Event Info
TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini featuring: Cynthia Lawrence, Renzo Zulian, Zalun Zhang, Thomas Goerz, Nicolae Raiciu
Rome, 1800. Baron Scarpia, chief of police, is a monstrously corrupt and cruel m...
7:30pm
Event Description
Rome, 1800. Baron Scarpia, chief of police, is a monstrously corrupt and cruel man consumed with violent desire for the celebrated singer Floria Tosca. Using terror, extortion, and the promise of clemency, Scarpia seizes both Tosca and her lover, Mario – an enemy of the state – but instead of possessing Tosca, Scarpia meets his fate at her hands. In the opera’s harrowing conclusion, the lovers are reunited, only to be betrayed again, seemingly from the grave, by the evil Scarpia.
Set in a time of political and religious turbulence, Puccini’s masterful drama paints three unforgettable portraits – of the fiery, pure-hearted Tosca, the passionate political idealist Mario, and the deeply depraved Scarpia. Puccini’s music is filled with dazzling melody, atmosphere, and edge-of-your-seat tension. Three of the opera’s arias – Tosca’s “Vissi d’arte” and Mario’s “Recondita armonia” and “E Lucevan le stella” – are among the most recognizable and beautiful in all of opera. Vancouver Opera revives a classic production that features the scenic design of Ercole Sormani, an Italian master painter who created a detailed three-dimensional world using only age-old artistry, paint and canvas.
Venue
650 Hamilton ST
Open / Operational