Norma at the Benedum, May 3, 2020
The reservation deadline for this trip is April 24, 2020.

Norma is the tragic tale of conflict between love and duty.  Norma is a Druid priestess in ancient Gaul, which is being occupied by Roman invaders. Norma falls in love with, and bears two children to, the Roman leader Pollione, thereby betraying her own people and breaking her sacred vows. When Norma finds out Pollione is having an affair with another priestess, it pushes her over the edge with deadly consequences.  

The role of Norma has long been considered one of the most grueling and challenging in all of opera. Star soprano Leah Crocetto, who captivated Pittsburgh audiences as Tosca in 2017, is in the role of Norma. 

The run time for this opera is 3 hours with one intermission.  The opera is sung in Italian but has English supertitles projected above the stage.  There is a pre-opera talk at the Benedum that begins at 2:00 p.m. If you would like to know more about this opera, you can download the opera study guide at Pittsburgh Opera.  Click on Norma then click on Details and Resources. 

Members of the Retirees Association will travel by chartered bus to the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh to see Norma.  The Pittsburgh Opera is offering the Retirees Association a substantial educational discount on tickets.  Plus, included on the bus trip will be a pre-opera talk by Byron Nelson, a retiree from the WVU English Department and the OLLI instructor for Opera as Drama.   Byron will also offer a short critical recap on the way home. 

We will leave Morgantown from the Mountaineer Mall at 11:30 a.m. and arrive in Pittsburgh around 1 p.m.  The show starts at 3:00 p.m.  There are several restaurants near the Benedum Center where you can have lunch on your own.  We should leave Pittsburgh around 6:00 p.m. and be back in Morgantown around 7:30 p.m.

For this trip, you will have a choice between two packages:

• For Orchestra seating and transportation, the cost is $70 per seat.

• For Balcony seating and transportation, the cost is $50 per seat.

Refund Policy:  Reservations for this trip are due by April 24, 2020.  On that day, we will make our commitment to the Pittsburgh Opera and to Budget Charters.  As a result, we will not be able to make any refunds after that date.   

To join us on the trip, you will need to reserve your seat(s) on the bus and then make your payment. It is a two-step process.

Reserve your seat(s):

To reserve your seat(s), click on Norma.

Write your check to:

WVU Foundation
On the memo line: Norma – 2W924

Send your check to:

WVU Retirees Association
PO Box 6640
Morgantown WV 26506