Mikheil Sheshaberidze / Atsiliepimai

A much loved classic, Tosca, a masterpiece by Giacomo Puccini, returns to the Teatro Verdi in Trieste, on stage from 4 March, with a new staging, which opened the 2022 Opera Season at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. Direction, sets and costumes are by Hugo de Ana . Maestro Concertatore and Conductor Christopher Franklin . Lights by Valerio Alfieri . Choir Master Paolo Longo. Orchestra, Chorus and Technicians of the Giuseppe Verdi Opera Theater Foundation of Trieste. With the participation of "I Piccoli cantori della Città di Trieste" , directed by Maestro Cristina Semeraro. Set up by the Teatro Comunale di Bologna Foundation. Tickets office , open from Tuesday to Saturday from 9 to 16, and on evening show days from 9 to 13 and from 18 to 21. Sunday from 10 to 13, and on evening show days also from 15 to 16. Closed on Mondays. Special promotions in effect for those who purchase the booklet that includes Tosca and the next two works on the bill, Don Pasquale and Rigoletto. Discounts are also always active for young people , for the under 30 bracket and for the public between 30 and 34 years old. The work was presented this morning during a press conference at the Verdi Ridotto, in the presence of the Superintendent Giuliano Polo , the artistic director Paolo Rodda, together with Hugo de Ana, Christopher Franklin and part of the cast. Hugo de Hana began his studies in Buenos Aires at the Higher Institute of Art of the Colón Theater and at the Higher School of Art "Ernesto della Carcova", graduating as a professor of visual arts and then as a set and costume designer for cinema and theater. In Argentina, Chile and Brazil he has staged more than sixty titles, receiving numerous awards for his productions of him. Since 1990 he has collaborated with important Italian and European theaters. Among the prizes obtained the International Opera Award, the Como Città della Musica Prize, the La Chioma di Berenice International Prize, the Giovanni Zenatello Opera Prize. He has been awarded the prestigious Abbiati Prize of Italian critics several times. His latest engagements include Jerusalem at the Verdi Festival in Parma, La fanciulla del West at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples and ABAO Bilbao, La sonnambula at the Royal Opera House in Muscat (Oman), Aida at the Teatro Real in Madrid, Carmen, Tosca and Barbiere di Siviglia at the Verona Arena, La Traviata and La Bohème at the Petruzzelli Theater in Bari. opera Bianca and Fernando by Vincenzo Bellini, at the Rossini Opera Festival with a new staging of Le Comte Ory and will rearrange Ernani at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome. Christopher Franklin , born in San Francisco, currently lives in Lucca and has long collaborated with the Teatro Verdi in Trieste where he has directed many titles. It was in Italy that he began his artistic career, in the main opera houses and festivals. He has conducted orchestras and tours in many concert halls in Italy and abroad. In addition to Verdi, recent seasons have seen his return to the San Francisco Opera, the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, the Teatro Liceu in Barcelona, ​​the Minnesota Opera, the Teatro Comunale in Bologna, the Sferisterio in Macerata and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. Floria Tosca will be played by Maria José Siri (4, 6, 8 / III) and Kristina Kolar (5, 10, 12 / III), Mario Cavaradossi will be Mikheil Sheshaberidze (4, 6, 8, 10 / III) and Raffaele Abete ( 5, 12 / III). Baron Scarpia will be Alfredo Daza (4, 6, 8, 10 / III) and Stefano Meo (5, 12 / III). Cesare Angelotti will have the voice of Cristian Saitta , the sexton will be Dario Giorgelè , and then Spoletta will be Motoharu Takei , Sciarrone Min Kim , a jailer Giuliano Pelizon and a shepherd will be Isabella Bisacchi and Maria Vittoria Capaldo .

The orchestra played at its best, with good and polished sound and with contagious enthusiasm for the first time in the season. Even if Ivor Bolton gave a vivid rendition of the score, with quick tempi and vibrant accent, he did not find the unclassifiable tone that the score requires (he cannot be too harshly blamed, though). He rightly underlined the comic traits with a joyous touch of operetta and saturating sound in the tutti, favouring volume over contrast and colour. The chorus suffered a bit from the loud pit but sounded fine in the carnival scenes.A more attractive cast would have raised the stakes of the performance, but no singer seemed willing (or able) to take the lead. Manuela Uhl is a fine singer with a powerful lyric soprano that makes her perfect for Wagner's “blonde heroines". Isabella.Christopher Maltman was brilliant as the awkward villain, Friedrich. He is a great actor and was the only one who offered an original and genuinely comic performance. Vocally, his lyric baritone lacked authority and even timbre, but he gave an overall good rendition. Bass Ante Jerkunica, an interesting voice, made the most of his funny judgement scene. Ilker Arcayürek was overwhelmed by the otherwise reasonable requirements of the beautifully written role of Claudio, and even lost his voice during the final duo with Isabella. The other tenor, of a very similar vocality, Peter Lodahl, had better fortune as Luzio.