Puccini - Tosca / Kabaivanska, Domingo, Milnes, Luccardi, Mariotti, Bartoletti

Puccini - Tosca / Kabaivanska, Domingo, Milnes, Luccardi, Mariotti, Bartoletti | Raina Kabaivanska, Plácido Domingo | OUTSTANDING!

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Puccini - Tosca / ...

	Puccini - Tosca / Kabaivanska, Domingo, Milnes, Luccardi, Mariotti, Bartoletti Raina Kabaivanska, Plácido Domingo Deutsche Grammophon, 2005 average customer review:based on 25 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Opera is an inherently theatrical medium that does not lend itself readily to the realism of film treatment. The shining exception is Puccini's Tosca, an action-packed melodrama that unfolds in three taut and gripping acts like the meatiest of Hollywood films noir. And unlike most operas, these three acts are set in three very specific Roman locales. Thus this 1976 film takes place in the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle (Act 1), the Palazzo Farnese (Act 2), and the Castel Sant'Angelo (Act 3). The evocative settings, however, would be mere window-dressing if the cast wasn't just right. Fortunately Plácido Domingo is at his virile peak in the heroic tenor role of Cavaradossi; Raina Kabaivanska is a sultry, vocally beautiful Tosca; and a more infamous and domineering Scarpia than that of Sherrill Milnes can hardly be imagined. Bruno Bartoletti and the New Philharmonia Orchestra give lustily dramatic support. Here the music and vocals are prerecorded and the singers mime to the playback. Occasionally the result is a little unnatural, but overall the cast members are good enough actors to bring off the conceit even in the close-ups. It all pays off triumphantly with the gripping realism of the rooftop finale, the one place where film can improve on stage. With the authenticity of the settings assured and such distinguished leads singing so well, this is an almost ideal filmed Tosca. --Mark Walker

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Real drama!

In this production, the villians are really villians, the lovers oh so much in love and the real settings amplify the drama. The performances are outstanding and the direction subtle or in your face as and when it needs to be. I am marginally disappointed with the quality of the sound but prehaps I need to explore some settings on my system.

OUTSTANDING!

This is the best "Tosca" in movie. Actually, the other video recordings available are of lesser quality, v.g., that insipid movie with the "satin doll" Gheorgiu and her anodyne and boring screamer-husband. There is also a Corelli's "Tosca", which is not problematic because of the singer, but because they substituted (I think for aesthetic reasons) La Caniglia for an actress, for she was old and fat at that time (end of her career).
Well, this is a wonderful, really amazing movie. Kabaivanska is just fantastic, deliverying powerful drama from the beginning to the end. Domingo is an excelent, totally convincing Cavaradossi, and his singing send chills down the spine...
Milnes is a great surprise, for I was not very fond of his somewhat "barking" sounds. However, judging for this recording, I have to say that he is dramatically and technically convincing.
Well, the rest of the cast is very good as well, the Sacrestano is a very good singer.
Buy it! You will not regret.

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A virtually perfect Tosca, no doubt about it.

Puccini's reputation as a verismo composer is based primarily on La Boheme - a wonderful opera, but neither typical nor his best. His last opera was Turandot, and there's nothing of verismo about it - a grand, grand opera, a fairytale opera, an opera of princesses and princes. Sometimes I lean toward considering Turandot Puccini's best.

However, most of the time I can't overcome the notion that Tosca was the best thing he ever wrote. As a drama the opera's concision magnifies its dramatic punch - or perhaps its powerful drama makes it seem shorter than it really is. This performance is less than 2 hours long and holds the viewer on the edge of his or her seat even if she or he is thoroughly familiar with it. Puccini's music shines in its brilliance like a nearby nova. His 4-note descending leitmotiv for Scarpia and his villainy is among the best such theme written ... if not the best. The short theme which introduces and ends Act I is also a marvel of revelatory concision. Tosca's libretto is one of the best constructed in opera. Each act moves naturally to its own climax, each climax more poignant than the one previous.

If Tosca were not such a well-known opera, it might be worthwhile to rehearse the plot here. As it is, plenty of reviews go through it and of course nowadays there's Wikipedia to provide as much information as one might wish.

This production of Tosca is as close to perfect as we're likely to get. To begin with, and most particularly, it's filmed in the exact locations in Rome specified by the libretto. The grandeur of these settings, particularly in Act I, magnifies the effect of the performance.

Secondly, the principal roles are portrayed by 3 outstanding singing actors. I've never encountered Rania Kabaivanska before, but her portrayal of Tosca is outstanding. Her passions are utterly convincing and her beauty is exactly the sort that would inflame Scarpia's heart (or whatever he has in the center of his chest). Her expressions and demeanor are always totally appropriate to her words and her situation. Her voice may not be considered ravishing, but it's clear and musical in all registers. She's completely believable as an Italian diva of old Italy (except perhaps several stone lighter). Play her performance of "Vissi d'arte" a few time. It's glorious. She follows the modern style of doing it on the floor, but only on her knees and not sprawled out. The performance itself evokes nothing so much as the great Maria Callas, her voice ringing and yet somehow showing her sense of strain.

One has only to see and hear Plácido Domingo in any role to become convinced he is its most effective avatar. Here he is Cavaradossi down to his heels. His voice is a clear, ringing instrument - and hardly any modern tenor (save perhaps Alfredo Kraus) could match him for effective acting and stage presence.

Sherrill Milnes is, always has been, the quintessential Scarpia. His facial expressions are chilling ... watch him particularly at the end of Act I, during his monologue beginning "Go, Tosca!" and ending, "Tosca, you make me forget god!" The lasciviousness, the cunning, the malice of the man are palpable.

A 3-star review on this site complains of poor mixing in this recording, making the orchestra tend to drown out the singers. I don't hear that on my version. Perhaps it has been re-mixed along the way - although I can recall one instance of the brass being a little over-raucous and treading on Domingo's toes.

Tosca is one of the 10 greatest operas ever written (see my list on Amazon). This performance is the best, or one of the very best, on DVD. You can hardly afford not to get it, particularly as the price is the lowest around for a complete performance of a full opera. I should note that the photography sometimes looks just the tiniest bit fuzzy. But don't miss it, even if you only get it as a rental.

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Wonderful

All principals are top-notch, wonderful singers and actors. The settings are gorgeous and authentic.
Great opera film!
Highly recommended!

Beautiful performance

If you don't mind a movie version of an opera, then this is a great production to enjoy. It takes place in the actual spots designated in the libretto and is very realistic even though the characters are singing instead of speaking. The costumes are beautiful and very authentic. The singers were all in their prime physically and vocally and give powerful performances. Since it was edited, there are no intermissions which gives the opera a strong build-up to the final scene. I certainly was caught up in the intrigue even though I've seen the opera many times.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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