Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924)
Tosca - Melodramma in 3 acts (1900)
Daniella Dessi - Tosca; Fabio Armiliato - Cavaradossi; Claudio
Sgura - Scarpia; Nikolay Bikov - Angelotti; Paolo Maria Orcchia
- Sagrestano; Max De Angelis - Spoletta; Angelo Nardinocchi
- Sciarrone
Orchestra, Chorus and Boys' Choir of the Teatro Carlo Felice,
Genoa/Marco Boemi
rec. Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa, Italy, 2010
Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround (reviewed
in surround); Picture Format: 16:9, 1080i; Region: 0 Worldwide
ARTHAUS MUSIK BLU-RAY 108038 [140:00]
This is a good, conventionally designed Tosca, well sung
and played and with a satisfying theatrical flair in the stage
direction of Renzo Giaccheri. It is well filmed and very well
recorded in surround with proper perspectives. That said, we
are not free of some technical gripes. All the acts and musical
numbers can be accessed from the menu but there is music from
the opera - fortunately not the opening - played over the menus.
Most offensive, to me, was the use of yet another extract from
the opera playing over the opening titles. I will say it again:
The music starts when the music starts and not before.
Use audience noise by all means, even tuning up is just about
acceptable, but please not music! As if this is
not sin enough, the video background of the titles show us stage-building
preparations and general backstage activity in slow motion!
Ugh! The extras on the disc could have included a short documentary
about the stage preparations, that would have been interesting,
but there are no extras. The subtitles are available in Italian,
English, German, French, Spanish and Korean. The sections sung
by the Sacristan in Latin are helpfully displayed only in Latin!
There are few Blu-ray issues of this opera and a leading contender,
the performance by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and Ruggero
Raimondi on Opus Arte, is on DVD only. This Genoese production,
based on the original staging from 1900, doesn't have the field
to itself but has little significant competition in HD format.
The presence of two of the established troupers, Daniella Dessi
and Fabio Armiliato, in the roles of Tosca and Cavaradossi,
does give this performance some grounds for respect. They are
called an operatic power-couple in the press because of their
long-time partnership. Those buying this in the hope that it
is the performance during which Armiliato actually did get shot
by the stage firing squad - yes really, in Macerata Italy in
1995! - will be pleased or disappointed to know he survives
to take a full quota of curtain calls!
One suspects there is a more dramatic performance of Cavaradossi
in Armiliato but the musical focus of this production is more
on the lyrical end of the spectrum. He sings his first big number
with his back to the portrait of the Magdalene to which he keeps
referring and there is no sign of the miniature of Tosca that
is mentioned in the libretto. However, no one could doubt the
excellence of his voice and he rarely puts a foot wrong. Angelotti
is sung by Bulgarian Nikolay Bikov who looks a bit mystified
by what is going on but sings well enough. Daniella Dessi is
obviously the darling of the Genoese audience because she gets
a round of applause as she makes her first entrance and before
she has sung a note. As a daughter of the city this is hardly
surprising. She makes a slightly mature Tosca but shows her
years of experience in a subtle rendering of the role both as
actress and singer. She maintains her reputation for encores
by singing Vissi d'arte twice, and Armiliato, not to
be outdone, encores E lucevan le stelle. The chorus is
well drilled but look as if they are following instructions
rather than reacting to the situation. Things get distinctly
darker in Act 1 when the excellent Scarpia enters, sung very
well by the impressively tall Claudio Sgura. He comes across
suitably villainous with spectacular eyebrows to match. All
the makeup looks very theatrical and the cameras are not very
kind in close-up. As noted above Dessi is an experienced singing
actress and there is a very effective moment in Act 1 when Tosca
appears to consider accepting an embrace from Scarpia but then
thinks better of it. It makes the events that follow more conceivable.
The performance is full of this sort of interplay. Another example
is when Scarpia appears surprised by the procession and the
Te Deum, so absorbed has he been in his personal plotting.
In Act 2 the balance between the on and off-stage action, thanks
to both the RAI engineers and the conductor, portrays a convincing
sense of distance. In some respects this Act is the focus of
the drama and yet the tension seems underpowered in relation
to Marco Boemi's tempi as well as his lack of urgency. For an
example of what is needed one need look no further than the
BBC/Opus Arte performance noted above. The great aria Vissi
d'arte is a cruel test for the soprano and Dessi sounds
somewhat strained, but this is countered by her accuracy of
pitch and her dramatic intelligence - the latter in overcoming
the hiatus of the encore demanded by her fans. The way she takes
the knife only after some hesitation is quite superb. When she
stabs Scarpia it is a sudden decision, not premeditated, and
all the more shocking for it. She does not attempt to emulate
Callas in her singing of È morto, she seems more
relieved he is dead than vengeful. Act 3 continues the high
standard of direction: there is plenty of stage business and
all of it contributing to the drama. Armiliato sings E lucevan
le stelle with a fine combination of restraint and vocal
skill. The audience rewards him with much cheering - and some
booing - the former a justifiable reaction to his lack of histrionics
and his dignified demeanour. The last few minutes are played
out beautifully. The dramatic execution is clearly with Spoletta's
pistol. Tosca's leap is her only option.
Dave Billinge
A traditional but intelligent production, with an excellent
cast and a splendid orchestra and chorus.