Opera in brief: Opera Hong Kong’s “Tosca” at the Cultural Centre

Oksana Dyka as Tosca in Act III

Oksana Dyka brought a powerful voice and stage presence to Opera Hong Kong’s new production of Puccini’s one full-length foray into melodrama which runs through 15 October at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

“Drama” is very much the byword of the new production, visually as much as vocally, which opens with a set dominated by a giant lit circle and multiple projections creating shifting scenes that are striking and shiftingly atmospheric. The mid-20th setting and costumes contained apparent references to both fascism and Italian movie culture.

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Dyka (last seen here in Turandot) was flanked by Claudio Sgura as the villainous Baron Scarpia and Roberto Aronica as the (vainly) heroic Mario Cavaradossi. Alternate performances saw a glamorous Anna Nechaeva and a dashing Rame Lahaj as the two ill-fated lover. Sgura, stepping when the originally-scheduled baritone fell ill, sang all fiver performances. Local bass Apollo Wong brought his sonorous delivery to the role of Angelotti.

Anna Nacheva and Rame Lahaj
Anna Nacheva and Rame Lahaj

Also starring was the spot-on Hong Kong Philharmonic under the baton of Yves Abel.

 

Tosca ran through 15 October 2023. This reviews was updated to include the alternate cast.

Peter Gordon is editor of the Asian Review of Books. He contributed programme notes and subtitles to this production.