Paul Curran’s Tosca, familiar to the COC since its premiere in 2008, leaves a lasting impression regardless of the quality of the performance. This season’s revival, which opened on Friday May 5th, offered a sparkling cast that brought all its dramatic richness to life. As the first time seeing this production live, I was struck by its ability to offer a classic, period design replete in archetypal operatic splendour that nonetheless manages to bring out nuances of the plot through a sensitive eye. The design for each act always makes remarkable use of shadow and chiaroscuro alongside a rich, warm palette and sumptuous décor, with my immediate impression being of a Van Eyck or Vermeer interior painting. The contrast of luxurious furnishings with black-and-white square tiling in Act II particularly brought my mind to the Flemish Renaissance. I was captivated especially by how well the lighting was managed throughout by Lighting Designer David Martin Jacques. A small point to some perhaps, but lighting is a signature concern of Curran’s production, and one that consistently created a remarkable visual atmosphere: shafts of greyish light filtering through the gloom of Sant’ Andrea of Act I, the appearance of an almost dusty and misty air enhancing the intrigue of the beginning of the drama. In Act II, the construction of Scarpia’s villainous (but sumptuously decorated) lair leans into, on the one hand, warm contrasts of gold, cream, black, and brown, and blueish moonlight at the curtains on the other.

I was rarely anything other than impressed and enthralled with Irish soprano Sinéad Campbell-Wallace’s COC mainstage début in the leading role. She shone throughout with impeccable control across her full range, a superbly commanding stage presence, imperious in jealousy and empathetic in love, bringing sensitive attention to dramatic contrasts. Although I spent some time just this weekend debating the mutability and often arbitrary designations in labelling voice types with some fellow singers, it’s notable that the Wexford-raised singer has only rather recently turned to the “heavier” dramatic repertoire of the likes of Puccini and Wagner, having started out her career as a light lyric soprano. It was a joy to see her embody a role which is only a quite recent addition to her repertoire. And to the folks behind me cackling with laughter when she stabbed Scarpia, I can only assume that was a cackle of glee at Tosca’s triumph over the villain, not a comment on her acting, which I found convincing throughout. Naturally, we all waited with bated breath for “Vissi d’arte,” and the enthusiastic applause which followed Campbell-Wallace’s rendition — as well as her immediate solo ovation after the final curtain ─ speaks for itself: it was a nearly flawless vocal performance.