(Photo credit: FGO & Todaro)

The Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago welcomed Maria Todaro, CEO and General Director of Florida Grand Opera in her directorial debut on the stage Giacomo Puccini himself called home with “Tosca.”

This appointment carries a resonance that goes beyond artistic merit. Miami, the home of Florida Grand Opera, and Viareggio share a formal bond as twin cities, a tie rooted in shared values of cultural vitality, coastal spirit and a deep love of the performing arts.

In a press release Todaro expressed how this production is not only a personal creative milestone but an opportunity to breathe new life into that bond. She says, “There is something almost inevitable about this collaboration. Puccini’s music has always crossed every border effortlessly. Florida Grand Opera has carried his legacy for generations, and now, to return to the very lake where he composed, and to do so as a director, feels like a homecoming for all of us.”

Todaro’s “Tosca” aims to reflect this sensibility through honoring the grandeur of Puccini’s score while finding fresh emotional truth in every scene. Those bringing her vision to life include Eleonora Buratto, Ewa Plonka, Saioa Hernández, and Chiara Isotton who star in the title role. She is joined by lighting designer Valerio Alfieri and set designer Carlo Centolavigna, along with choirmaster Marco Faelli leading the Festival Choir and Sonia Franzese directing the Children’s Choir. Carlo Montanaro conducts the Orchestra of the Puccini Festival.

“Tosca” is set to run July 18, 31, and Aug. 8 and 21.

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