Martina Serafin (Floria Tosca) et Marco Berti (Mario Cavaradossi). Foto: Julien Benhamou

PARIS: A popular revival at Opera de Paris – Bastille is Tosca (1900). This opera with librettoby Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, which was one of the three operas which maked Puccini famous. La Boheme (1896)  and Madame Butterfly (1904), three operas from completely different milieus, but with the same central point, “Love”, with one central female person in the leading role.

Review by Tomas Bagackas.

This years revival is centered around Martina Serafin, which is singing the Tosca role very good. Calin Bratescu is hers tenor, Mario Cavaradossi, he is good as well. Sergey Murazaev is Scarpia, he has the vocal ressources, but I dont find him right for this characteristic role.

Martina Serafin (Floria Tosca) et Sergey Murzaev (Scarpia)
. Foto: Julien Benhamou

Paolo Carignani conducts it all, and the staging of this revival is staged by Werner Schroeter.

As when my great colleague, our chief critic Henning Høholt reviewed it last season, I regret to agree with him in many points, which spoils this production.

It needs a more intime stage, and at least a better staging

.

Tosca, Finale Act 1. Julien Benhamou

But the worst in this production is that it seems that the director Werner Schroeter dont trust in that this splendid opera can stay by it self. And in this lays the biggest problem for the production at Opera Bastille. Werner Schroeter is in each of the acts adding some not needed details, which disturbs the audience from enjoying the beautiful music, and the singers in the leading roles, and because of these ideas Schroeter is spoiling the performance for the audience.

In act no 1. the Madonna sculpture, which is alive, but shall look like a sculpture, that it is moving a bit during the act does that the audience is being disturbed.

In 2 act. Four male person in each their window, trying like to underline the details in the act, what is going on between Scarpia and Tosca. This disturbes a lot. Furthermore is the staging of the absolute ending of the act spending too much time by letting Tosca after she has killed Scarpia moving around with the candles, the bibel, and not coming away from the place.

In act 3. The drunk soldiers, which finds that one of their colleagues is dead, does that the wonderful arias and duets between Cavaradossi and Tosca is being disturbed. Furthermore the young Shepherd has nothing to do on stage during all the act. His job is to lead the sheeps ut to the field, not to sleep on the roof of something not looking like Castel Sant Angelo.

The decorations are boring and the costumes ordinary by Alberto Barsaco.  This production, where this evening was no 102 in the same production. Tosca need to be renewed.

– – – –

Tosca (1900) Melodramma en trois actes de Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

10 représentations du 23 octobre au 20 novembre 2012 à l’Opéra Bastille

Direction musicale : Paolo Carignani – Mise en scène : Werner Schroeter – Décors et costumes : Alberte Barsacq – Lumières : André Diot – Chef du Choeur : Patrick Marie Auber