L.A., London, Venice, You Name It: Tosca Around The World

Almost simultaneously:

Los Angeles.

London.

And tonight (in bocca al lupo!), Venice.

Puccini's 150th birthday has spawned, among other things, a flood of Toscas all around the world -- Teatro La Fenice di Venezia joins the fray with the Robert Carsen production (that had its debut with la Dessì in Hamburg, the photo above is from that production): Daniela Dessì (and Tiziana Caruso) as Tosca, Walter Fraccaro and Daniela's hubby Fabio Armiliato taking turns as Cavaradossi, Carlo Guelfi and Giuseppe Altomare as Scarpia, Daniele Callegari conducting.

Comments

[Les Mitchell]

Is there not ANY new production of an opera ANYWHERE that does not look like trash? Perhaps I'm too much of a traditionist, but the "productions" I'm seeing photos of in OC look like they were conceived by idiots. This is only my view, of course, but when I think of the beautiful "traditional" productions I've seen throughout my life of opera-going, and when I buy an opera DVD, I'm usually very unhappy with the ugliness of the production. Is it due to a lack of money in these lousy economic times? Is it a way for a director to "express" himself? It's getting to be like the emperor's new clothes. Am I the only one who feels this way??

[flipstinger]

LES - na-ah! you're not the only one! i'm very much in favor of the traditional productions myself. Carsen is known for his extreme ideas - sometimes they work, sometimes they don't (ex. Manon Lescaut in Viena w/ la Dessi'). i personally think this is the way opera houses these days try to lure the younger generation's interest in this medium. whether it's effective or not - only the future can tell.

[Les Mitchell]

flipstinger:
Thanks so miuch for your validation. I looked over a book about Maria Callas recently, and there were multitudes of photos of her appearances in Medea, Sonnambula, Norma, Tosca, Lucia,
Traviata, Anna Bolena, etc, and all are magnificent. Ditto for so many others of more recent vintage. But when I hear about a production of "Forza" that has Leonora as a member of the P.L.O. and Violetta dying in an AIDS ward in a modern hospital, I can't help wondering: are they out to kill opera?? Are stage directors so out of control? Lastly --- could you imagine Maria Callas consenting to appear in any type of production along these lines? Or Tebaldi? or Domingo? I just don't get it. It's all so bizarre to me.