A toast to ‘Tosca’

Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Tosca” attracted drubbings from critics and sneers from scholars from its very first performance in Rome in 1900. But audiences love it and always have.

Spokane Opera will make its first foray into the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox this weekend with performances of “Tosca” on Friday and Saturday.

The cast will include soprano Leslie Mauldin in the title role; tenor Mark Thomsen as her lover, Mario Cavaradossi; baritone Charles Robert Stephens at the villain, Baron Scarpia; and baritone Max Mendez as the escaped revolutionary Count Caesare Angelotti. Dean Williamson will conduct.

It will be sung in Italian, with English supertitles.

The story is based on the play “La Tosca” that Victorien Sardou wrote for Sarah Bernhardt. It revolves around Floria Tosca, a beautiful but jealous diva loved by Cavaradossi, a painter distracted from his love affair by his attempt to hide a friend who is a Roman revolutionary in the time of Napoleon.

All three are fearful of Rome’s chief of police, Scarpia, who roots out revolution and lusts after Tosca.

Puccini’s version includes two suicides, a murder, a torture scene, a death by firing squad and a nearly successful rape. That is a heavy dramatic baggage for a comparatively short opera – a bit over two hours of actual stage time.

Though critics have scorned the opera’s ” bloody sensationalism,” audiences not only relish the excitement of its fast-moving action, they have always been captivated by its three justly famous arias: Cavaradossi’s “Recondita armonia” and “E lucevan le stelle,” and Tosca’s “Vissi d’arte.” And the opera’s orchestral writing is some of Puccini’s most beautiful.

Mauldin has sung leading roles with the company before, including Micaela in the 2001 production “La Tragedie de Carmen,” Peter Brook’s adaptation of Bizet; Musetta in the 2005 production of Puccini’s “La Boheme”; and Violetta in the 2006 production of Verdi’s “La Traviata.”

She grew up in Los Angeles and received her opera training in Spain and at California State University at Northridge. She is a resident member of Boise’s Opera Idaho and is that company’s summer artistic director, as well as founder of Opera Etc. in Boise.

Thomsen, new to Spokane audiences, has been heard with many of the world’s great opera companies including New York City Opera, Chicago’s Lyric Opera, both the Volksoper and Staatsoper in Vienna, and at La Scala in Milan. He was twice winner of the Metropolitan Opera’s Pavarotti Award..

Stephens returns to Spokane having previously appeared here in the Spokane Symphony’s production of “Rigoletto” in 2006. He appeared in the role of Professor Bhaer at the New York City Opera’s premiere of Adamo’s “Little Women” and has sung with the Opera Orchestra of New York and with many regional opera companies in the United States, Mexico and South America.

Local singer Mendez was heard last month as Jesus in the Northwest Bach Festival’s “St. Matthew Passion.”

Williamson, the artistic director of Opera Cleveland, has conducted several past Spokane Opera productions. He spent 12 years as pianist and coach for Seattle Opera and recently conducted Seattle’s new production of “Pagliacci.”