Puccini’s Tosca is one of those classic operas that blast emotions of love and hate though masterful music and song. This opera sung in Italian, was one of the first operas that I experienced. Afterwards I was hooked on this art form. It is perfect opera for newbies. It has all the elements that one might expect from an opera, emotions on steroids, an extravagant set, period costumes and arias that explode with passion. It gives you that “opera experience.”
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| Gives you the "opera experience" -emotions on steroids,extravagant set, period costumes and arias that explode with passion. |
Reflection
The story in three Acts is easy to follow. Painter Mario
Cavardossi and actress/singer Foria Tosca are lovers. Cavardossi helps an
escaped political prisoner, Casare Angelotti, hide in the church. The villain, the
chief of police, Scarpia, takes Cavardossi into custody for aiding and abetting.
Tosca pleads with Scarpia for her lover’s life and the devil like Scarpia makes
his move on her. There is love, deceit, tragedy and a little twist at the end.
I know that I oversimplified it but the story is not that
important because the star is the lovely music music music. Pittsburgh Opera performed Tosca in
2017 (see Day 239.) This it was just a wonderful as I remembered. We get to peek at the some of the talented new resident artists and to experience the powerhouse professional cast (meet the cast.)
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| Scarpia (Kyle Albertson) is the perfect guy you love to hate |
In Act 1 the score is lighthearted and bounces. The strong tenor, Joathan Burton as Carvardossi and powerful soprano, Ana Maria Marinez flirt playfully in front of the Madonna. They are in love and Carvardossi proclaims that he melts into her brown eyes. I was absorbed by the overflowing passion in the aria as if I was his brown eyed girl.
Act II is the juicy part. The baritone, Kyle Albertson is the perfect sadistic Scarpia. He is as bad as they come. He enjoys taunting Tosca with the treat of torturing Carvardossi in order to get her to succumb to his desires. Martinez unleashes her voice, filling the theatre as she pleads for her lovers life. She is a powerhouse even singing on her knees.
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| Act II is the juicy part. |
There is a lot of wonderful music without song in this opera. It is a marvellous tragic opera with all the bells and whistles of what makes opera so fun. Pittsburgh Opera did it again by bringing a beautifully sung musical explosion of passion with Tosca.
For tickets to Tosca (October 5,8, 11, 13, 2024) and to explore the Pittsburgh Opera 24-25 season go to https://pittsburghopera.org.
(Photos by David Bachman Photography for Pittsburgh Opera)
Other sources
https://pittsburghopera.org/season/tosca
https://www.kylealbertson.com/