Opera North’s Tosca live at the Lowry Theatre

Reviewed by Lucy Gwilliam

Tosca is one of my favourite all time operas. This is actually the second time I have watched this version of the Puccini classic, the first being in 2018 when Opera North visited the Lowry with their adaptation. I loved it the first time and was very excited to see it return.

I had brought along a friend who had never been to the opera before and I thought this would be the perfect performance to give her an insight into the world of opera. I’m a huge opera fan and was lucky enough to be brought up in a home that played opera music on the weekends and one of my earliest memories is watching my mum sing along to operas being shown on TV. She was also brought up in a home that loved opera so I think it’s ingrained into us both.

I was quite nervous that my friend wouldn’t like the show as I’ve spoken to others that have found opera to be slow (I don’t agree with this one bit) but I did feel that she would enjoy it as Tosca is such a gripping and passionate story that how could you be bored? Even though I have seen this performance before 4 1/2 years previously, I was on the edge of my seat watching every twist and turn.

The story sees renowned singer Floria Tosca and artist Mario Cavaradossi lives flipped upside down when an escaped political prisoner turns up at the church where Cavaradossi is painting the Mary Magdalene. The prisoner is running from Baron Scarpia, who is the perfect villain in this story, and is helped by Caravadossi, who lets him hide in the garden of his house and leads him there. Scarpia knows Caravadossi is helping the prisoner, so has him arrested and will only allow his release if Tosca has sex with him. There is so much passion in this story that it is truly captivating.

The music is an emotional rollercoaster with such powerful performances from all the cast to compliment an amazing orchestra playing Puccini’s amazing work.

The set is mesmerising and their use of the golden dome which holds the painting of Mary Magdalene throughout the whole show in different spaces is spectacular. It is then used in the final tragic scene and highlighted to show a full sky of stars.

Tosca is a piece of political work which is set to span over a period of 16 hours. Which includes the escape of a political
prisoner, a torture scene, an attempted rape, a murder, an execution, two suicides. There is so much going on all in the space of the 2 1/3 hour long show (which includes 2 x 20 minute intervals).

I asked my friend at the end of the show what she thought and her words were “absolutely amazing! I can’t believe how good that was… I’m hooked now. When can we go next?” That really made me happy and I too enjoyed it this month. We would rate it 5/5.

Runtime Act 1: 46 mins
Interval: 20 mins
Act 2: 42 mins
Interval: 20 mins
Act 3: 26 mins

Tickets start at £46.50 and can be purchased here.