Opera Australia’s Tosca highlights the tyranny of evil Scarpia

By Brian Angus, 02 May 2018

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“tyranny had first overcome the city, now also the church!”

Reviewed at Arts Centre Melbourne: State Theatre, Melbourne on 1 May 2018

Puccini, Tosca

Opera Australia

Andrea Battistoni, Conductor

John Bell, Director

Michael Scott-Mitchell, Set Designer

Teresa Negroponte, Costume Designer

Latonia Moore, Floria Tosca

Diego Torre, Mario Cavaradossi

Marco Vratogna, Baron Scarpia

Gennadi Dubinsky, Cesare Angelotti

Benjamin Rasheed, Spoletta

Michael Honeyman, Sciarrone

Luke Gabbedy, Sacristan

Tom Hamilton, A Jailer

Opera Australia Chorus

Orchestra Victoria

Anthony Hunt, Choirmaster / chorus director

Opera Australia's Children's Chorus

Hugh Halliday, Revival Director

Opera Australia’s Eugene Onegin shines musically

Sandra Bowdler, 17th March

Eugene Onegin returns to the Sydney Opera house in Kasper Holten’s slightly awkward production but the singing and orchestral playing are exemplary.

****1

Humperdinck hobbled in Opera Australia revival

Jeremy Eccles, 27th January

Elijah Moshinsky’s 33-year-old production of Hansel and Gretel hasn’t aged well.

***11

A psychological Turandot in Ann Yee's Opera Australia staging

Sandra Bowdler, 15th January

Opera Australia's new Turandot succeeds with musical, dramatic and visual values with a mix of local and imported talent.

****1

Siobhan Stagg leads a strong Marriage of Figaro revival in Sydney

Sandra Bowdler, 31st July

Siobhan Stagg is an outstanding Susanna in a strongly cast and well produced Marriage of Figaro at the Sydney Opera House

****1

Watery magic as Nicole Car makes a triumphant return to Sydney

Jeremy Eccles, 19th July

Nicole Car makes her role debut as Dvořák's Rusalka in a production by Sarah Giles that proves a winner.

****1

Danielle de Niese makes Carmen debut in a colourful new Sydney staging

Sandra Bowdler, 10th July

Danielle de Niese's assumes the title role at the Sydney Opera House, leading an impressive cast with an interesting approach to characterisation with a somewhat over the top blingy setting.

****1

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Brian Angus

Brian is a lover of opera, and has enjoyed attending operas for over forty years. Brian has very catholic tastes; favourite classic composers are Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi, contemporary composers John Adams and Jake Heggie, and a curiosity about Stockhausen’s music. He is always seeking opportunities to expand his appreciation of the world of music and opera.