A magnificent Tosca from Welsh National Opera at the Mayflower

Andrés Presno (Cavaradossi) and Natalya Romaniw (Tosca)

Dario Solari (Scarpia) and chorus

Natalya Romaniw (Tosca) and Dario Solari (Scarpia)

Tosca, Act 3 finale

By David Truslove, 06 October 2025

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“jealousy, rage and vulnerability have never been so finely nuanced”

Reviewed at Mayflower Theatre, Southampton on 3 October 2025

Puccini, Tosca

Welsh National Opera

Gergely Madaras, Conductor

Edward Dick, Director

Welsh National Opera Orchestra

Natalya Romaniw, Floria Tosca

Andrés Presno, Mario Cavaradossi

Dario Solari, Baron Scarpia

James Cleverton, Cesare Angelotti

Ross Fettes, Sacristan

Alun Rhys-Jenkins, Spoletta

George Newton-Fitzgerald, Sciarrone

Owain Rowlands, A Jailer

Max Fokkens, Shepherd Boy

Maxine Braham, Choreography

Bancroft and BBCNOW at the Proms: a deeply satisfying Mahler 3

David Karlin, 11th August

Bancroft and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales provide a Mahler 3 of exceptional clarity and forward momentum, with terrific posthorn solos from Corey Morris and Beth Taylor an outstanding soloist.

****1

A dark and disturbing Rigoletto from WNO at the Mayflower

David Truslove, 14th November

Fine performances in a punchy new production that coats this tragic opera in a large dollop of debauchery.

****1

WNO stages Death in Venice for the first time and it’s a triumph

Mark Valencia, 7th March

Olivia Fuchs solves the problems of Britten's thorny opera in a brilliant new production that hits the heights, featuring Mark Le Brocq as earthbound scholar, Gustav von Aschenbach.

*****

Musical performances keep WNO's new Così afloat

Mark Valencia, 6th March

Max Hoehn takes Così‘s subtitle, La scuola degli amanti (The School for Lovers), and connects it to Monty Python’s sex education sketch in The Meaning of Life. What larks, eh?

***11

Stacey Alleaume leads WNO's emotionally-charged Traviata

David Truslove, 24th November

Leading an international cast in a still-sumptuous revival in Southampton's Mayflower, Stacey Alleaume gives a sovereign performance as the ill-fated courtesan Violetta.

****1

Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar revived by WNO for its 2023 tour

Mark Valencia, 9th September

Deborah Colker's production, seen last season at Scottish Opera, moves to the Wales Millennium Centre for an autumn tour.

****1

More reviews...

David Truslove

After many years as a musician – conducting choirs, singing as a lay clerk at Winchester Cathedral and an involvement in education, David now writes programme notes, occasionally composes and enjoys a busy schedule of reviewing.