Tosca (Metropolitan Opera house)

Its all still new to me Opera, I do think i spentd as much time just trying to learn as I do enjoying. Its probably the only format that makes me want to read the synopsis and really know spoilers before hand.

But even without them Tosca as a story is pretty linear. 

Its a simple story of boy meets girl, cheats on her by instagramming other women. She tells the police as a form of ersatz revenge porn. But the police are corrupt. After reporting her boyfriend, she starts crying until she becomes radicalized. She shouts fuck the police, loses her man, and jumps off a tower.

But its the passion not the sense that carries opera I realise. It rarely has more then 4 folk ons tage at any time, except for the classic chorus moments. Napoleon is a brief mention. This world is another hinterland of shakespearean note. It is even alluded to where a handkerchief has become a fan.

But its in the execution. Lise Davidsen carries such notes, i do not know the terms but its a physical spectacle as much as acoustic to see the stamina and range in her face and the sound. While her character evolves from ingenue like idealist, to cheap jealousy to martyr and schemer you feel for her movement and actions throughout , and her skills brings a breadth that way expands the facile nature of the story.

But for me. Scarpia, by Quinn Kelsey, holds me. He is mesmeric and menacing in his charms. He is vulnerable in his passions and cerebral in his plot. Its hard not to think of tim curry in legend when watching his glide though the motions. In fact, one wonders about her interest in Caravardossi. Why does she see anything in him given his need to paint blondes and hide his mates?

Its also worth mentioning the intermissions are filled with almost exclusive blu ray level extras in screenings. So much density of knowledge about puccini to the singers and dancers. My personal fav that i think would bring more men to the oeprs? The cuts of workmen moving the sets and the rigging between scenes. Collect these from a variety of productions. Cut them into an hour. You will get men on seats faster than a reader of loaded can challenge the corset.

Not the biggest or broadest opera. But single minded in its direction and execution, its an able story enthused by its actors and worth checking out.