the journey from Athens, which takes nearly four hours. Maria Callas was immensely popular in Greece. The Greek people regarded her as one of them and were very proud of her. Probably the surest way of 174 Part2 being lynched in Greece was to suggest that Maria Callas was American. In fact, though of Greek origin, she was bom in New York and had some of her training in America. But her early studies and training, and the formative years of her art, were in Greece, and she was justifìably considered in Greece to be their prima donna. She fìrst emerged as a singer of importance in 1947 and subsequently won world fame in a number of roles. Her greatest, which established her as a great performer, were in Bellini's Norma and Cherubini's Medea. She had a rich voice of great range and remarkable purity. Her technique was excellent, but what made her a truly great artiste was her amazing dramatic talent. lt was not surprising then, that all the numbered seats for Norma were sold out in Athens well in advance. 1had been travelling around the Peloponessos, visiting sites of historical interest. While at Nauplion, which is only twenty miles from Epidauros, 1 found that the second performance of the opera was to be held that evening. To my surprise and delight, tickets for un-numbered seats could still be bought at Nauplion. 1 spent the rest of the day looking at the ruins of the temple of Aesclepios, determined to be one of the fìrst to get into the theatre and get a good seat. By six 0'clock in the evening 1 was seated high up on one of the uppermost tiers, watching the sun sinking behind the purple hills and the shadows slowly creeping over the land. Gradually the theatre fìlled with people, their voices fìlling the air. One hardly noticed when it became dark. Suddenly the stage was f1ood-lit and a white-haired little man strode to the rostrum and bowed to the applauding audience. Tullio Ser前血， the conductor, at eight-two was still full of vigour. A few moments later the majestic introductory chords of the overture set the solemn mood of the opera. The scene of the opera is laid in Gaul, in approximately 50 BCE during the Roman occupation. The story centres around Norma, the Druid high priestess, who is betrayed by her lover, Pollione, the Roman proconsul. In the fìrst act, the druids assemble to await the arrival of Norma. lt is diffìcult to convey the full impact of this majestic scene. The stage is lit by f1aming torches held by the soldiers; their spears are raised...

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