What a pity with such a tenor (Tosca, September 1, 2012)

2012-09-01 Tosca (G. Puccini), Operan (Stockholm)

Floria Tosca = Lena Nordin

Mario Cavaradossi = Thiago Arancam

Baron Scarpia = Fredrik Zetterström 

Angelotti = Anton Eriksson

Sagrestano = Magnus Kyhle

Spoletta = Daniel Ralphsson

Sciarrone = Michael Schmidberger

Jailer = Alar Pintsaar

Lawrence Renes, conductor

Stage design: Björn Brusewitz
Costumes: Ann-Mari Anttila 

Light design: Hans-Åke Sjöquist
Producer: Knut Hendriksen  

It was a pity I was not there when Jose Cura sang even though I had tickets. I had hoped for another tenor to love.

I did not love this tenor, Thiago Arancam. He was good-looking and could act. He was the ideal Mario Cavaradossi except for his voice. I do not like Jonas-Kaufmann-like tenor voices, they are too dark for me.  There was no announcement that the tenor was not well. The weather was bad, lots of rains so it would not have been strange if it had some impact on the opera singers. But with no announcement and with the enthusiasm of the audience I must believe that the voice I heard on September 1, 2012, was his normal opera voice. He had the weakest voice of all in this performance. His voice was dark and so "covered" that he seem to have to fight to get it out. It is great shame when then tenor can be overwon by the Sagrestano. Magnus Kyhle was magnificent and had a big voice. Lena Nordin as Floria Tosca was likewise in all shapes better than the tenor. The duet was less painful to listen to than the Recondita armonia. But it was act 1 so I thought it must get better. This must just be a bad start. Fredrik Zetterström as Baron Scarpia was perfect in all, singing, acting. Fredrik rules!!!

Act 2 and I am really getting to see the production as it is. And that it is nothing too special. It is a traditional opera production and the only thing that differentiates it from other traditional Tosca productions is that in Act 2 the stage floor is lifted up  while they are singing and we see the dungeon where Cavaradossi is tortured. But Cavaradossi has his back to the audience so it is not like we are really getting some gruesome detailed torture scene. It is rather clean and nice. And when Cavaradossi comes up again from the torture there is no blood that I could see. This is beautiful production that is not daring at all. Fredrik Zetterström, Thiago Arancam and Lena Nordin can all act well and they do it well. Only Fredrik Zetterström and Lena Nordin lifts the act up. Zetterström is the closest to the ideal Scarpia. Lena Nordin is a wonderful Tosca and sings the most vulnerable Vissi d'arte and for the first time the audience interrupts the opera with applause. She deserved the long applause of Wiener Staatsoper and many BRAVA shouts.

Act 3 and for the second time an aria ends in applause. But this time with shouts of BRAVO. For me I can only say yes, he did not completely ruin this aria as he did in Recondita armonia. I was sitting there so decidedly underwhelmed and confused by the "whole" audience going wild for Thiago. THEY loved him, I liked him after all he is the dark good-looking man. He can act.  Then the duet. I wonder how did it feel to be Lena Nordin singing with him. Or maybe she just loved it. I don't know. Lena saved the show!!! But I know I prefer to have a great Tosca, Scarpia AND Cavaradossi in Tosca.

Dear Thiago, you can only be better. I hope this was just this time, but if not, please get help with the issues. Love!!

For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com