1/ Shirley Verrett began, and sang most of her career, as a mezzo, yet her performance here is quite good. I never tire of recalling how much-hyped critic Joseph Kerman dismissed TOSCA as a "shabby little shocker" and saying "Neener neener." It's a fan favorite, never out of the
https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1415430987119570949
2/ Met's rep for more than a season at a time. It's a triumph of "opulism" (opera + populism) over elites and effetes. Looch serves up the faggioli as Cavaradossi, and Cornell MacNeil offers a Scarpia that's a mighty good down payment on the ones he offered later, in Zeff's
3/ production, at an even higher level. Scarpia is the villain we all love to hate, but know what? I've talked to a few baritones and bass-baritones who have played him and asked: "'Tosca, mi fai dementicare Iddio" ['Tosca, you make me forget God'] - sincere, or ironic?" With no
4/ exceptions, they say "Oh, sincere!" A seductive character seducing those who play him? Maybe: that happens with the Duke in RIGOLETTO (tenors all think "Parmi veder" is sincere), so yes, that happens. In this case?
5/ This production was directed by Tito Gobbi, the greatest Scarpia. Was going to add “of the 20thc,” but TOSCA hasn’t yet had much more, having premiered in 1900 at the centenary of the events it’s based on.
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