21.03.2018
5-star Tosca
The British Daily Mail gave a five-star rating to our ‘Tosca’ performed by the Mikhailovsky Opera on tour in Dublin.
This production of Tosca marks the Mikhailovsky Opera’s first time in Ireland and after a night in the company of its stars, you can’t help but wonder what took them so long. The lead role of Floria Tosca is shared by Irish soprano Celine Byrne and her Russian counterpart Maria Litke for the performances which run until Sunday. On the night in question, Byrne was on stage, working her magic as the diva whose jealous heart betrayed her lover, the Cavalier Cavaradossi.
First written as a play centered on events surrounding the French Revolution, Puccini’s passionate opera has become one of the most popular around the world. But the Mikhailovsky production is still one of the finest you’ll see, sticking as it does to Puccini’s original vision and using traditional sets and costumes. Leading Russian tenor Fyodor Ataskevich has a voice that is as smooth and fulfilling as a fine red wine. He had just the correct amount of bravado and flourish to play the lusty cavalier and there were intence moments on stage as Tosca and Cavaradossi proclaimed their love for one another. But it was when things turned sour that the performances did the opposite — baritone Alexander Kuznetsov upped the ante as the devilish Baron Scarpia, being menacing enough to extract a few boos from the audience when the curtain fell.
Ataskevich shone as Cavaradossi showed his mettle as the battered, bloodied but unbowed rebel. But it was an Irish heroine who made the piece as, in a performance that was anoughto burst hearts, Byrne stole the show, her beautiful voice soaring to the celling of the theatre as Tosca was tempted into believing her lover had strayed an subsequently betrayed him. All effort has been made to make this production an atmospheric one. The singing is spine-tingling at the very least and some in the audience were moved to tears by Byrne’s voice.
Tosca, of course, is laced with warnings but never mind forgetting the saints, miss this show at your peril.
Daily Mail
This production of Tosca marks the Mikhailovsky Opera’s first time in Ireland and after a night in the company of its stars, you can’t help but wonder what took them so long. The lead role of Floria Tosca is shared by Irish soprano Celine Byrne and her Russian counterpart Maria Litke for the performances which run until Sunday. On the night in question, Byrne was on stage, working her magic as the diva whose jealous heart betrayed her lover, the Cavalier Cavaradossi.
First written as a play centered on events surrounding the French Revolution, Puccini’s passionate opera has become one of the most popular around the world. But the Mikhailovsky production is still one of the finest you’ll see, sticking as it does to Puccini’s original vision and using traditional sets and costumes. Leading Russian tenor Fyodor Ataskevich has a voice that is as smooth and fulfilling as a fine red wine. He had just the correct amount of bravado and flourish to play the lusty cavalier and there were intence moments on stage as Tosca and Cavaradossi proclaimed their love for one another. But it was when things turned sour that the performances did the opposite — baritone Alexander Kuznetsov upped the ante as the devilish Baron Scarpia, being menacing enough to extract a few boos from the audience when the curtain fell.
Ataskevich shone as Cavaradossi showed his mettle as the battered, bloodied but unbowed rebel. But it was an Irish heroine who made the piece as, in a performance that was anoughto burst hearts, Byrne stole the show, her beautiful voice soaring to the celling of the theatre as Tosca was tempted into believing her lover had strayed an subsequently betrayed him. All effort has been made to make this production an atmospheric one. The singing is spine-tingling at the very least and some in the audience were moved to tears by Byrne’s voice.
Tosca, of course, is laced with warnings but never mind forgetting the saints, miss this show at your peril.
Daily Mail
