Review: Opera Australia's Tosca

Puccini’s Tosca is one of the best known works in the operatic repertoire and it is here given a new production by Christopher Alden, which originated with Opera North in the UK.

It’s been quite a controversial production, with the design team being booed in Sydney, and it’s easy to see why. The setting is modern day and all three acts take place on the same set, a dingy church basement. The Sacristan (Warwick Fyfe) has become a security guard who spends most of the show in his office watching a closed circuit TV.

The escaped prisoner Angelotti (Jud Arthur) is dressed in prison fatigues and his hiding place is a confessional at the back of the stage. He makes himself known to his friend Cavaradossi (Rosario La Spina), a painter. When Tosca (Nicole Youl) appears she is sporting sunglasses and wearing jeans. Chief of Police, Baron Scarpia (John Wegner) dons the standard police parka. The first act finale, the Te Deum, is sung by the chorus of adults and children in drab day wear as they await the outcome of the office lottery. Is Alden’s point that gambling is the new religion?

During the second act Cavaradossi is led into the confessional by Scarpia’s henchman where he is electrocuted as they seek the whereabouts of Angelotti. An angry Scarpia attempts to rape Tosca, and in a novel bit of business, Spoletta (Graeme Macfarlane), one of Scarpia’s officers, plants a knife for Tosca’s use. In the dramatic finale to the act a writhing Tosca manages to plunge the knife into her attacker.

The action moves directly into act three, which is played as the impossible fantasy in Tosca’s mind. The opening aria, normally perfromed by a shepherd boy, is sung by the Marchesa Attavanti (Sian Pendry), who has spent the entire second act on top of the confessional observing the torture of Cavaradossi, the attempted rape of Tosca and the murder of Scarpia. Cavaradossi sings E lucevan le stelle (and the stars would be shining) in situ, without a star in sight, Puccini’s music swells and finally Tosca, rather than jumping off a battlement, is shot by Sciarrone (Andrew Moran).

All three leads are in fine voice, in fact it’s the best singing I’ve heard from La Spina, and they were well supported by the other cast members. It was refreshing to hear a mature voice sing the opening of act 3. Orchestra Victoria shone under the guidance of maestro Shao-Chia Lu.

But it’s a muddled, rather drab production, with the only hint of glamour the gorgeous purple gown that Tosca wears in act 2. It’s also the first time I’ve seen all three leads take their curtain calls smeared with fake blood.

Performance attended April 24th. Photos courtesy of Opera Australia and Jeff Busby