Tosca

I adore opera and classical music, and Tosca has been a favourite of mine since forever. So I was interested in seeing this version, despite hearing some very mixed reviews on it. And while it wasn't perfect, it was interesting and fairly impressive. Is it the best Tosca I've seen, performed on stage or on location? No, not for me. I do prefer the 1992 and 1976 versions, both were wonderful in my view.

Where the 2001 version scores is in its filming, which is really quite unique. There are a lot of interesting camera angles, especially in the climax, and the lighting just adds to the atmosphere. The costumes are just beautiful, especially Tosca's dress in Act 3, and the sets and locations are superb. And I was fine with the black and white, this is better when it is in colour but it was a point of interest in a way. The direction is credible enough, while the conducting and the orchestra are top notch.

I can't mention Tosca without mentioning the music. As fond as I am of La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut and Turandot, I personally think Tosca is Puccini's magnum opus. For me, it is certainly his darkest and most complex, and Scarpia if done right is likely to live in the mind for a long while after. I cannot watch any filmed version of Tosca, without watching the "te deum" over and over, it is such a beautiful, stirring and powerful piece of music that does move the story forward. I can also watch the whole of Act 2 again and again, so much happens musically and story-wise and it is just amazing for the ears and the senses.

The story is both dark and tragic yet always compelling. The three main characters of the opera are to me among the best in opera history. There's the passionate and beautiful Floria Tosca, the poignant Caveradossi and then the truly snake-like and machiavellian Baron Scarpia, which is a very difficult role and perhaps the most complex of any "villain" in a Puccini opera, and all add a lot to the opera from its opening chords to the evocative climax.

The performances are fine in general. Spoletta and the Sacristan are good, and the chorus are very well-blended. Angela Gheorghiu is overall wonderful as Tosca, her acting mayn't be the best of the Toscas I've seen but she does have her moments such as in Scarpia's death scene, but when it comes to the look and the voice she is far more impressive. She looks very passionate and beautiful and she does show good chemistry with Alagna and Raimondi, while vocally she gives one of her better performances.

Not to say that he was bad, but Roberto Alagna was one of my two or three disappointments with this version. He looks dashing, and he does sing beautifully particularly in Recondita Armonia (though I agree the ambiance doesn't really do him much service) but his acting does come across as rather cold. Consequently Caveradossi doesn't quite come across as poignant enough which was a little disappointing.

I totally concur though about those who praise Ruggero Raimondi. He is absolutely magnificent as Scarpia. He has a great, quite powerful voice, and acting wise, he is by far the best of the principles. I did notice some traits he put here were similar to those he used in Joseph Losey's Don Giovanni, one minute Scarpia is quite charming, next he is really quite menacing and I admit, I got goosebumps just watching him especially in the "te deum" and when he tells Tosca to give herself to him. In fact, Raimondi is up there as one of my favourite Scarpias, up there with Tito Gobbi and Sherrill Milnes(different but I am quite fond of him).

Other than some of the ambiance and Alagna's acting, my only other disappointment was the lip-synching which was rather inconsistent. Overall though, it was interesting and I quite liked it. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox

Although many may dislike this film and its direction, I found that I was really moved and excited by it. I can see how certain aspects of this film may not be to everybody's taste(for example the dodgy outside scenes and the black and white orchestra footage)but to be honest, what does it matter when you have a singer with as beautiful a voice as Angela Gheorghiu! Roberto Alagna's Cavaradossi was a bit wet and pathetic but that could just have been the part. However, Ruggero Raimondi was a truly frightening Scarpia and even when filmed in the recording studio you can see the fire and anger which, in my opinion, is a such a key part of Scarpia's personality. I thought the direction was simple but quite effective at times. I really disliked the outside footage because i felt it wasn't really necessary although it could be a device used to show the seedy side of the situation the characters are in. I found that the close-ups gave you the opportunity to see deep into the personalities of the characters in a way that you can't in an opera house due to the distance between stage and audience. To compare it with another, I have seen parts of Franco Zeffirelli's Tosca staged at ROH in the 60s starring Maria Callas and Tito Gobbi and i can say without doubt that although Callas may have been an exceptional performer, her voice is nothing compared with Angela Gheorghiu-so please, please watch it to have the opportunity to hear the most beautiful voice in the world!

She was the main motif to see this adaptation. Andit is a profound beautiful Tosca, first, for the fine way to translate the emotion and the drama in a sensual, seductive, provocative manner. More than an admirable show, a fine demonstration of the art and wise use of the generosity of a great opera. Not less, one of splendid performances of Angela Gheorghiu.

Many people seem to hate the style this film took - blending the black and white behind-the-scenes shots of the actors and actresses recording, along with the casually-dressed orchestra itself - in with the gorgeous sets the actual "production" takes place on, but I myself loved it. It took a completely different aspect on my favorite opera and made it more down-to-earth. However, the grainy outside footage was horrendous, and the only thing I have to complain on about this movie.

Angela Gheorghiu's singing was absolutely top-notch, as was a fantastically evil Scarpia. All the singers played their parts marvelously, and led to a very believable performance "on stage." This is personally my favorite production of Tosca, and with the movie's direction, led to a beautiful behind-the-scenes view of the faces behind the faces that work together to create an opera's production itself! Highly recommended from me.

A superb cast singing gloriously is compromised by odd and arbitrary aspects of presentation in this film, but memory edits out the nonsense and one is left with the first-class acting and singing in the highly traditional and engaging body of the work. Interestingly, the weakness of Cavaradossi as a character, which is a recognised problem with Puccini's wonderful melodrama,. comes across particularly clearly in this production, while the contrasting strength of Tosca and Scarpia--power versus love, one might say, is outstanding.

A minor moan--no Catholic woman would have gone into a church with uncovered hair in the 19th century--and no Papal policeman would go in with his hat on! But this director has the cultural equivalent of a tin ear.