Written by Romantic-era Italian composer Vincenzo Bellini Norma is a tragedy in two acts that take place in 50 B.C. Gaul. It features Bellini's signature long melodies and is considered a masterpiece of the bel canto genre, which is defined by a highly expressive style of singing. Norma also features one of the all-time great soprano arias, "Casta diva." As such, the opera is considered a defining role for operatic sopranos, including Maria Callas, considered by many opera aficionados to be one of the best performances of the role to date. Kraków Opera performance, directed by Laco Adamik, features Katarzyna Oleś-Blacha (28.09) and Karina Skrzeszewska (29.09) in the role of Norma.