TOSCA (PUCCINI)
LIVE BROADCAST
TEATRO CARLO FELICE,
GENOVA,
Italy
THURSDAY 10TH JUNE 7.30PM
AT SGC DUNGARVAN
NOW BOOKING
www.sgcdungarvan.net

This production from the historic Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova, Italy, stars the opera world’s power couple, Daniela Dessì and Fabio Armiliato, as lovers Tosca and Cavaradossi. A tragic tale of doomed love interlaced with the age-old themes of jealousy, lust and intrigue, has ensured Tosca its place in the top ten of opera favourites.

Opera in 3 acts
Sung in Italian with English subtitles
Running Time to be confirmed

Music Giacomo Puccini

Libretto Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica based on the play by Victorien Saradou

Production

Orchestra director……………..Jari Hämäläinen
Direction…………………………Renzo Giacchieri
Sets and Costumes…………….Adolf Hohenstein

Reconstructed by Maurizio Varamo and Anna Biagiotti

Cast

Tosca……………………………..Daniela Dessì
Cavaradossi………………………Fabio Armiliato
Scarpia……………………………Claudio Sgura
Angelotti………………………….Enrico Iori
Sagrestano……………………….Armando Gabba
Spoletta…………………………..Mario Bolognesi
Sciarrone………………………….Angelo Nardinocchi

Plot Synopsis

Act I
Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, takes refuge in the church where his sister, the Marchesa Attavanti has left him some clothes hidden in the family chapel. Cavaradossi, a painter, is working in the church on a painting of the Madonna. The sacristan points out its resemblance to the stranger who is often in the church (in fact Marchese Attavanti). When Cavaradossi is alone, Angelotti comes out of his hiding place, recognising the painter as an old friend and Republican sympathiser. Tosca, a famous opera singer and Cavardossi’s mistress, is heard arriving and Angelotti hides again. Tosca is suspicious of the whispers she heard when she entered the church and thinks Cavaradossi is deceiving her when he swears he was alone. Finally, he manages to reassure her with a promise of a meeting that night at his villa. She is leaving when she recognises the Marchesa Attavanti in the painting and she becomes jealous again, but is pacified and insists the Madonna’s eyes are altered to match her own.
Meanwhile, Angelotti’s escape has been discovered and a cannon is is fired to raise the alarm. Cavaradossi decides to hide him in his villa outside the city and the two of them leave. The sacristan returns with the news of Napoleon’s defeat. The church fills up for a Te Deum to be sung in thanks. Scarpia, chief of police, enters the church. The discovery of a fan belonging to the Marchese Attavanti and Cavardossi’s disappearance, as pointed out by the sacristan, persuade Scarpia that the painter Is implicated in the escape. Tosca returns to alter the evening’s arrangements and is surprised to find Cavaradossi has gone. Scarpia suggests that the Marchesa’s fan may explain his absence. Tosca, furious, leaves for Cavardossi’s villa, not noticing that she is being followed by Spoletta, one of Scarpia’s agents. During the Te Deum, Scarpia makes his plan – to send Cavaradossi to the gallows and make Tosca his own.

Act II
Scarpia is eating supper and through the open window can be heard sounds of a concert in which Tosca is taking part. Cavaradossi is brought in, having been arrested by Spoletta. He denies that he is hiding Angelotti. Tosca enters, alarmed by the contents of a note she has received from Scarpia. Cavaradossi hardly has time to tell her to keep silent before he is led into the next room and tortured. Unable to stand his screams, she breaks down and reveals Angelotti’s hiding place. Cavaradossi’s outburst of anger at her betrayal is interrupted by news of Napoleon’s unexpected victory at Marengo. His hymn to liberty ensures his execution and he is led away under guard. Tosca prays and begs Scarpia to spare him; she is prepared to pay any price for his life. Spoletta returns to report that Angelotti has committed suicide, and when Scarpia demands that Tosca becomes his mistress is she wishes to save Cavaradossi, she agrees. Scarpia then appears to order a mock excecution for Cavaradossi and signs a safe-conduct for Tosca and Cavaradossi. When he turns to embrace her however, Tosca stabs him with a knife. She takes the safe-conduct and escapes.

Act III
At dawn Cavaradossi is brought from his cell. His last thoughts are for Tosca. She appears unexpectedly and tells him that it will only be a mock execution. They think of their future happiness together. The firing squad arrives and Tosca tells her lover to fall down as if dead. The shots are fired. Tosca runs over to the body only to find that Cavaradossi is dead. Scarpia’s murder has been discovered and Spoletta arrives to arrest Tosca. Crying ‘Oh Scarpia, avanti a Dio!’ (Scarpia, we will meet before God’), Tosca kills herself.

PIKOVAYA DAMA
GRAN TEATRE DEL LICEU, BARCELONA
THURSDAY 1ST JULY @ 7PM
AT MAYO MOVIE WORLD
NOW BOOKING
www.mayomovieworld.net

Pikovaya Dama (The Queen of Spades) by Tchaikovsky is the tragic story of a compulsive gambler whose passion drives him to sacrifice his love, to commit murder and ultimately to die. It is one of several great Russian operas based on the works of Pushkin and was adapted by Modest Tchaikovsky, the composer’s brother and close collaborator. Set in 18th century St. Petersburg, this production from the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona is directed by Gilbert Deflo with set and costume design by William Orlandi. It stars Emily Magee as Lisa and Ben Heppner as Guermann, with Michael Boder as Musical Director.

Sung in Russian with English subtitles

Music
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Cast
Lisa……………………………………..Emily Magee
Guermann………………………………Ben Heppner
Tomsky/Zlatogor………………………Lado Ataneli
Prince Yeletsky………………………..Ludovic Tézier
The Countess………………………….Ewa Podlés
Pauline………………………………….Elena Zaremb
Chekalinsky…………………………….Francisco Vas
Tsurin…………………………………..Alberto Feria
Chaplitsky……………………………..Mihail Vekua
Narumov……………………………….Kurt Gysen
The Governess………………………..Stefania Toczyska
Masha………………………………….Claudia Schneider
The Master of Ceremonies…………..Jon Plazaola
Prilepa………………………………….Michelle Marie Cook

Plot Synopsis
Gherman, a soldier, falls in love with the wealthy Lisa, who is already engaged to Prince Yeletsky. Lisa confesses to Gherman that she is actually in love with him and not her betrothed. Gherman’s friends tell him that Lisa’s grandmother knows a card trick that makes her win every time, thus her nickname, “The Queen of Spades.” Gherman becomes obsessed with learning the secret, convinced that once he discovers it, it will solve all his problems. When Gherman tries to intimidate the old woman into revealing her secret, she dies of fright. Lisa sends Gherman away, distraught.

Alone in a wintery cabin, the ghost of Lisa’s grandmother appears to Gherman and reveals the card trick. Gherman rushes to meet Lisa by the banks of a frozen river, but it soon becomes apparent that he has gone mad. After he abandons her, Lisa realizes that all hope is lost and throws herself into the icy river. Gherman goes to the army barracks and joins a game of cards, using the secret that the apparition of the Queen of Spades taught him. It was a trick, however, and Gherman ends up losing everything—all his money and the love of his life. He kills himself, asking for forgiveness.