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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Va, Tosca!

So. Tosca…

It was incredible. Hope you didn’t miss it.

I’m still star struck from the performance. Between the unearthly talent, the wonderful orchestra, and the unbelievable set design (I seriously felt like I was in Rome guys…especially in the 3rd act), I really don’t know where to begin.

So, I’ll just break it down for you:

The Plot: This whole video is funny, but to see the bit on Tosca, click here.


The Main Players:

Floria Tosca, played by the lovely Jill Gardner.  Mrs. Gardner was such a gem. She played up Tosca’s diva side so well, and added much needed moments of laughter. In a story so dark, it was nice to see some humor. The fact that she is not only a fantastic soprano, but also an amazing actress, made her performance one to remember.

Mario Cavaradossi, played by Diego Torre. Ah, romantic! Mr. Torre was so full of passion. “E lucevan le stelle” was absolutely arresting with its beauty. Rebellious, and full of love for the woman of his dreams, you cannot help but to feel for Cavaradossi as he approaches his cruel fate at the end.

Baron Scarpia, played by Bradley Garvin. Mr.Garvin: what a deliciously evil treat. When Scarpia made his first entrance in the church, it was striking (and so full of doom and gooey evil). His presence was imposing, only emphasized by his strong vocal abilities, stature, shiny boots, and all black fascist uniform. He, too, combined his vocal prowess with a natural acting ability, making the character so diabolical and lecherous that you could not wait to see him get his just desserts. I think we are going to see Mr. Garvin go places. Incredible!


The Place: Rome

A church, a fascist office (apparently they package them with torture chambers as well), and the Castel Sant’Angelo (which included an EXACT replica of the statue of Archangel Michael) were our specific locations.

Ladies, gentlemen …I’m not kidding: I felt like I was in Rome the entire time. The careful detail to every set piece was unbelievable, and how they seamlessly made transitions between acts was remarkable.

Fantastic acting? Check.

Glorious singing? Check.

Villains you love to hate? Check.

Suck-you-into-another-world set? Check.

Your tickets? You better get hope you can get some to the remainder of the season, because this stunning production of Tosca closed last night!

- Jessica Trainor, Boston College

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