Performer: Eun Sun Kim

Late-career works by Lyadov, Bartók and Rachmaninov dominated the program, which featured Inon Barnatan as piano soloist.

Led by Bryn Terfel's Scarpia and Natalya Romaniw's Tosca – not forgetting Aled Hall's scene-stealing Spoletta – this revival of Jonathan Kent's 2006 staging is urgently paced. 

An excellent cast and smart, engaged direction make for an auspicious season launch in San Francisco Opera’s production of one of Verdi’s most sophisticated creations.