Tosca Becomes of Age
ELIZABETH ALLEN
With its series Becoming – the first, Becoming Carmen, followed last year by Becoming Tosca – Prologue Opera, describing itself as “part theatre, part opera company”, has set itself a particularly strong challenge. The productions follow a particular structure with an opening section, ‘Becoming’, where a back story for each of the major characters is offered. This is followed by a move into the events and music of the original opera. The concept demands sensitivity and talent for its delivery. Can the additional music stand up to its juxtaposition with Puccini’s grand arias? Can the new history add to our understanding of the characters and their tragic fates?
The recent production of Becoming Tosca, played at The Stables, suggests that the answer to both questions is a positive one. The music of Becoming works by giving not a Puccini pastiche but the deployment of music new and traditional. Original parts of the score, including the scene-setting I Remember Sundays, are composed by Frank Moon, who has also written orchestral scores for the Royal Ballet, Shakespeare’s Globe and a number of international companies. The atmosphere of a South American barrio, the setting of the backstories, is created by pieces written by the French-Argentinian composer Carlos Gardel. New to this year’s production is also Shadowmen, an Argentinian chamamé, with lyrics by Christopher Cowell, author of this English translation of the libretto. The lyrics of Shadowmen are crucial to the concept of ‘becoming’, as we hear the motivation of the assassin Spoletta, desperate to emerge from the shadows into recognition and significance.
Above all, it is the quality of the singing and musical accompaniment that ensures the success of this production. Berrak Dyer (also musical director of this revival) puts in a terrific performance as pianist and conductor while Boyan Ivanov, principal clarinet with Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra, also joins in the dramatic action.
Anna Sideris is a dramatic and lyrical Floria Tosca. Her stunning voice and dramatic talent give a convincing representation of the choir girl who becomes a diva. The production’s director, Anthony Flaum, is an engaging romantic lead and his rendering of the great aria, The Stars are Brightly Shining,a moving one. The powerful voices of the villains – the Scarpia of Brendan Collins and Jonathan Cooke’s Spoletta – are accompanied by strong stage presences, while Harry Gentry’s Angelotti, singing the Internationale to raise the downtrodden to the fight, evokes our protectiveness for his naivety. He will not survive, no-one can survive: Tosca ends with a stage even more corpse-strewn than Hamlet.
Becoming Tosca played at The Stables, Hastings, on 26-27 August
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. You can also support local journalism by becoming a friend of HIP. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.
Leave a Reply