Tosca

Thank you for your kind invitation to report on your production of “Tosca”, an opera full of glorious music and high drama.  As this was a touring production, it was expected that the set and staging would require some adaptation to fit the various venues.  However, the venue in Frome required a large degree of change due to the small size of the stage. It would be very interesting to be able to compare this rather restricted production with one in a much more generous venue.

The set was reduced to a lovely chapel window, icon, table, chair, easel, prie dieu and screens with three entrances which very cleverly suggested the church and side room.  The atmosphere of the church was further enhanced by warm but subtle lighting and some evocative tableau. The music was very well played as a piano score – other than the recorded organ part and choristers singing the Te Deum in one place – creating an excellent balance between the vocal line and the accompaniment. The pace and energy were highly supportive of the singers, with an excellent rapport between the two.  Indeed, it was hard to spot places where the orchestra was missing!

The costumes throughout were very evocative of the characters, with Tosca’s red dress and black lace gloves looking very seductive!  The patterns of movement were interesting and varied to make the action believable, with the side room entrance/exit used with consistency.  The crossing at the back of the hall to enter stage left was slightly distracting, but as mostly this was done in character, was also interesting to watch.  There were some very good touches to the characterisations, ranging from the heavy footsteps and rather panic-stricken body language of Angelotti to the stern faced Spoletta, the manipulative Scarpia and the highly emotional and expressive Tosca. 

Characters:

Tosca: This part was excellent! The variety of tone and timbre of singing, the excellent acting and the portrayal of emotion were superb. This was a totally stunning performance – congratulations!

Cavaradossi: The character here was necessarily less spectacular than Tosca, due to the story line and the way the parts are written. However, this was very well sung, with accuracy and very good phrasing.  I rather liked his lack of obvious emotion, as it served to emphasise Tosca’s operatic nature.

Scarpia: This was a role that was very well played and sung, with good acting and vocal variety, and lots of room for innuendo. The body language here was played down somewhat, to allow the betrayal of his promise to appear the more surprising. Well done!

Angelotti: This character of the escaped former governor was well acted, although there could have been more presence in the role – and greater vocal strength.  However, his body language was very clear.

Spoletta: I liked this character, as he was threatening at times just by his presence, and at others seemed quite harmless. 

Soldiers: Two smaller roles but well played and effective, as unfeeling servants of the corrupt chief of the secret police.  

Altogether this was a remarkable production in finding such a wonderful singer to play “Tosca”. The motion throughout the opera was fabulous, and the music was sublime.  We had tears in our eyes by the end, after the roller coaster of the storyline.  May I wish you all every success in the rest of your touring production – this opera certainly deserves it!

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