Tosca

John Bell’s revived production of Tosca resets Puccini’s popular masterpiece from the Napoleonic era to 1943 when the Nazi’s took over Rome.

The celebrated Shakespearean actor/director brings a great theatrical detailing to this period production which, married to Puccini’s driving, melodramatic narrative, produces all the emotional excitement of a 1940’s Hollywood blockbuster.

This cinematic sweep is supported by Michael Scott Mitchell’s magnificent three act sets, beginning at the vaulting Baroque church where the artist Cavaradossi aids a political escapee and soothes his lover, the ever-jealous Tosca. It’s spine chilling when the Germans barge in and Rome’s laity – and its churchman – all raise the Nazi salute.

Then in his Albert-Speer style palace, Nazi leader Scarpia tortures Cavaradossi and forces himself on Tosca, while all the conspiracies collide in the final prison setting.  Teresa Negroponte’s sharp Nazi uniforms and 1940’s costuming add yet more to this moving movie-style opera.

As Cavaradossi, frequent OA star Diego Torre resonates beautifully through moments both tender and powerful, while as Tosca, Carmen Giannattasio skips lightly through her fecklessness, sings exquisitely her religious anguish and releases the full voiced power of Tosca in attack. 

Scarpia is her ultimate victim, a muscular amoral monster, a Nazi demon vocally relished by Marco Vratogna.  A strong cast of other characters, as opposed to a large chorus, are directed by Bell into vivid moments of storytelling.  And Andrea Battistoni ably conducts Puccini’s ever varied score which never pauses for a dull moment.

Martin Portus

Photographer: Prudence Upton