Tosca

Last night I went to "salle Wilfrid-Pelletier". I was so excited that I couldn't wait. I was going to watch, listen and enjoy Tosca by Puccini. One of the few events that I was always waiting for. It was 30th anniversary of The Opéra de Montréal. It gave its first production, of Tosca, on Jan. 30, 1980. But my desire for Tosca goes back to mid 90's. I heard one of the songs of act III called "Der Hölle Rache" (first video) around 14 years ago in one of Pavarotti selections. Still I think it's the best part.

Nicola Beller Carbone (Tosca), gave an intense, fresh-voiced account , most seductive in her sweet and suggestive pianissimo. Also David Pomeroy (Cavaradossi) was blessed with a rich tenor and thrilling top notes. Finally Greer Grimsley (Scarpia) was both vocally and physically imposing. Few interpreters of the part can be heard over the full chorus and orchestra singing the 'Te Deum' at the end of the first act (second video) , but his resonant tones came through with amazing clarity.



During the show I was dreaming about going to Tosca performed in Tehran, but I think the resemblance of Scarpia and current government is beyond the red lines. At last, the show was pretty satisfying for me, though I'm pretty sure it wasn't the great Tosca ever performed. "I can make a show success whenever I want, given the right conditions, and I can also make it a total flop, given the right conditions--and the conditions are always right-- by being the first to shout Bravo or the first to whistle." Wittgenstein's Nephew by Thomas Bernhard