Truly fantasic in this role, in all the feelings and complex situation she has to face, opposite the young man she loves and is loved, Mario the painter sung by a born tenor for the role: Marcello Alvarez, and the man she hates, Scarpia-Terfel, because of his abuse of power on men he has to dominate and manipulate and on women he sexually fancies like her, the young and sensual young singer, Floria Tosca.
Here in the first act, in this picture, she is openly in love and even coquettish, teasing the man she loves, but the bunch of flowers suggests her deeper prayer, heartbreaking, during the famous 'Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore'..at act II, where facing the floor of Scarpia's office room, she confesses her torments, having to face a monster who wants her to offer him her body, to humiliate her deeply with this atrocious bargaining: her lover's life saved by her sexual consent.
'Diedi fiori agli altar. Nell'ora del dolore...'
The tempo was rather slow that evening at Bastille, it could be felt that the whole full house was suspended at her lips, intense attention and silence to follow a wonderful legato throughout this aria which began like a whisper and soared gradually into an intense and utterly moving complaint.
I knew I would be ovewhelmed by her singing and acting at that moment, but not to such an extent. The whole house broke up with tremendous applause at the end of the well known aria. I was relieved to see how much she was appreciated by the Paris audience after a rather long absence from this stage. (She last sang a complete opera in Bastille in 2003).
Act II showed how far good actors and singers can enhance a well -known situation into something truly thrilling and exciting even when the setting and costumes are very tarditional. Both Bryn Terfel and Anja Harteros are tall and dominating, so they were equally fighting for their aims with the same obstinate will, him almost like a feline, her, more mobile and fiercely tryng to save her lover she had just betrayed to stop his torture. Her 'quanto' was so harsh and almost like a smack in his face. I was not sitting near the stage but with my lenses I followed their expressions: they were equally fighting in a rather animal- like fierce opposition. It was breathtaking with the orchestral outbursts. I had the feeling I was rediscovering this Puccini's opera. For once it was possible to hear all the violent lines she sings after her stabbing of Scarpia: 'Questo è il bacio di Tosca !' Her voice was tremendous, in high and low range. She was simply amazing! and so beautiful! because beauty, physical beauty, is also part of her presence on stage, in a quiet way, almost secret, 'sans tapage' !
Marcello Alvarez has sung this role all his life! His voice is clear and 'sunny' He was in great shape and delivered a fine E lucevan le stelle, in act III, but did not have much chemistry with Floria during the fist act!
The last scene with the light contrast made a strong impression: Tosca walks towards the wide open land in a strange light, and disappears. No jump for this P. Audi's vision of Tosca.
There was a standing ovation, well deserved for the three main singers and the whole cast. The season at Bastille seems to start well! (although Tosca's rehearsals were accident prone: J.Ph.Lafont, (Il Sagrestano), fell down the flight of stairs at act I and had to be taken to hospital, badly injured, and replaced by Francis Dudziak, while Anja Harteros twisted her ankle because she slipped on the stage floor last Tuesday and had to leave for the third act. But she seemed alright, hopefully, on Saturday) The orchestra was fine, leaving space to the singers, and very effecient at act II and III, I enjoyed the tempo of the arias which left the music breathe. (Dan Ettinger was a discovery for me). I do not know if the stage door had to be removed because of the high degree of security in Paris these days but I did not find the usual one I knew and did not find Anja Harteros... but hopefully I had the immense joy of discovering her Tosca!
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