Tosca, Covent Garden, review: 'big voices are back'

The vocal firepower of Bryn Terfel and Sondra Radvanovsky boosts a fine revival of Tosca, says John Allison

By John Allison 18 June 2014 • 1:33pm

Bryn Terfel stars as Scarpia in the Royal Opera House production of Puccini's Tosca Credit: Photo: Catherine Ashmore

Anyone still worried about where all the big voices have gone should hurry down to Covent Garden for the latest line-up in Tosca. At least where two of the three principal roles are concerned, the vocal firepower on display supplies not only decibels in all the right places but old-fashioned operatic thrills.

With these ingredients sorted, Jonathan Kent’s lavishly naturalistic production – designed to accommodate a parade of passing stars – comes into its own as a powerful frame for Puccini’s action.

Singing her first Tosca at the Royal Opera House, Sondra Radvanovsky shows why the title role has become one of her calling cards. Indeed, she must be today’s leading exponent of Tosca, with vocal power, exciting attack and dark tone – and all come packaged together in a “Vissi d’arte” that also allows her to show some subtle musicality. But it is not only on musical grounds that the role seems to fit her like a glove: Radvanovsky possesses plenty of temperament as the jealous diva.

As Scarpia, Bryn Terfel exudes snarling star power and shows that he understands exactly how Puccini works in manipulating the audience. His portrayal of the evil chief of police may come close to scenery-chewing caricature, yet it is gripping in this context and his bass-baritone is sumptuously strong.

Scarpia’s bloody dispatch at the end of Act 2 inevitably makes the final act a little less exciting, especially as it puts the spotlight on Riccardo Massi’s Cavaradossi, outclassed by his colleagues all evening. His warm, smooth tone does the job, but his puppyish acting is hardly that of a politically fired painter.

It must be a daunting Covent Garden debut: Plácido Domingo, himself once a great Cavaradossi, is in the pit, with conducting that is always considerate of his singers yet alert to Puccini’s dramatic architecture.

This performance celebrated the recent 90th birthday of Sir John Tooley, the former ROH general director who was already working in the house when it mounted its famous previous production for Maria Callas in 1964. One assumes he was pleased: revivals on this level are proof the house is in good health.

To June 26; roh.org.uk 020 7304 4000