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Tosca twice Madrid
Teatro Real
06/10/2004 -
Giacomo Puccini: Tosca
Isabelle Kabatu (Floria Tosca), Franco Farina (Mario Cavaradossi), Renato Bruson (Barón Scarpia), Felipe Bou (Cesare Angelotti), Emilio Sánchez (Spoletta)
Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Real, Marco Armiliato (Musical Conductor)
Nuria Espert (Stage Director)
The Teatro Real in Madrid, as the big deal inside the “Festival de Verano” took again on its stage the Tosca production created by the own Real, together with the ABAO, and presented last January during the ordinary season. At the same time that has been introduced the DVD with that January performance, and under the Nuria Espert´s - celebrated Spaniard actress- stage direction, the production came back to the Real scene simple but magnificent. There were not the bigger voices of the first presentation but the summer cast was not only worthy but shiny. The stage, full of Michelangelo´s inspiration, impressive in the first act, was loosing radiance with the modest variations in the other two acts. But it was more than enough to transmit the Puccini´s work spirit, and added to a rich and gentle handling of the score by the orchestra and the casts spirited performances, which were theatrical as well as operatic, the result was well ensured. Franco Armiliato´s musical conduction provided the best basis to the voices work. The soprano Isabelle Kabatu, in the role of Floria Tosca, sang with great beauty after she warmed up her voice, and her “Vissi d’arte” was performed with the difficult mix of delicacy and power. Franco Farina, singing the role of Tosca’s lover, Mario Cavaradossi, did a competent job, perhaps the best of the night, but had some tightness apparent in his higher register with his first great aria, “Recondita armonia”. His version of the beautiful “E lucevan le stelle” in the third act, however, proved that he has a wonderful tenor voice but some fluctuations in the longest notes denied him the applauses at the end of the aria. Baritone Renato Bruson, full of experience, was a sinister Baron Scarpia and his voice was able to project both his lust and his evil intent in opulent and powerful tones. The chorus did also a fine singing of Puccini’s score in this appropriate Tosca´s return. Because, if something is good, why not to take it twice?
Mar Sancho
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