How Tosca missed that and was still surprised is a reasonable question, but her horror was gripping, nonetheless.įrom the beautifully appointed set, costumes and light from the team of David Gordon, Howard Tsvi Kaplan, Ken Yunker, and Kellen Eason, to DeRenzi’s musical direction of the accomplished orchestra and chorus, this was a highly effective production and worth every effort to experience. Having seen this Tosca in 2015 more details jumped out such as the more realistic body jerks of a dying man. Stage director Stephanie Sundine brings deep experience to this production, and it shows.
There strength is not in the chemistry, but Toomey and Gulley hit their marks well with the execution and death of Mario. Superb lighting and set gave us a gradual dawn’s light through one last duet where Tosca coaches Mario on the mock execution that Scarpia had promised her. Believing the firing squad will end his life, Mario pens a last letter to Tosca singing the second big hit of this opera, “E lucevan le stelle” (And the Stars Shone).
The final act, set on the parapet of the Roman Castel Sant’Angelo with stars sparkling in the pre-dawn sky, is slowly paced, leaving us to wait again for the tightly twisted ending. If only Mario’s tortured screams had been as realistic as Scarpia’s jolting death spasms. Scarpia’s death was realistic drama, true verismo. Although she submitted to Scarpia’s demand in order to save Mario, Toomey was a fierce Tosca delivering that final knife thrust when she had her chance.
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