The production, designed in 1997 by Thierry Bosquet in imitation of the one that held sway in San Francisco for decades (including the 1932 opening of the War Memorial), wears its antiquarianism proudly. But it doesn't help much when those high points stand out amid generally so-so proceedings.Īnd this 'Tosca' needs help from all quarters to create a vivid musical and theatrical universe. To a certain extent, this sort of prioritizing is a canny move on an artist's part: If there's one thing you want to sing well, it's the show-stopper that the audience has been looking forward to all evening.

Tenor Carlo Ventre, as her painterly beau Cavaradossi, went some way to redeeming an otherwise unimpressive performance with a ravishing account of the third-act showpiece 'E lucevan le stelle.' And baritone Lado Ataneli, making his company debut as the villainous police chief Scarpia, proved a fierce dramatic presence at the beginning of Act 2, where he justifies - to himself and the world - the amoral path he has chosen. In the title role, soprano Adrianne Pieczonka outdid herself with a gripping, fine-tuned account of 'Vissi d'arte,' Tosca's heartfelt aria of aestheticism and self-pity. Where Tuesday's performance fared best was in the big, famous solo numbers.

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