Vancouver Opera’s 67th Season Opens with Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca, at Queen Elizabeth Theatre for two more performances October 29 and November 1.
Puccini’s adaptation of French playwright Victorien Sardou drama La Tosca, is set in Rome at the turn of the 19th century. A three-act tragic opera, Tosca covers 24-hours of political intrigue as Napoleon descends on Rome. Composed by Giacomo Puccini with Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa the opera follows; Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, Cavaradossi, a painter friend who provides aid & shelter, the painter’s lover Floria Tosca, an acclaimed opera singer with a jealous streak, and Baron Scarpia sadistic, opportunist police chief, his soldiers and henchmen.
Containing two of Tosca’s best known arias, “Vissi d’arte”, sung by the soprano Tosca in Act II and “E lucevan le stelle”, sung by the tenor Cavaradossi in Act III, this cast lives up to the renown. Juno nominated Soprano Joyce El-Khoury plays Floria Tosca with captivating presence and a powerfully beautiful voice. Tenor David Pomeroy lends his rich, passionate voice to Mario Cavaradossi. As the pivotal Scarpia, Gregory Dahl brings a Machiavellian menace to his interactions with Cavaradossi and Tosca. Rounding out the core cast, Bass-Baritone Neil Craighead as Angelotti, who sets off the cascade of tragic events throughout Tosca. When the Vancouver Opera Children’s Chorus, lead by Tina Chang, join the Chorus, the theatre erupts with a wall of sound.
Originally produced by Pacific Opera Victoria, this production of Tosca, like all Vancouver Opera productions, is more than just brilliant onstage talent, the production team deserves much acclaim. Taking audiences into the time, place and feel of 1800’s Rome. Director Brenna Corner and Vancouver Opera Orchestra Conductor Jacques Lacombe lead the company, while Director of Artistic & Production Nicole Lamb leads the production team. Set and Projection Designer Scott Reid manages to create majestic sets; taking us inside the church, into the inner sanctums and yards of the grand Castel Sant’Angelo. Costume Director Katie Hochman‘s lavish costumes drape Tosca in the beauty a diva deserves while separating the men into their classes. The wardrobe team is even more impressive when taking into consideration the multitude of performers that grace the stage, at times 50-60 performers representing an entire congregation, clergy and choristers.
While sung in Italian with English surtitles, the performers’ beautifully emotive presentation offers the audience the opportunity to feel, and follow, the story without even reading the translation. See for yourself when you join Vancouver Opera for its stunning, season opening presentation of Tosca, with two more shows, Thursday October 29 at 7:30pm and Sunday, November 1 at 2pm. For show details and tickets visit vancouveropera.ca