(Credits: Hermann und Clärchen Baus) Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca,” adapted from a play by Victorien Sardou, was famously criticized by American musicologist Joseph Kerman, who dismissed it as a “shabby little shocker” and predicted its swift decline from the operatic canon. Despite this, “Tosca” endures as a favorite among audiences, thanks to Puccini’s brilliant music and masterful orchestration that elevate it {…}
The Toledo Opera is set to present Puccini’s “Tosca.” The company will present the work on Oct 18 and 20, 2024 at the Valentine Theatre and will showcase a Soprano Lindsey Anderson debuting in the title role, tenor Brendan Boyle making his debut as Mario Cavaradossi, and baritone Corey Crider as Scarpia. They will be joined by Jason Budd, Robbie Raso, Brady DelVecchio, Alex Britton, and {…}
(Credit: Karen Almond/Metropolitan Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is set to present Puccini’s “Tosca” for 13 performances. The production, which runs between Sept. 25 and Jan. 23, will feature three casts. The opening cast in September–October, will star soprano Aleksandra Kurzak in the title role alongside tenor SeokJong Baek and baritone George Gagnidze. Xian Zhang and Marco Armiliato conduct. OperaWire raved {…}
The Sejong Center insists that there was no “formal agreement” on encores during the performance of “Tosca” that soprano Angela Gheorghiu interrupted. The famed soprano stopped a performance of “Tosca” on Sunday during an encore of “E lucevan le stelle,” demanding “respect.” She was promptly booed at the curtain call and then issued a statement claiming that an agreement had {…}
(Credit: Dario Acosta) Deutsche Grammophon is recording a new “Tosca” to celebrate the centenary of Puccini’s death. The upcoming recording will mark the start of a multi-year partnership between Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and the German label. The upcoming recording will be led by Daniel Harding and will star Eleonora Buratto in the title role, Jonathan Tetelman as Cavaradossi, {…}
The New York City Opera is set to present a concert production of Puccini’s “Tosca.” The performance will be held at the Bryant Park Picnic presented by Bank of America on August 24, 2024, at Bryant Park, NYC. Audiences will be able to see it on a first-come, first-served basis and is designed to be enjoyed casually. The opera will {…}
(Photo credit: © Marc Brenner/Royal Opera) N.B. In this performance of “Tosca” Russell Thomas replaced the previously scheduled Yusif Eyvazov, who was indisposed. Entitlement enlightens spectators on the contrasting and yet comparable personas of soprano Floria Tosca and barbaric chief of police Scarpia: spoiled brats forsaking all who block their way. Sways of a dress’s train portray the former’s annexing {…}
(Photo credit: Keith Saunders) The program booklet for Opera Australia’s new production at Sydney Opera House of “Tosca”, an Opera North production, says that “Puccini set each act of his opera in three very specific locations which you can still visit today: the Sant’Andrea della Valle church in Rome, the Palazzo Farnese and the Castel Sant-Angelo over the River Tiber”. {…}
(Photo: Tosca © ROH 2024) One of the more frequent criticisms aimed at opera singers, by those not acquainted in any way with the art form, pertains to what it is, exactly, they do other than sing. In OperaWire’s interview with the Cavaradossi of this production, Russell Thomas, the tenor said of many critics: “it’s a career that everybody who {…}
The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma is set to celebrate Giacomo Puccini with Puccini’s “Tosca” at the Caracalla Festival. The opera will be presented from July 5 through August 9 with set design by Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas. Francesco Micheli will direct and Antonino Fogliani will conduct. The opera will star Carmen Giannattasio (July 5, 17, 26; August 3, 7 & {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced a cast change for its production of Puccini’s “Tosca” on June 3, 2024. The company said that Luca Salsi will sing the role of Scarpia replacing Ludovic Tézier. Salsi recently performed the role at the Teatro Regio di Parma and has performed Scarpia at the Teatro alla Scala, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Salzburg Festspiele, Teatro Real {…}
