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The Stage, 13 May 2008
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George Hall |
Puccini: Tosca, London, ROH, 12 May 2008
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Tosca
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Stephen Barlow is in charge of this revival of
Jonathan Kent’s staging of Puccini’s operatic thriller, which was new two
years ago.
Micaela Carosi (Floria Tosca) and Jonas Kaufmann (Mario Cavaradossi) in
Tosca at the Royal Opera House, London
Photo: Tristram Kenton
Visually, it covers similar territory to the previous long-running
Zeffirelli production. Paul Brown’s Act I church set is clogged up with
railings and a complex staircase arrangement that get in the way, but his
Act III execution ground on the top of Castel Sant’Angelo is strikingly
atmospheric. The comings and goings in the complex narrative are handled
well, with notable cameo appearances by Enrico Fissore’s Sacristan and
Hubert Francis’ Spoletta fitting neatly into the bigger picture.
New to the Royal Opera is Micaela Carosi, whose Tosca is a respectable piece
of work, lyrically voiced and ably acted, though she never seizes the
audience’s attention as she should.
Paolo Gavanelli’s roughneck Scarpia is at times coarsely delivered and there
is none of the subtlety of a sadistic yet sophisticated aristocrat that is
the essence of the role.
Both of them are unlucky in coming up against one of today’s leading
young tenors at the peak of his form. Jonas Kaufmann not only sings
Cavaradossi with distinction and imagination, but gives an acting
performance in which every detail of the character and his situation is
revealed. This revival will be remembered above all for his participation.
But Antonio Pappano’s conducting is of an equal standard, fluid and
authoritative, highlighting the peaks and troughs of Puccini’s emotional
roller coaster with perception. |
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