Customer Reviews

Puccini: Tosca

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have never known a recording of a standard opera to have so much anticipation. Let's face it, this trio (Pappano, Alagna and Gheorghiu) have already stamped their mark on the Puccini canon with their recordings of "Trittico", "Boheme" and "La Rondine" and all have received rave reviews. So when this illustrious trio let it be known that "Tosca" was next on the agenda, you can imagine the buzz.
For many, it has been nearly 40 years since a "classic" recording of this work has been recorded (The Karajan/Price set). Some go even further back to the mono years of Callas. While I certainly don't deny the validity of either of these recordings there are faults on both. Callas' first act is unclear and garbled, whilst Di Stefano seems to be merely singing his notes. However, the dramatic impact of the work as a whole is great. Karajan's set has a better Tosca (Leontyne Price), and Di Stefano actually feeds off her much better than his earlier partner. Also the Scarpia of Taddei is amazing (especially his Act 2). Of course, Karajan himself provides the most dramatic reading around.
So how does this set compare with either of these? The simple answer is- very easily. Where this set surpasses the others is the depth of characterisation, especially of Cavaradossi. Too many tenors portray him as a character with a couple good songs and not much else. Alagna fleshes out the character, inflicting him with a humanity rarely heard on record. His Act 3 Cavaradossi is petrified of his fate long before he hits the final note of his aria. In fact, it's there right from the start. When he realises he is free you can almost see the wave of relief wash over him. Alagna's may not be the most perfect of performances but it is one that is far more realistic than many others.
Ruggero Raimondi has a long history with Scarpia and his is a cold, calculating personification. Where as Taddei had a viciousness about his singing, Raimondi shows that Scarpia is as flawed as the next man. His entrance in Act 1 is electrifying (although I must say that Taddei's death scene is much more gory- you can almost hear the blood coming from his mouth!).
Then there is Gheorghiu. With the weight of a thousand predecessors on her shoulders, she tackles this role with a force all her own. Like Alagna, there is a real sense of character here. I agree with previous reviews on this page citing her "Muori" in Act 2 as a highlight. Real venom in those words. Her strength lies not in her aria (beautifully sung, but not as mesmerising as Price) but the surrounding matter. She has a real chemistry with Alagna (no surprises there) and the love element shines through. Also her hatred of Scarpia is equally obvious.
Pappano's conducting is tight but lacks just the final edge of drama that Karajan has (his final tempi for Acts 1 and 3 are a shade too fast) but keeps the whole process moving along well. The chorus and supporting cast are excellent as well. Ignore comments about the Covent Garden orchestra being below par, they aren't. They play this score as well as any other major orchestra.
Final kudos must go to the producer for actually having the cannon in Act 1 in the distance as it is supposed to be, and not blowing out the back wall of your bedroom. The balance is excellent with a full and rich sound throughout.
This recording is well worth it, buy it alongside your Karajan (or Callas) recording. One "Tosca" is never enough!
Bravissimi!

A deservedly forgotten critic once dismissed `Tosca' as a `shabby little shocker'. If anything, the problem with the opera these days is that it almost never shocks. `Tosca' is so popular that it will sell out no matter who is in it, so opera house managements rarely bother to cast singers and conductors who are interesting, individual, or even particularly good. The wrenching, passionate `Tosca' on this new EMI recording (which serves as the soundtrack to the stunning Benoit Jacquot film of the opera) is the complete opposite of these average, by-the-numbers performances - a shocker in the very best sense of the word. In fact, I would go so far to say that this version almost surpasses even the nonpareil Callas/Di Stefano recording, except that version has the better Cavaradossi.

No other conductor today has anywhere near the affinity for Giacomo Puccini (and several other composers!) that Antonio Pappano does. His virtues are a superb rapport with his singers and players, perfectly judged pacing, attention to musical detail and subtlety, and most of all an astonishing sense of theatre. Indeed, with all due respect to the superb cast, I think Pappano is responsible for most of this recording's drama. Just listen to the way he ratchets up the tension in the torture scene to nail-biting levels or perfectly judges the buildup to Cavaradossi's execution and Tosca's discovery of his dead body. Or listen to the beautiful orchestral playing throughout, particularly at the end of Act II after 'Or gli perdono' and the beginning of Act III. Considering what Pappano and the ROH Orchestra have already achieved together, I think that under his musical directorship London is in for an operatic Golden Age!

Angela Gheorghiu is nothing less than a miracle. She has nearly all the dramatic intensity of Callas allied to, frankly, a far more beautiful voice. At least on record, the role of Tosca fits her voice like a glove. I'm beginning to think that there is very little that she cannot sing magnificently. In Gheorghiu's hands, `Vissi d'arte' becomes, as the late rabbi of my synagogue put it, the most eloquent statement of the dilemma of Job of the 20th Century. Her murder of Scarpia, with the chilling cry of 'Muori!', is jaw-dropping, and her guilt and grief over it equally obvious. Gheorghiu understands every nuance of Tosca's character, her fire, passion, jealousy, faith, love, vulnerability, and doubt, and her chemistry with both her co-stars, the angel she loves and the demon who terrifies her, is incredible. This is a magisterial portrayal worthy of even her greatest predecessors.

For sheer tonal beauty, Roberto Alagna has fierce competition from Jussi Bjorling, Giuseppe Di Stefano, and the young Luciano Pavarotti (among others) in this role, but few tenors today could sing Cavaradossi as well as he does. The problem is that he has lately been emphasizing the darker, rougher colors in his voice, and the recording process exaggerates this even further. Because Cavaradossi is under such pressure for much of the opera, most of the time this works very well dramatically. But `Recondita armonia' needs to be sweeter and more wistful than Alagna makes it, and I think even in the Act I love duet there are a few moments where he could be less ardent and more tender. Still, he has no problems with the big dramatic outbursts, (e.g. `Vittoria! Vittoria!'), and manages some beautiful quiet singing in both `E lucevan le stelle' and `O dolci mani'. His brief scene with the Jailer is also very affecting. Moreover, Alagna clearly portrays all three 'sides' of Cavaradossi - artist, lover, and revolutionary. I only hope that he continues to follow the example that he set at a recent concert at the Met, where he sang considerably heavier music than this - even the Improvviso from `Andrea Chenier' - sweetly, smoothly, and lyrically.

Ruggiero Raimondi is a genuinely terrifying Scarpia, probably the most so since Tito Gobbi. His entrance is almost as overwhelming, and his threat to turn Cavaradossi into a corpse before Tosca can get the Queen's pardon, here silkily whispered instead of bullied, sends chills up the spine. This Scarpia is clearly very comfortable with his dark side and matter-of-fact about his lusts, sinister and calculating, but a deeply flawed human being, not a mindless brute. Raimondi may be a bass-baritone instead of a true baritone, but he has no problems with any of the musical aspects of the role and he is in excellent voice for a man who was almost 60 when this was recorded.

Yet again Pappano has assembled an impressive supporting cast. The standouts are Enrico Fissore as a Sacristan who actually prays, not just recites, the Angelus, veteran British bass Gwynne Howell as an unusually sympathetic Jailer (probably the one decent person in Scarpia's administration), and David Cangelosi as a young, nasty, wolfishly eager Spoletta.

The documentation and presentation of this set is astounding. The `hardback book' with the CDs in the inside covers surrounding the 200 page libretto is not only gorgeous, but more ecologically sound than conventional CD boxes. The booklet pages recall the red silk of Tosca's cape and beautiful white marble, and are full of stills from the film. There is a fine essay on Puccini as librettist and interviews with the three singing stars and conductor. ...

While the Jacquot film is an essential experience and I recommend grabbing it the moment it comes out on DVD (probably next year), this CD is just as necessary. For one thing, the sound balances here are much more like what one would actually hear in the opera house, whereas in the film everything is 'upfront'. More to the point, this is one of the best recordings (if not THE best recording) that this opera has ever had, so why wait for the DVD to hear it?

If you compare old mono records with Callas from the past with this new Tosca its like comparing a Ferrari from 1950 with a Ferrari from last season (2001) and even if old cars could be beuties to look at they dont have the same quality. This disc has this matafor quality in sound, conducting AND singing.

Pappano, orchestra and choir do what they should and even more, Gheorghiu sounds like a passionate "Dracula" femme fatale, meaning a great, proud Tosca with temper and emotions. Alagna doing extremly well too as Cavaradossi and Raimondi do Scarpia like he was born to do this character. The sound is HEAVY, crystalclear.

This Tosca comes with a beutiful package... something more like a book with beutiful pictures and libretto in the usual languages. Some more info about Puccinis struggle with permission to do this could have been nice for newcombers but overall this is ok. If there is SOMETHING about this package I dont like is how you get records out of this book meaning it lacks standard plastic "pressure down" pieces on the inside so you cant get them out in a simple proper way but this is a minor.

This is, speaking of music again, sound, singing, conducting etc a very good Tosca with a great cast of our time and highly recommended.

A good DDD alternative from this age is Sinopolis version with Freni and Domingo from DG (Deutche Grammophon) here at Amazon with excellent conducting, sound and song

If you still like to have a classic VINTAGE Tosca opera record instead my advice is Tosca from 1957 RCA session in Rome with Jussi Björling as Cavaradossi (no one beats him), Milanov as Tosca (lacks "Dracula" passion but she sings great) Warren as Scarpia (not as good as Raimondi is in this new Tosca but he do his Scarpia) and Leinsdorf as conductor (sound is surprisingly good... its a remastered record and you find it here at Amazon).

First and foremost is the performance given by Angela Gheorghiu. It doesn't have to take a backseat to anyone's. It's right there on top of the list. I would be surprised that with the conductor's new position at Covent Garden that this cast - even though they've made a film - won't be invited to do this live. The music all feels incorporated. Nothing feels like a set piece where everything comes to a halt while the "famous" aria or duet is performed. There is also a real feeling of these singers having explored the characters, and who they are, and that's where the performances come from. This production had a lot to live up to and hopes to fulfill and I think these people did that and more. GET IT TODAY!

The good things up front: true spinto sopranos like Leontyne Price and Renata Tebaldi are simply non-existent anymore, and we have to be grateful that a mature artist like Gheorghiu can step before a microphone (if not onstage in a large opera house) and inhabit the role of Tosca with such passion and musicality. The last lyric soprano to try such a stretch was Mirella Freni for Sinopoli (DG), and she was even more heartrending and convincing. The secret is to be able to act for the microphone, and Gheorghiu does it wonderfully; one is only occasionally aware that her voice cannot swell and bloom over Puccini's lush orchestration the way Price and Tebaldi could.

However, paired with this top-flight Tosca are two weaker partners. Alagna is stretching here, too, but he does it a la Carreras, by adopting a relentlessly ardent, sobbing hysteria that delivers a visceral thrill (as Giuseppe di Stefano said about his own vocal recklessness, "The audience likes to see me commit suicide"), but which leaves tonal beauty, style, and musicality in the ditch. Even so, Alagna and Gheorghiu have romantic chemistry, and that counts for a lot. He's often the fire to her ice.

Raimondi was an excelent Scarpia for Karajan two decades ago, and although his dramatic efforts remain convincing, his tone has turned woolly and wobbly. He sounds as if he's singing through cotton and is too aged for any kind of erotic chemistry with Tosca--we don't want her groped by a dirty old man.

Pappano tries the same trick as Karajan and Sinopoli, taking Puccini's melodrama--by turns saccharine, poignant, and fire-breathing--at slow tempos to impart added 'seriousness.' To some extent that's effective, but not nearly as much as with his two prdecessors, who had more theatrical chills and spills to back up their sensitivity. Tosca doesn't work unless it runs off the rails. So, weighing everything in the balance, I can't agree with the reviewer who calls this the best Tosca in forty years, good as its best parts are.

Well, the triumvirat has done it again: Hubby and wife are on top form, while Pappano does wonders with the Covent Garden opera house orchestra, which frankly isnt on the same level as the LSO, LPO or Philharmonia orchestras, however here they sound like a helluva orchestra.
The recording is intended as a soundtrack for a cinema feature, and it shows in the feverish atmostphere present here. To judge by European reviews, the movie is highly original, cutting from recording studio B&W footage to "scenery" shots and back again, using 8mm camerawork to enhance specific, "introspective" moments. Actually two complete soundtracks were recorded, the one presented here, a pristine "studio" version, and another one with all the voice distancing effects and special sound effects dubbed on it. The CDs are packed in an individual, booklike fashion and the book itself is highly stylized, complete with beautiful stills from the production.
But of course, what matters most is the performance itself, and mightily successful it is. Pappano tears into the score, without being overtly vulgar, as Karajan or Mehta can sometimes be. He rather reminds me of de Sabata, only he has his own melancholic way with the score. Nobody conducts quite the way he does the beautiful, scorching tune when Tosca realizes she has killed Scarpia - "Ora gli perdono.... I now forgive him".
Raimonidi is a terrific, vile, sadistic creature, never overtly barking, but presenting a beast in nobleman's garments. Amazingly enough, it seems he just turned 60 or so, but I would have never guessed it, except for some hollowness at the bottom of the range. Being a baritone part, it is not that troublesome.
Alagna, well, we have certainly heard better-voiced tenors in this role, but his way with the music is very personal and he really "feels" the role, never lapsing into the lacrymose.
As for the Diva - ah yes, She is the complete thing to her fingertips, miss Gheorghiu. I thought maybe her voice would prove too lyrical for the role - but not a bit of it, she can provide the thrills for the big moments, her voice cutting through the orchestral textures, much as I guess it would have done in the theatre. When she hurls 'muori dannato - die, wretched one' at Scarpia's death rattling body, she really means it. On the whole she does present a different picture of Tosca then the one we're familiar with - not an aeging prima donna, a vulgar melodramatic operatic monster, rather a young and extremely attractive star (as such the character most certainly IS), being caught in a terrible situation, and having to act against her inner nature. When most sopranos will utter 'ed avanti a lui tremava tutta Roma - and all Rome trembled beneath his feet' at Scarpia's dead body in a melodramatic fashion, Callas being extremely cynical, Gheorghiu utters the phrase in a trembling voice, hardly able to grasp what she has done. Surely more in keeping with the character. On top of that all, her voice is in ravishing condition, my heart just melted as she piled one more magically floated pianissimo after the other... True, there were other lyrical singers that thought they'd give the role a try (Ricciarelli, Freni) but it never did them any good and they never sounded comfortable in it. Gheorghiu certainly does sound as if Puccini had her in mind most of the time when he wrote the score.
All in all, I think this set present a worthy companion to that looming shadow, EMI's earlier 1953 effort, with de Sabata, Callas, di Stefano and Gobbi, ont of the best operatic performances ever committed to tape. I never liked the technicolor decca Karajan set (with Price whimpering almost every minute and obtrusive "staging") despite having many merits, so I guess this is the ultimate recommendation for a stereo set. Try it, you wont be dissappointed.

Many have waited (myself included) for this Tosca to arrive with baited breath. I went to the CD store every day for two weeks to check if it had arrived yet. With Pappano in charge, and opera's golden couple in the lead roles, what could go wrong?

Well, a couple of things do go wrong (I will get to these later). But on the whole this recording is fit to join the great recordings of this opera:
De Sabata (Callas, Di Stefano, & Gobbi)
Karajan (Price, Di Stefano, & Taddei)
Colin Davis (Caballe; Carreras & Wixell)

Gheorghiu's Tosca is nothing short of breathtaking. Her interpretation of the role is more stunning than all but Callas... but Gheorghiu has the lovelier voice. Her phrasing is exemplary, her changing moods transporting.

Something has happened to Alagna's voice recently. It has acquired a scratchy edge, a more heroic tone which reminds me of the deterioration in Carreras' voice as a result of his illness in the 80s - but much more sudden! It's a tragedy that it has changed so quickly - I do not find this quality so marked in his Des Grieux (recorded 2000) or his Rodolfo for Chailly (recorded 1999). Perhaps he needs to learn something from Di Stefano's mistakes...

On some occasions, Alagna is just plain out of tune. Embarrassingly so. (For example, listen to Track 12, Disc 2 in the sound samples above - having indulged everything in the cries of "Vittoria!", Alagna can barely find an accurate note for several phrases.) But on other occasions, the old Alagna is back. That beautiful soft head tone, those gloriously open high Bs & Cs. The final series of duets and arias in the third act is absolutely thrilling. I forgave him everything for his performance here - vital, passionate, and alive!

Raimondi is a blast from the past (he sang Scarpia on Karajan's 1980 recording with Ricciarelli & Carreras) and is in remarkably steady and firm tone for his 60 years. I find his Scarpia cool and horribly plausible - almost like he doesn't know he's a villain! I prefer both Gobbi & Taddei's more immediately villainous characterisations, but suspect Raimondi's alternative may grow on me.

Pappano is, well, Pappano - which means meticulous detail, sympathetic accompaniment, un-indulgent tempos which allow the music to provide its own climaxes. While in some instances I prefer the speeds of alternative conductors (especially Karajan), the reading on the whole is very convincing and well-integrated.

EMI have done a splendid job with the recording, detailed, immediate and spacious all at once. This has now become Gramophone magazine's prime recommendation for Tosca (replacing De Sabata). I guess eventually a modern sound recording had to win out - but the performance is certainly not the equal of the classic recording.

In Australia this is available as a DVD movie (Opus Arte) for slightly more than the CD set, but it doesn't appear to be on Amazon. Still, if you shop around, you may find it.

(...) The trio of Gheorghiu/Alagna/Pappano has to be one of the most successful classical groupings of the past twenty years. I find myself looking forward to each new outing as I know it will represent the very best in musical style and dramatic understanding. This new recording of "Tosca" is on the same high level of achievement as the other recordings in their canon. Gheorghiu has to be the greatest female singer to emerge since Bartolli. She manages to achieve all the dramatic emphasis of Callas on the classic EMI set but she has a far lovelier instrument than Callas ever possessed. Still, much of her work here is spine chilling. Just listen to her encounters with Scarpia in both Acts One and Two to hear musical terror. Her murder of Scarpia in Act Two is easily as thrilling as Callas and her singing of the line "E morto! Or gli perdono" has the same dark, covered quality that the infamous Greek soprano captured at the same moment in the opera. Of course this scene only works if you have a truly dynamic Scarpia and this recording has that in spades with Raimondi. It's amazing that this remarkable singer is able to sing this role at all at the age of 60. That he does so with so much musical assurance and finesse is nothing short of a miracle. He possesses a musical suavity that other baritones could learn from and nobody can "sneer musically" like he can! As always, Antonio Pappano conducts a tight, well-thought-out performance that conjures up memories of De Sabata. He has to be the supreme Puccini conductor of our generation because he treats this composer from a musical standpoint rather than a dramatic one. In this way he brings out musical details and nuances other composers ride roughshod over to achieve cheap theatrical effects. And, you know what? Pappano's conducting reveals that the drama is already there in the music. He trusts the composer enough to sit back and let Puccini unfold the story as he conceived it. So, why only 4 stars for this most stellar recording? In a word, Alagna. To me it is a great sadness that this most likeable and gracious of young tenors seems intent on destroying what is basically a light voice. When I first heard him, I pegged him as a Donizetti/Massenet type of tenor and his early recordings in that repertoire confirmed that he was one of the leading lights of the younger generation of tenors. Unfortunately, in trying to keep up with his wife, Gheorghiu (and, I'm sure, fulfill the demands of the recording companies who want this duo to sing together!), he has pushed his young voice into heavier and heavier repertoire and the result is all too apparent in this new recording. While he remains a stylish and dramatic singer, his voice is showing signs of strain that deflect from his performance. Yes, he sings off-key but that is only because he is either forcing his voice or because he no longer can control it (due to forcing it in other sections). Although there is much in this role that is light and lyric, there is almost much that is heavy and Alagna seems to overcompensate for this. The result is that what should be merely profound sounds hysterical because of the work that goes into it. He sounds harsh through much of the opera and it broke my heart to hear his voice breaking in places it didn't need to. I just hope someone gives him the best advice he could get this year: "rest your voice, retrain it and go back into more suitable repertoire". After all, even a great singer like Leontyne Price had to re-evaluate her voice in the mid-seventies in order to keep her career going. The result is she was able to come out of retirement in her 70s this fall and bring the house down with her rendition of "America" at the MET's tribute to the firemen of New York. Let's hope Alagna takes the time to reconsider his musical decisions. In that way, he may very well be thrilling us in his old age as well.

Tosca is a game of love and hate and this will only come out having best rate singers who are combined in drama and music by a great condutor. I believe that these standards are all met in this recent recording of Tosca.
Gheorghiu may not pocess a Tosca voice but gives a brilliant personification. Alagna and Raimondi too sing with passion but some signs of a weared out voice can be noticed at some points during the opera. Pappano renders the best sound out of his orchestra and intelligently conducts with a heart-felt carisma keeping an eye on every musical detail.

This Tosca set is among the best on record and certainly the best in the last 10 to 15 years. I must begin this review by mentioning the production quality of this recording. It is simply outstanding. There are no gaps or flaws at all. There are also no miscellaneous sounds such as music pages turning, coughing etc... This is an item which usually is not mentioned very prominently by most reviewers but in this case it merits being mentioned first. In addition the orchestra is tremendous. The brass instruments are huge and the strings are clean and crisp. All of this combined with the fact that the orchestra never drowns out the performers.

Now for the performances. Simply put Gheorghiu is Tosca. She understands Tosca's character, her jealousy, love, vulnerability and fear. She captures all of these impeccably in her performance. Further her voice is in excellent form and the deeper parts of her register are perfect for Tosca's torment in Act two. Further I would put her rendition of Visi d Arte among the very best. She is a Tosca not just for our generation but for the ages.

Raimondi's Scarpia is also spectacular. His scarpia is not loud and bombastic. He is much more subtle and quiet which makes him more terrifying. His initial appearance in act one is beautifully dramatic, with the help of the orchestra, and his exchange with Tosca in act two will reach out and grab you.

And so we come to Alagna. Why did I leave him for last? Well because his performance is the only drawback in this set. As mentioned by another reviewer Alagna is attempting to sing in a deeper voice. I understand that he probably believes that this will add to Cavaradosi's character. However this makes his voice strained and he clearly struggles at various points in the opera. What is particularly depressing about this is that there is no need for him to do this. Cavaradosi can be delivered splendidly in a higher tone which is Alagna's natural tone. Overall his performance is credible but not spectacular. It is below his standards.

As for Papano's conducting. Well it is brilliant as usual. He has a great understanding of Pucinni and Verdi. It is no surprise that he has been named music director at Covent Garden. London is very lucky to have him. Further he works very well with Gheorghiu and Alagna. His conducting always complements their voices and never detracts from their skill. This recording is no exception.

To sum up. This is a brilliant Tosca and one, which all opera lovers should purchase.