Opera Australia marks Puccini’s 100th Anniversary with thrilling new Tosca
Marking the 100th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini’s death, Opera Australia has programmed two of the legendary Italian composer’s most celebrated works at the Sydney Opera House this winter, starting with Edward Dick’s acclaimed five-star production of Tosca opening on 25 June.
This electrifying new production of Puccini’s action-packed thriller has all the ingredients for a gripping, edge-of-your-seat opera, with its compelling, and ultimately tragic, love story, filled with passion and power, jealousy and betrayal, that unfolds over a rapid-fire 24 hour period.
Renowned as a crowd pleaser for opera lovers around the world, Tosca is the perfect choice for those wanting to try opera for the first time. The suspenseful plot told through Puccini’s soaring music with powerful, and at times haunting, singing takes audiences on an emotional roller-coaster.
Director Edward Dick has brought together an award-winning creative team to deliver a production that blends Renaissance grandeur and contemporary elegance.
Set designer Tom Scutt beautifully places the action beneath a suspended gilded dome that reveals a stunning Renaissance fresco, with performers dressed in contemporary glamour by BAFTA-winning costume designer Fotini Dimou and stadium style lighting by Lee Curran.
Northern Irish soprano Giselle Allen will make her OA debut in the titular role, sharing with OA favourite Karah Son who made her role debut in the recent Melbourne season, singing Tosca’s signature aria ‘Vissi d’arte’ to rapturous applause and critical acclaim.
Korean tenor Young Woo Kim will make his Sydney Opera House debut as the love struck painter Cavaradossi and the villainous Scarpia will be performed by Armenian dramatic baritone Gevorg Hakobyan in his OA debut, and then by award-winning local baritone Warwick Fyfe.
Acclaimed maestro Johannes Fritzsch makes a welcome return to Australia to conduct the OA Orchestra for the first half of the season, followed by OA’s Head of Music Tahu Matheson.
Creatives
Conductor Johannes Fritzsch (Jun 25-Jul
18), Tahu Matheson (Jul 27-Aug 16)
Director Edward Dick
Set Designer Tom Scutt
Costume Designer Fotini Dimou
Lighting Designer Lee Curran
Choreographer Maxine Braham
Assistant Director Warwick Doddrell
Cast
Tosca Giselle Allen (Jun 25-Jul 18),
Karah Son (Jul 27-Aug 16)
Cavaradossi Young Woo Kim
Scarpia Gevorg Hakobyn (Jun 25-Jul 27),
Warwick Fyfe (Jul 31-Aug 16)
Spoletta Benjamin Rasheed
Sciarrone Luke Gabbedy
Angelotti David Parkin
Sacristan Andrew Moran
Gaoler Anthony Mackey
Opera Australia Chorus
Opera Australia Orchestra
Performance information
Evenings at 7.30pm
June 25, 29
July 2, 4, 6, 10, 18, 27, 31
Aug 7, 10, 12, 14, 16
Saturday Matinees at 12.00pm
July 13
Aug 3
Running time
Approximately 2 hour and 40 minutes,
including two intervals
Performed in Italian with English
surtitles
Please note this production contains
depictions of violence, including
violence against women, murder and
suicide.
Tosca is an Opera North production.
Bookings
Adult tickets from $79 (fees may apply)
Opera Australia Box Office
(02) 9318 8200
Joan Sutherland Theatre,
Sydney Opera House
