Tosca Is the April 6, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Tosca is the April 6, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, numbering 19th of 24 in the 2018-2019 season’s schedule.

Scarpia’s apartment in Palazzo Farnese; Sir David McVicar, production director; John Macfarlane, set and costume designer; David Finn, lighting designer: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 6, 2018

Tosca is the April 6, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as the 19th of 24 scheduled Saturday matinee radio broadcasts during the 2018-2019 Met Opera season.

Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924) set his musical score for Tosca to an Italian libretto by Italian librettists Giuseppe Giacosa (Oct. 21, 1847-Sept. 1, 1906) and Luigi Illica (May 9, 1857-Dec. 16, 1919). The libretto’s literary source is La Tosca, a French play by French dramatist Victorien Sardou (Sept. 5, 1831-Nov. 8, 1908). Sardou’s play premiered Nov. 24, 1887, in Paris, France, at Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin. The theatre and opera house is located at 18, Boulevard Saint-Martin in the 10th arrondissement of Paris (10e arrondissement de Paris).

Puccini’s Tosca premiered Sunday, Jan. 14, 1900, at Teatro Costanzi in Rome, central Italy. The opera house, now known as Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, is located at 1 Piazza Beniamino Gigli in central Rome.

The Metropolitan Opera hosted Tosca’s United States premiere Feb. 4, 1901. In the 1900-1901 Met Opera season, the Metropolitan Opera offered seven performances of Puccini’s Tosca.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season offers 13 performances of Tosca. Opening night took place Thursday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The month’s second performance occurred Monday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m.

Five performances were offered in November. Eastern Daylighting Saving Time was still in effect for the month’s first performance, Friday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m. The month’s remaining four performances were scheduled according to Eastern Daylight Time: Monday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m.

Six spring performances are offered. March’s four performances took place Monday, March 18, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, March 23, at 8 p.m.; Tuesday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, March 29, at 8 p.m.

Spring’s last two performances take place in April. The month’s first performance happened Tuesday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. The month’s second performance, Saturday, April 6, at 1 p.m., airs as the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s 19th Saturday matinee radio broadcast.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s Tosca has an estimated run time of 2 hours 53 minutes. Act I spans 45 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes follows. Act II is estimated at 41 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes precedes Act III, which is estimated at 27 minutes.

Carlo Rizzi conducts all performances of Tosca. The Italian conductor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Oct. 29, 1993, in the opera house’s 989th performance of La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Carlo Rizzi also conducts Mefistofele by Italian composer and librettist Arrigo Boito (Feb. 24, 1842-June 10, 1918).

Sondra Radvanovsky appears in all autumn performances in the title role of a jealous, passionate singer whose last thoughts before plunging to her death are of her enemy. The American-Canadian soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 9, 1996, as Countess Ceprano in the opera house’s 721st performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto. In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Sondra Radvanovsky also appears in the title role of Aida by 19th century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Jennifer Rowley appears in all spring performances in the title role. The American soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened March 19, 2014, as Musetta during the opera house’s 1,251st performance of Puccini’s La Bohème. During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Jennifer Rowley also sings the title role in Adriana Lecouvreur by Italian composer Francesco Cilea (July 23, 1866-Nov. 20, 1950).

Per The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera via Twitter March 18, 2019, Jennifer Rowley will sing the last five of spring's six performances. Iulia Isaev replaces Jennifer Rowley, who is ill, for the Monday, March 18, performance. The Romanian soprano's appearance in the title role marks her Metropolitan Opera debut.

Joseph Calleja appears in all performances as Cavaradossi, Tosca’s lover, whose execution is ordered by the chief of police, Scarpia, who is obsessed with Tosca. The Maltese tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Oct. 25, 2006, as the Duke of Mantua in the opera house’s 806th performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto.

Wolfgang Koch appears as Scarpia, Cavaradossi and Tosca’s nemesis, in all performances except for Tuesday, Nov. 13. The German dramatic bass-baritone was scheduled to make his Metropolitan Opera debut in Tosca’s opening night, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018.

(Update: The Metropolitan Opera announced via Twitter Oct. 16, 2018, the postponement of Wolfgang Koch's Met Opera debut until the first spring performance, Monday, March 18, 2019, due to illness. Serbian operatic baritone Željko Lučić performed as Scarpia on opening night, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018.)

Claudio Sgura replaced Wolfgang Koch as Scarpia in autumn's six additional performances (Oct. 29; Nov. 2, 5, 9, 13, 17). The Italian dramatic baritone’s appearance Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, marked his Metropolitan Opera debut. (Claudio Sgura originally was scheduled for one performance, marking his Met Opera debut Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. )

Patrick Carfizzi appeared in all autumn performances as the Sacristan, who disapproves of Cavaradossi, rejoices in Napoleon’s defeat at Marengo and reveals details about a basket to the chief of police. The American bass-baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 24, 1999, as Count Ceprano in the opera house’s 736th performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto. In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Patrick Carfizzi also performs as Betto di Signa in Gianni Schicchi segment of Puccini’s Il Trittico; as Quinault in Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur; and as the Jailer in Dialogues des Carmélites by French composer and pianist Francis Poulenc (Jan. 7, 1899-Jan. 30, 1963).

Philip Cokorinos appears in all spring performances as the Sacristan. The American bass-baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Jan. 7, 1988, as the Physician in the opera house’s 71st performance of Verdi’s Macbeth. During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Philip Cokorinos also appears as Billy Jackrabbit in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West and as Amantio di Nicolao in the Gianni Schicchi segment of Puccini’s Il Trittico.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s performances of Tosca revives Sir David McVicar’s staging. The Scottish opera and theatre director’s staging debuted as a new production Dec. 31, 2017, in the opera house’s 951st performance of Tosca.

Sir David’s production team comprises John Macfarlane, set and costume designer; David Finn, lighting designer; and Leah Hausman, movement director. Jonathon Loy is the production’s revival stage director.

The takeaway for Tosca as the April 6, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that Puccini’s impassioned opera of love and politics airs as the 19th of the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s 24 scheduled Saturday matinee radio broadcasts.

American soprano Jennifer Rowley reprises her Met Opera role debut as Tosca in all spring performances, including the April 6, 2019, Saturday matinee radio broadcast, during the 2018-2019 Met Opera season: Jennifer Rowley @jenniferrowleysoprano, via Facebook Dec. 27, 2017

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Scarpia’s apartment in Palazzo Farnese; Sir David McVicar, production director; John Macfarlane, set and costume designer; David Finn, lighting designer: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook. Aug. 6, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10160862753295533/

American soprano Jennifer Rowley reprises her Met Opera role debut as Tosca in all spring performances, including the April 6, 2019, Saturday matinee radio broadcast, during the 2018-2019 Met Opera season: Jennifer Rowley @jenniferrowleysoprano, via Facebook Dec. 27, 2017, @ https://www.facebook.com/jenniferrowleysoprano/photos/a.10151878980054693/10155832134304693/

For further information:

“Debut: Carlo Rizzi.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 314310 > La Bohème {989} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/29/1993.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=314310

“Debuts: Alastair Miles, Sondra Radvanovsky, Lee Hamilton.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:326720 Rigoletto {721} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/9/1996.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=314310

“Debuts: Anita Hartig, Jennifer Rowley, Nicolas Testé.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355378 La Bohème {1251} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/19/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355378

“Debuts: Christopher Wheeldon, Holly Hynes, Zeljko Lucic . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351556 La Gioconda {275} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/26/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351556

“Debuts: Ekaterina Siurina, Joseph Calleja, Friedrich Haider.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351611 Rigoletto {806} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/25/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351611

“Debuts: Eva Zseller, Philip Cokorinos.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 291090 Macbeth {71} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/7/1988.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=291090

"Debuts: Iulia Isaev, Wolfgang Koch." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357182 Tosca {973} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/18/2019.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357182

“Debuts: Patrick Carfizzi, Gloria Watson, Vladimir Jurowski.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 332264 Rigoletto {736} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/24/1999.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=332264

Jennifer Rowley @jenniferrowleysoprano. “Back at work at The Metropolitan Opera! Isn‘t this #Tosca Act II gown stunning?! I‘m in love!! Thank you to the #costumeshop for making me feel so glamorous.” Facebook. Dec. 27, 2017.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/jenniferrowleysoprano/photos/a.10151878980054693/10155832134304693/

Marriner, Derdriu. “Tosca Is Jan. 27, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 22, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/01/tosca-is-jan-27-2018-met-opera-saturday.html

Mesa, Franklin. Opera: An Encyclopedia of World Premieres and Significant Performances, Singers, Composers, Librettists, Arias and Conductors, 1597-2000. Jefferson NC; London, England: McFarland & Company, Inc. 2007.

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Added a photo.” Facebook. Aug. 6, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10160862753295533/

The Metropolitan Opera ‏@MetOpera. "Iulia Isaev will make her Met debut singing the title role in this evening’s performance of Tosca, replacing Jennifer Rowley, who is ill. #CastChange." Twitter. March 18, 2019.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1107718107223781391

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Wolfgang Koch has withdrawn from the fall run of Tosca due to illness. Željko Lučić will sing the role of Scarpia on 10/25 & Claudio Sgura will sing the remaining 6 perfs in the fall. Mr. Koch’s debut will be delayed until March, when Tosca returns for a spring run. #castchange." Twitter. Oct. 16, 2018.

Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1052331991457247232

“New Production: Tosca.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356838 New production Tosca {951} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/31/2017.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356838

“United States Premiere: Tosca.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 25960 United States Premiere Tosca {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/4/1901.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=25960