Leybach was a prolific writer of operatic fantasies, and this treatment of Bellini's Norma is among his most technically demanding. It incorporates dense chords and cascading arpeggios to mimic the grandeur of the original operatic orchestration.
At Henle 6 this is an advanced piece that assumes fluent technique and rewards mature interpretation. The main demands: ornaments that need to sound effortless, not squeezed in; a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment; and fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo.
Beyond that, expect sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions, and wide stretches that reward larger hands and clever redistribution.
At roughly 9 minutes, stamina and memory become part of the challenge — plan practice in sections.
Executing the wide-span arpeggios with evenness while maintaining an operatic projection across the keyboard is the main difficulty.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
A level or two down with the same spirit — ideal if this piece is still out of reach.
Where this piece's skills lead: slightly harder works making similar technical demands.
Lesser-known works by the same hand, at a comparable level.
Fantaisie brillante sur 'Norma' (Op.65) is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 9.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 6 — meaning you can already play level 5–6 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
A typical performance of Fantaisie brillante sur 'Norma' (Op.65) lasts about 9 minutes.
Fantaisie brillante sur 'Norma' (Op.65) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.
Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Fantaisie Brillante on Verdi's 'Rigoletto' by Ignace Xavier Joseph Leybach, Fantaisie Brilliante on Mozart's 'Don Juan' by Ignace Xavier Joseph Leybach, Fantaisie Brillante on Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera by Ignace Xavier Joseph Leybach — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.