Northern Ireland Opera returns in 2023 with Puccini’s ‘Tosca’, after our critically acclaimed and sold-out production of ‘La Traviata’ in 2022.
‘Tosca’ is an operatic thriller set in Rome, taking place over one day, making it one of the most intense and exciting operas ever written. Floria Tosca is a beautiful soprano, deeply in love with painter Mario Cavaradossi. When the corrupt Chief of Police, Baron Scarpia, discovers that Mario has been helping political prisoners escape, he sees a way of forcing Tosca into the ultimate sacrifice to satisfy his lust. Scarpia will entrap her and try to get rid of her lover… who will survive? Directed and conceptualised by Cameron Menzies, performed with the Ulster Orchestra and the NI Opera Chorus.
Chorus for ‘Tosca’: click on the name for biography
- Soprano: Alice Johnston, Erin Kennedy, Marcella Walsh, Melanie Topley, Niamh Lavery, Petra Wells, Rachael Heater, Sarah-Jane Cooper
- Mezzo Soprano: Áine Brolly, Cicely Hé, Fiona McIroy, India Chapman-Webb, Jenny Bourke, Naomi Cantley, Sheelagh Greer, Susie Hunter,
- Tenor: Charlie Clarke-Hughes, Daniel Rivers, David Corr, Desmond Havlin, Gabriel Seawright, Rhydian Jenkins,
- Baritone: Connor Campbell, Conor Foster, James Cooper, Matthew Jeffrey, Paul McQuillan, Ryan Garnham, Seamus Brady,
- Find out more about the NI Opera Chorus here.
- Additional Chorus in partnership with the Belfast Philharmonic Choir.
Press and Media Highlights for ‘Tosca’
- Interview in the Irish News with Brendan Collins on making his role debut as Baron Scarpia
- Interview in Theatre News with Director Cameron Menzies
- Interview with Katie Derham on BBC Radio 3 ‘In Tune’ – listen from 46:00 minutes in.
- Interview in ‘The Stage’ with Artistic Director Cameron Menzies
- Arts Council of Northern Ireland – behind the scenes rehearsal footage
- Interview with Svetlana Kasyan in The Irish News
- Interview with Svetlana Kasyan in The Irish Times
Reviews for Tosca
- Puccini: Tosca at Northern Ireland Opera | Live Review | Gramophone
- The stars shine brightly in Northern Ireland Opera’s Tosca | Bachtrack
- Tosca review: Thrills and chills in Northern Ireland Opera’s stirring new production – The Irish Times
- Review: Star power helps NI Opera’s Tosca shine – The Irish News
- Giacomo Puccini: Tosca – Theatre News | Theatre-News.com
- NI Opera presents Puccini’s ‘Tosca’ – Review | Live Review (goldenplec.com)
- Alan in Belfast: Tosca – a chief of police gets his comeuppance at the hands of an opera diva (NI Opera at Grand Opera House until Saturday 16 September)
- Wagner rewilded: Das Rheingold, at the Royal Opera House, reviewed | The Spectator
Recent Accolades for NI Opera productions
- Winner of ‘Best Production’ at The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards for ‘Into The Woods’ by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, staged at the Lyric Belfast in February 2022.
- This production has recently been remounted by West Australian Opera using our original creative team and a new Australian cast at His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth, West Australia.