Opera Reviews
29 March 2024
Untitled Document

A Tosca full of passion and intensity



by Michael Sinclair
Puccini: Tosca
New Zealand Opera
17 September 2015

As its final work for 2015 NZ Opera chose Tosca, an audience pleaser featuring home-grown tenor Simon O’Neill as Cavaradossi that was sure to attract a large crowd eager to enjoy Puccini’s “shabby little shocker” one more time. They don’t call them warhorses for nothing!

And to further whet the appetite NZ Opera mounted a brand new production directed by the company’s General Director Stuart Maunder.  By updating the work to Italy in the 1950’s this was hardly a traditional Tosca, but as it turned out the updated timeframe neither added to nor subtracted from the core of the work. Jan Ubel’s austere sets and Elizabeth Whiting’s detailed costumes presented eye-catching stage pictures and captured the inherent brutality in the libretto, but after gloriously inventive productions of Don Giovanni and La Cenerentola, this one seemed rather dull in comparison.

Maunder’s direction kept the piece moving and while the relationships between the characters were well etched, there were times when more visceral intensity was needed. The Scarpia/Tosca confrontation in Act 2 had plenty of musical excitement, but for some inexplicable reason the tension seemed to drop at the crucial moment when Tosca sees the knife and decides to murder Scarpia. And purists would have lamented the fact that there were no candles in sight!

If the production itself was not the centrepiece of this performance, then it was inevitable that the spotlight would fall on the singers and in this respect NZ Opera had a winner. On paper the cast posed interesting questions: how would Simon O’Neill transition from the Wagner roles he has been singing, and what would a young Phillip Rhodes make of Scarpia?

As it turned out the most intriguing performance on stage was that of Rhodes as Scarpia. His youthful looks were far removed from the sleazy, brutish character that we often see, presenting rather a virile, masculine villain that in a different situation might have had little difficulty in seducing Tosca. However, for this kind of portrayal to be effective Rhodes needed to offer a little more in the way of playboy swagger (think Duke of Mantua), as his interpretation sat uncomfortably between swagger and sleaze and therefore somewhat missed the mark. Having said that, in the face of such glorious singing he was easily forgiven. His virile baritone voice was sumptuous in texture, riding the orchestral and choral waves in the ‘Te Deum’ at the end of Act 1, matching Tosca’s outbursts in Act 2 note for note, and dominating every scene he was in as any good Scarpia should. And Rhodes has all the makings of a great Scarpia - maturity and age will undoubtedly add the necessary dimensions to make this a completely satisfying interpretation.

Simon O’Neill’s Cavaradossi was more of a known quantity even though Puccini roles form a small part of his repertoire these days. While other Wagnerian singers might have struggled with Puccini’s honeyed score, O’Neill seemed to relish the opportunity. His bright, forward tone may not be truly Italianate in sound, but he made good use of it projecting an ardent and passionate lover, and found heartfelt pathos with his moving rendition of “E lucevan le stelle” in Act 3.

Of the three principals, Orla Boylan’s Tosca was the most rounded both vocally and dramatically. Her bright, gleaming tone added the required intensity and passion to her secure vocal performance, and astute acting skills made her Tosca coquettish, vulnerable and strong-willed as required. She perhaps needed to project her character more into the auditorium – there were times when her acting seemed a little tentative particularly in the final part of Act 2. However, at least she was not asked to sing “Vissi d’arte” lying prostrate on the floor and thus able to give a deeply moving performance of the famous aria.

All the minor roles were well characterised by local artists, with Barry Mora’s well sung Sagrestano notable for its warmth and humour.

In the pit Tobias Ringborg and the Auckland Philharmonia gave a powerfully dramatic performance of the score that served both the singers and the work well, while the chorus contributed strongly particularly with their powerful and chilling rendition of the ‘Te Deum’ at the end of Act 1.

What’s not to like about Tosca? With passionate singing and dramatic intensity it is no wonder that this opera holds warhorse status. If NZ Opera’s production fell slightly short in some respects it was nevertheless full of passion and intensity.

Text © Michael Sinclair
Photo © Neil Mackenzie
Support us by buying from amazon.com!