Tosca

I am 17, and I absolutely love opera. Tosca, with exception from la Boheme is probably the most tragic and most powerful of the Puccini operas, with its heart-rending music and fully fleshed characters that are appropriately dark. This production looks so beautiful, probably one of the more visually-stunning versions of the opera. There are many highlights, like the torture/interrogation scene, "Vissi D'Arte", Scarpia's death, "E Lucevan e Le Stelle" and especially the "te deum". There is also one bit where Scarpia walks Tosca out of the church, which was such a beautifully done touch, it brought tears to my eyes actually, and matched perfectly with the music. The opera is in three acts, the darkest being act 2, the most dramatic act 3 and the most lyrical being act 1. The orchestral playing is both powerful and sensitive, the cello ensemble in Act 3 is just divine, while Bruno Bartoletti's conducting is pitch-perfect. The singing is outstanding. Raina Kabaivanska is exceptional as Tosca, exactly what Tosca should be, dark, vulnerable and passionate, and Kabaivanska was perfect with gorgeous pianissimo singing and the most beautiful eye contact of any Tosca. Placido Domingo, who originally started off as a baritone, matches her beautifully in a suitably poignant Caveradossi, that is just as good as DiStefano's. I do still think Tito Gobbi is the best Scarpia, but in a magnificent, towering, though different performance, in one of the most dramatic and most difficult operatic roles in history, Sherill Milnes dominates the screen, who not enough people appreciate as one of the finest living baritones. All in all, a beautiful and brooding video version of a resolutely dark opera. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I saw this production of Tosca when it was first broadcast on PBS in the 70s. I remembered little of it (I was pretty young at the time) except for the finale to Act I. When I finally saw it again recently, I was pleased to see that my lone memory of this Tosca was reasonably accurate - a splendid church, booming bells, chanting chorus, and a very tall, handsome dark-haired villain pretending to be pious while plotting evilly. Unfortunately, the rest of the film did not prove to be as memorable for me. Milnes is a very interesting Scarpia - I like the idea of playing him as a younger man, not a grotesque old lecher. Tosca quite clearly notices him and has some conflicted feelings; he's often very close to her, even brushing against her, and she doesn't pull away or try to repel him - she's not flirting, but she does seem drawn to him, and it takes some effort to recollect herself and break away. Unfortunately, I don't find either Milnes or Kabaivanska very good actors; they're singers, even when they don't physically have to do the work of singing on the spot (the voices were recorded separately). Milnes's Scarpia just isn't sinister enough. This Scarpia seems to see his pursuit of Tosca almost as a game; he even smiles when she flees across the room from him and he pursues her. It undercuts his motivation - an evening's fun and games just isn't reason enough for his bloody-minded determination to send Cavaradossi to his death. I miss the darker shades of Scarpia I've seen in other portrayals; this one doesn't seem to be driven by inner demons, and it makes it hard to understand why he does what he's doing. There is one good moment when the attractive facade breaks and we get a glimpse of something ugly underneath: when Tosca asks him "Quanto?" - "How much? What's your price?" It's insulting, and meant to be, and while Milnes is smiling smugly as he responds, "Gia, me dicon venal" - "Oh yes, I know what they say about me - that I take bribes," his expression gradually changes to one of rage, even while his words remain light. He DOES feel the insult, and I got the very strong feeling that he'd make Tosca pay for it once he gets his hands on her. But apart from that one moment, he is quite gentlemanly - he doesn't manhandle her, in fact he barely even touches her, which takes away from the sense of danger and ordeal that Tosca is facing. Though I must say, he does have a way with a riding-crop when he first enters in Act I; there might be some sado-masochistic overtones there, but they're not strong enough. Milnes's singing is quite unique; he has a very individual way of attacking verses from all sorts of unpredictable angles. It makes him very exciting to listen to. Plus, he can sing question marks; I've never heard anyone else do it just like that. The camera-work is fine, except for some bizarre shakiness at the big climax to Act II. Oddly enough, I didn't particularly like the "natural" style of filming this movie, even though the setting was beautiful. It seems to me that once you take an opera off the stage, there has to be some concession to the inherent artificiality of the art form; just shooting it like a movie somehow left me feeling uninvolved and out in the cold. Something more stylized would have matched better with the musical performance we were experiencing.

This film, released in 1975, was the first Tosca to be transferred from stage to film, and was shot on location in the actual sites in Rome, Italy specified in the opera by Puccini: Act 1 is set in the Church of the San Andrea De La Valle, Act 2 is the Palazzo Farnese and Act 3 is set atop the parapets of the Castel San Angelo. The naturalistic, real flavor to this Tosca makes it very powerful drama and looks every bit like a mainstream film. It is indeed a fine intro to opera, though this opera I wouldn't recommend as a first opera. The beautiful and elegant Hungarian soprano Raina Kabaivanska is vocally an outstanding Tosca and in Placido Domingo we have a very well-sung and well- characterized Mario Cavardossi. Baritone Sherill Milnes is appropriately slimy in some scenes, though like the other critic wrote in his or her review, he does not portray the sadistic and sinister Baron Chief of Police with enough compelling prowess. He is however, a gifted actor and the fact he looks young instead of an old sadist is a nice touch. The Te Deum Scene at the end of Act 1 is glorious. Act 3 is actually filmed inside a chamber in the Farnese Palace. In the famous scene in which Tosca stabs Scarpia, however, Kabaivanska does not do the traditional "ritual" of placing two candelabrum on either side of his dead body, and the power in that one moment is entirely omitted and is disappointing. The grim finale in which Tosca discovers Scarpia's dirty trick has worked from beyond the grave and Mario truly is executed is done well. The camera angles are a bit odd sometimes as sometimes we get close-ups, sometimes we don't, aerial views and in Scarpia's death scene, the camera seems to shake and we are looking at the murder from his eyes - we see Tosca goading him to die, though I think this is a great touch. This film is wonderful and should be viewed by any serious fan of opera. In 1975, Domingo, Kabaivanska and Milnes were in great vocal shape though I have to say that Domingo is not his usually well-groomed self. He is hairy (hair on his chest) and disheveled and a tad overweight. He looks better in his 80's opera films - Zefferelli's Traviata in 1982, Otello in 1986 and the last Tosca he did with soprano Catherine Malfitano in 1991. That other Tosca is also very great and is shot on location again.

I love Tosca. And this version is a magnificent one . For many reasons, the performances remaining the axis. But, in same measure, for location, for the generosity to give to viewer the fresh feeling to be part of show, for great details and for inspired perspective about a drama becoming more than truth. Placido Domingo was the main motif to see it, for me. But it is more than the film of one actor. It remains a pure gem.