A powerful, imperfect Tosca relocated to Tehran

Anush Avetisyan (Tosca) and Chad Kranak (Cavaradossi)

Gustavo Feulien (Scarpia)

Chad Kranak (Cavaradossi) and ensemble

By Kurt Gottschalk, 14 April 2023

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“not a statement so much as an unasked question”

Reviewed at Baruch College Rose: Nagelberg Theatre, New York City on 11 April 2023

Puccini, Tosca (arr. Daniel Schlosberg)

Heartbeat Opera

Jacob Ashworth, Conductor

Shadi G, Director

Anush Avetisyan, Floria Tosca

Chad Kranak, Mario Cavaradossi

Gustavo Feulien, Baron Scarpia

Christopher Nazarian, Spoletta, Sacristan

Joe Lodato, Cesare Angelotti

Reza Mirjalili, Sciarrone

Heartbeat Opera's Faust: an economical deal with the devil

Kurt Gottschalk, 15th May

Hot on the heels of their modern-day take on Salome, Heartbeat Opera returns with another economical but inventive staging of a classic.

****1

Shockingly good fun: Heartbeat Opera’s Salome

Kevin W Ng, 11th February

Heartbeat Opera’s chamber Salome marries musical ingenuity with dramatic clarity at The Space at Irondale.

*****

Queer longing: Heartbeat Opera's bold Onegin

Kevin W Ng, 4th April

A strong young cast heads Dustin Wills' reimagining of Eugene Onegin for New York's most innovative opera company, Heartbeat Opera.

***11

LvB meets #BLM in Heartbeat Opera's Fidelio

Kurt Gottschalk, 10th February

Heartbeat’s Fidelio is a dramatic reworking in every sense of the term. It’s bold and unflinching, borrowing from Beethoven to tell tales too horrible to tell.

****1

A sorta fairy tale: Sleepers Awake premieres at Opera Philadelphia

Cameron Kelsall, 22nd April

A new opera by Gregory Spears subverts the Sleeping Beauty trope, with middling results.

**111

Asmik Grigorian strengthens the Met’s revival of Eugene Onegin

Susan Stempleski, 20th April

The Lithuanian soprano’s riveting performance as the central character in Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterpiece lights up Deborah Warner’s mostly bland production.

****1

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Kurt Gottschalk

Kurt Gottschalk is a journalist and author based in New York City. His writings on contemporary and classical music, jazz and improvisation have been published in outlets throughout Europe and America and he has two volumes of short fiction to his name. He produced and hosted the Miniature Minotaurs radio programme on WFMU and currently hosts Afternoon New Music on WKCR.