Opera: “Tosca”
Company: Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Venue: Loretto-Hilton Center, Webster University, 130 Edgar Road
Dates: June 7, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25
Tickets: $25 to $139; contact experienceopera.org or 314-961-0644
Highlights: Puccini’s perennially popular grand opera makes a triumphant return to the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis stage with a well-wrought rendition under the wise direction of stage director James Robinson and polished reading of the score by conductor Daniela Candillari.
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Story: War is raging in Rome in the year 1800 as Napoleon sends his French forces into Italy to challenge the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Naples for control of the Eternal City. Angelotti, former consul of the Roman Republic and now an escaped prisoner, seeks help from the artist Cavaradossi, who is working inside a church. Cavaradossi agrees to help Angelotti, sending the fugitive to his own villa for sanctuary.
Cavaradossi’s lover, famed singer Tosca, is suspicious of the artist’s fidelity, especially since the woman in his portrait of Mary Magdalene strongly resembles Angelotti’s sister, the Marchesa Attivanti. After convincing Tosca of his love, Cavaradossi and Angelotti journey towards the painter’s villa. Scarpia, the chief of police, enters the church in search of the fugitive.
Coveting Tosca for himself, Scarpia has Cavaradossi arrested for hiding Angelotti, and has him tortured to reveal the fugitive’s whereabouts. Scarpia tells Tosca that he will cease torture of the artist if she finds out where Angelotti is hiding, attempting to seduce her in the process. After Tosca learns from Cavaradossi where the fugitive is hiding, she gives the information to Scarpia, enraging Cavaradossi with feelings of betrayal.
Seeking to placate Tosca, the police chief agrees to provide a safe haven for the singer and artist, but only after Cavaradossi has been executed for his crime – but with blanks instead of real bullets, says Scarpia. As Scarpia agrees to Tosca’s terms, he seeks to have her as his own, but instead is murdered by the singer.
Tosca reveals the plan of escape to Cavaradossi, who agrees to fake his death before the two of them flee Rome. But Scarpia is not to be trusted, and soon Tosca is pursued for the killing of the police chief, with dire results.
Other info: OTSL has previously performed “Tosca” in both 1995 and 2003. It’s no surprise to see it produced once again, since “Tosca” has been popular ever since its world premiere in Rome back in 1900. With a melodious, agreeable score by Giacomo Puccini, and a libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa based on an 1887 French play by Victorien Sardous titled “La Tosca,” it’s been a mainstay of the operatic repertoire for 123 years.
OTSL artistic director James Robinson keeps the setting in 1800 Rome, which is just fine with set and costume designer Allen Moyer, whose wardrobe creations emphasize the artistic spirits of Tosca and Cavaradossi and the military look for Scarpia. Wig and makeup designers Krystal Balleza and Will Vicari suitably complement the attire with their own embellishments.
Moyer’s scenic design is rather sparse, in Act One representing the inside of the church of Sant’Andrea della Valle, where Cavaradossi works on a painting of Mary Magdalene, while in Act Two it serves as Scarpia’s residence. It’s greatly enhanced throughout with Eric Southern’s judicious lighting design and also by the wide-ranging video projection design provided by Greg Emetaz, which dominates the background and provides a generous array of images.
Candellari meticulously leads members of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra in a carefully coordinated reading of Puccini’s rich score, while his arias and recitatives are given sumptuous interpretation by a cadre of skilled singers. That latter group is led by soprano Katie Van Kooten as Tosca, tenor Robert Stahley as Cavaradossi and bass-baritone Hunter Enoch as Scarpia. Van Kooten and Enoch make impressive OTSL debuts, while Stahley is a former OTSL Gerdine Young Artist.
Their singing is powerful and persuasive in their respective roles, and they are given strong support by Joseph Park as Angelotti, Titus Muzzi III as the crotchety and cranky church sacristan, Adam Catangui as police agent Spoletta, Kellen Schrimper as Scarpia’s aide Sciarrone, Xiao Xiao and Casey Germain.
Sean Curran’s choreography is subtle but effective, and intimacy coach and fight choreographer Greg Geffrard adds expertise to Tosca’s abrupt stabbing of Scarpia.
“Tosca” has its legion of fans who know well its beautiful interludes and direct plot. Such aficionados, and others in attendance at OTSL’s polished presentation of Puccini’s classic opera, are in for a treat in this version stylishly directed by Robinson, performed impeccably in sync with Candellari’s gifted musicians.