Opera Scotland

Tosca 2015Heritage Opera

Read more about the opera Tosca

Although Heritage Opera, based in the north west of England have been performing since 2006, it was only last year that they ventured north of the border. It was now the turn of the MacRobert Centre to host a revival of their highly-praised Tosca.  Expectations may perhaps have been low, but they were confounded. Tosca is certainly not the most natural choice for a small scale tour, but once one adjusts to the loss of the large scale set pieces, the production worked well on its own terms.

The principals (Sarah Helsby Hughes in the title role, Nicholas Sales as Cavaradossi and Mark Saberton as Scarpia) played and sang expertly in these roles. They were ably supported by the rest of the performers.

The MacRobert auditorium can seat 435, but for this production and many others too, the rear half was curtained off in quite an acceptable fashion, allowing the audience of over two hundred to enjoy the feeling of a near-capacity event. There was one interval only, at the close of the first act. The production, sets and costumes were broadly traditional and none the worse for that. The lighting, if unsophisticated, helped the sense of time and place.

All in all, a most enjoyable evening and your reviewer renewed his love for this opera.