Christopher Walker reviews the English National Opera production of Tosca by Puccini

It is often a challenge for a director to find a new way to bring a classic work to life.

You need have no such fear with Christof Loy’s production of Puccini’s Tosca at the Coliseum.

It is packed with new ideas…most of which work. And fortunately the somewhat top heavy direction does not get in the way of excellent performances from the three leading players.

Director Christof Loy believes “people used to go to opera the way they watched Netflix today.”

I’m not quite sure they sat on sofas in their pyjamas eating cheerios, but hey ho.

Tosca is set in the time following the French Revolution.

The opera singer Floria Tosca is in love with an artist Mario Cavaradossi who is committed to the new way of thinking which swept Europe after that revolution.

The conflict between Tosca and Cavaradossi on the one hand, and the evil Baron Scarpia the head of Rome’s secret police on the other is the core of this work’s plot.

In Loy’s mind “Cavaradossi represents the ideals of the Revolution, while Baron Scarpia and his troops represent the conservative aristocrats.”

In this production Loy follows that through with Cavaradossi dressed in contemporary clothes while Scarpia and his secret police are all in late 18th century uniforms.

The point is further driven hope by a series of decorative and somewhat overdressed aristocrats that Loy sprinkles across the stage. Designer Christian Schmidt clearly spent most of his budget on their costumes.

This is certainly a new way to see the opera if not perhaps being strictly historically accurate.

It does make it somewhat incongruous at times.

For example when some of the foppish aristocrats peer round the door during Scarpia’s interrogation of the revolutionaries. Somewhat unlikely.

Other elements of the design are certainly unsuccessful most especially a large curtain that is pulled rather amateurishly across the back of the stage in Act Two, and which the singers have to sing in front of in Act Three.

A definite example where the producer should have told the director “no.”

On the other hand, Loy’s reimagining of the shepherd’s opening solo in Act Three as a ghost who appears to Cavaradossi in his prison cell was quite inspired.

None of this detracts from the excellent performances under the baton of the conductor Leo Hussain.

There are two singers making that ENO debuts.

The British tenor Adam Smith who is a very strong Cavaradossi and has no problem with a very powerful delivery.

Another newcomer to the Colosseum stage is the American baritone Noel Bouley who plays Baron Scarpia.

It has to be said that both of them also have the physical looks appropriate to their parts.

Tosca herself is played by the wonderful Irish soprano Sinead Campbell Wallace, familiar to London opera lovers as la Bohème in the last production at the Colosseum.

The South African base Msimelelo Mbali also stands out singing the role of Cesare Angelotti. A young talent who it will be interesting to watch.

Unusually the role of the sacristan is played by a transgender baritone Lucia Lucas.

Her performances are something of a non-binary revolution in the opera world. Viva the woke revolution!

Overall a first class production.

Under 21s are able to go free and those under 35 have much reduced seat prices.

Unfortunately this is paid for by the high prices demanded from the rest of us which may explain quite a few empty seats.

The ENO management needs to review its pricing strategy.

https://www.eno.org/whats-on/tosca/

 

English National Opera production of Tosca by Puccini. Photocredits: Genevieve Girling