Opera Scotland

Puccini's Tosca triumphs again!

Posted 10 May 2012

On the eve of our national company's fiftieth birthday, Anthony Besch's renowned 1980 production of Tosca for Scottish Opera is deservedly revived again. It was controversial in its time, as Besch set it in Mussolini's Italy rather than at the time of Napoleon as originally intended.  But the presentation quickly won over critics as it became evident quite how true it was to the spirit of the original. This latest revival has gathered strong reviews for its young and talented cast (starring Susannah Glanville as the beautiful singer Floria Tosca, José Ferrero as the painter Cavaradossi and Robert Poulton as Scarpia, the chief of secret police).

Our picture shows that impressive moment at the end of Act I - "Tosca, you make me forget God!" sings Scarpia in church.  [To see more images of this memorable production. click Tosca, scroll down to see the images then click on them to enlarge.] Tosca has won many over to a love of the art - surely a great opportunity to take a friend to their first opera...