Photos: MetOpera
NEW YORK – VIENNA / The Met in the cinema / Village Cinema Wien Mitte;
TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini
23. November 2024
Great loved ones
instead of a big diva
The Metropolitan Opera in New York, which is a very large house, also needs to sell its seats – and the best way to do that is to bring in famous works with stars. And Norwegian Lise Davidsen especially highlighted her triumphs at the Met, from Strauss’s Ariadne and Marschallin to Verdi’s Leonora “Power”. Now she has become one of the big names that director Peter Gelb is relying on. Along the way, she will move on from “Tosca” at the Met to Vienna and will sing a role at the State Opera from December 7 (with the same partner as in New York, Freddie De Tommaso).
The Met Tosca is not as beautiful as our one in Vienna, but it is a “classic” show, after all it comes. David Mac Vicar (Device: John McFarlane), will never do nonsense – where a church is still a church, it is just an investigation (and not a torture cell), the site of execution is the same. Within such a framework, as it is intended for the source of traveling stars in the long term, each singer who jumps into this production can develop his role model without being interrupted by production.
Now showing how different you see a place Lisa Davidsenwho he always preferred to put together with Wagner because of her big voice. (Besides Elisabeth and Sieglinde, she doesn’t have many leading roles in her repertoire, but that will come). But Tosca has a very impressive role, after all, and she also has a powerful voice (unfortunately with low treble sharpness) and is again impressive with her technique of flawless movements and floating piano.
But it’s her performance that’s so interesting. A colleague almost missed the opportunity to play out what was already in the libretto in the character (in the theater it was an excellent role with Sarah Bernhardt): namely the a big diva, self-centered and jealous, but at the same time generous and stormy beloved theater, so handsome. Lise Davidsen leaves all that out. She loves this Cavaradossi, who shapes her, she may sometimes be a kitten in love in the first act, but she does not act, even when she becomes a fighter against the second act extremely radical – but without the star position. It is wonderful how she (and Cavaradossi) feel in the third act that things may not end well – there is a wonderful sadness to Lise Davidsen’s performance. No, this is not a typical Tosca, and some New York critics objected. But if you let it work on you without taking what you expected from it, it is very wonderful.
Freddie de Tommaso The State Opera proudly announced that he was only 27 years old when he was almost “discovered” in 2020 for the opening “Butterfly” premiere of the Roscic era, without particularly convincing at the time. He has now improved in every way (but who besides Kaufmann and Florez would have won a beauty contest at the tenor level after Carreras?) – especially voice, which is what matters . The timbre alone is not attractive, but a beautiful clear tenor, the power, technique and high notes are the best you could expect, and when he and Davidsen let their voices big out, the opera is on. The Cavaradossi was De Tommaso’s Met debut, and it was a success.
Finally there is Scarpia. The Hawaiian Quinn Kelsey is, one says with due respect, a staple of dark roles at the Met, even if his baritone is not really “black” but rather bel cantesque. He plays the criminal without special demons (which always works well), but he is believable.
In the beginning we still did Kevin short like Angelotti hunted and Patrick Carfizzi attracts attention as a funny, rather gloomy sailor who appears with a cleaning bucket; there aren’t many other important roles (Scarpia’s henchmen usually get lost).
Yannick Nézet-Séguin fulfills what the Met needs after the unforgettable Jimmy Levine, which is a jack-of-all-trades who can truly do everything so well, and he was not a problem for him to run “Tosca” a lot across the stage.
The praise at the Met was as high as it deserved.
Wagner’s recall
2024-11-24 12:10:00
#YORK #VIENNA #Met #cinema #TOSCAOnline #Merker
Given the article’s description of Lise Davidsen’s performance as “pragmatic and subdued,” how do you think her interpretation might challenge audience expectations surrounding traditional depictions of Tosca?
## World Today News: An Interview on the Met Opera‘s ”Tosca”
**Introduction**: Welcome to World Today News. Today, we’re diving into the world of opera with a discussion about the Met Opera’s recent production of Puccini’s *Tosca*. Joining us are two distinguished guests: [Guest 1 Name], a renowned musicologist, and [Guest 2 Name], a celebrated opera singer.
**Section 1: Lise Davidsen’s Interpretation of Tosca**
* **[Guest 1]**: This production saw Lise Davidsen take on the शीर्ष role of Tosca. The article describes her performance as pragmatic and subdued, shying away from the stereotypical “diva” portrayal. How do you feel this interpretation? Does it resonate with Puccini’s original intent for Tosca?
* **[Guest 2]**: As a performer, what challenges and rewards come with approaching a character as beloved and well-defined as Tosca? How do you balance staying true to the composer’s vision while bringing your uniqueness to the role?
**Section 2: The Stagecraft and Production Values **
* **[Guest 1]**: The article mentions that the Met’s production is a “classic” approach. What are the benefits and potential drawbacks of a traditional staging, especially for a work as passionate and dramatic as *Tosca*?
* **[Guest 2]**: Do modern productions have a responsibility to challenge audiences or is there value in preserving a more traditional aesthetic?
**Section 3: The Performances of Freddie de Tommaso and Quinn Kelsey**
* **[Guest 1]**: Freddie de Tommaso’s performance as Cavaradossi is praised for his powerful voice. How important is vocal prowess in opera? Can a strong voice compensate for acting limitations, or do both need to be equally strong?
* **[Guest 2]**: Quinn Kelsey is described as pragmatic in his portrayal of the villainous Scarpia. How can actors bring complexity and depth to a potentially one-dimensional character?
**Section 4: The Overall Impact and Legacy of *Tosca*
* **[Guest 1]**: *Tosca* continues to be a popular part of the opera repertoire. What elements of the work contribute to its enduring appeal and relevance?
* **[Guest 2]**: What advice would you give to someone attending their first performance of *Tosca*? How can audiences fully appreciate this complex and emotionally charged masterpiece ?
**Conclusion**: Thank you both for sharing your perspectives on this captivating production. We hope this conversation has ignited interest in *Tosca* and inspired viewers to experience its powerful beauty firsthand.
