George Gagnidze is set to sing his 100th performance of Scarpia in “Tosca” on Jan. 21, 2023.

He will sign this milestone performance at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. The villainous Baron has played a pivotal role in Gagnidze’s career as he rose to prominence in a 2008 concert performance of “Tosca” with Lorin Maazel conducting the New York Philharmonic and in the Luc Bondy “Tosca” at the Metropolitan Opera led by James Levine the following year.

He has since performed the role at the Met over 40 times and also took part in the Metropolitan Opera’s 1000th performance of the Puccini masterpiece. He has also sung the role at the Teatro alla Scala, Opéra National de Paris, Wiener Staatsoper, Teatro Real Madrid, Deutsche Oper and Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin, Teatro San Carlo Naples, and the Weimar Opera.

In a statement, Gagnidze said, “The role of Scarpia has been having a great impact on my entire career. Almost 20 years ago, I made my debut in this thrilling part when I was a member of the company of the Osnabrück Opera in Germany. I feel very privileged to have since then had the honor to perform this character on so many great stages and with some of the best conductors. Even though Tosca is one of Puccini’s most popular and most performed operas, I think it is also one of these eternal masterpieces one can see on stage countless times and every single time it is gripping. For us singers it is the same on stage, and my 100th performance on Saturday at the Gran Teatre del Liceu will certainly be as thrilling for me as the previous 99 shows.”