Berlin is a fantastic place for music, visiting museums and wandering along very interesting streets in areas like Wilmersdorf where I often stay. The Art Nouveau huge houses have always some catching details to gaze at, and the hostal I often stay has an amazing lift and an even more amazing breakfast room with a very fine window opening on the back courtyard, and of course a very nice cooked breakfast with tasty falafels. 
It is also very moving to be able to read in the street where you are staying what happened there in the very dark 1938 period, because in Berlin nothing is hidden. (Always good for your memory and what is related to your own life to be confronted to what happened next door when you were not born but soon you would be there, and your parents were involved in these events). Blue sky on the photo, dating back to last September!
So, the journey to Berlin which had been hard the first time I undertook it is now quite a rich and moving experience in my retired life.
The evening of the 8th at the Deutsche Oper will be treasured : I discovered a new tenor, Jorge de Leon with a sunny voice and brilliant tops (a beautiful high C that night) and a juvenile look for a painter in Andrea Della Valle. Then, for a change, the setting was following the story and its historical time and place. So Tosca had her last jump and the costumes were fine for all the characters. This setting is without any strange idea to make you worry about catching the director's intentions or hidden agenda to rewrite the opera...
What a relief to follow the action in surroundings conform to the libretto! ( it was not quite the case in Paris).
As a result, the music and singing had the best place and it was an absolute success for the cast and the orchestra.
What came obvious to me is the complete suitability of this role for Anja Harteros. She has the looks for Floria, elegance, class, and can play coquetterie and jealousy without any problems! She acted and sounded even better than in her parisian Tosca, more at ease and sharing a better chemistry with Mario. This time Scarpia was less obviously devellish than B. Terfel was. He was also a bit underpowered vocally. But the duets with Mario-Jorge de Leon were fantastic! Her jump and devastating 'Mario' cannot be forgotten easily.
This time she ended her Vissi d'arte on a disquieting and very soft 'cosi' and had beautiful phrasing all along the role, which I think, is hers, by now. It is also possible, while watching her and listening to her harsh cries of despair, to dream of Callas swiftly passing by as Anja Harteros interprets this role so perfectly.
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