Tosca

“Ah! Tosca.” Scarpia growls it, lust in his voice, danger in his eyes. Tosca thinks of her lover, his captive. How far will she go to save him?

Opera's greatest thriller is a taut tale of passion and betrayal, taking place over just 24 hours in Rome. Renowned prima donna Tosca is in love with Cavaradossi, a painter and revolutionary. When the sadistic Chief of Police Scarpia tries to crush them, our heroine finds the strength to do the unspeakable.

Puccini's music is sensational: from the overpowering choral power of the famous Te Deum, Tosca's ode to art ‘Vissi d'arte' and the haunting tenor showpiece ‘E lucevan le stelle' as Cavaradossi faces death.

When the final note rings into silence, and you pick your jaw up off the floor, you'll feel an extraordinary emotional release.

In this acclaimed, five-star production from Opera North, director Edward Dick writes the tension large upon the stage. A stunning renaissance fresco colours a gilded dome hanging over the performers. Dramatic, stadium-style lights by Lee Curran put a razor focus on the unfolding action, revealing beauty and menace in turn.

Tosca is the perfect first taste of opera, and one opera lovers return to again and again, to experience how music can bring great stories to emotional highs. Tosca has it all: romance, action and an unforgettable ending.

The action turns on a trio of brilliant performers, so we've found singers you don't want to miss: Tosca is played by both Giselle Allen, who originated the role in this production to great acclaim, and audience favourite Karah Son. International tenor Young Woo Kim sings Cavaradossi. And we have two imposing Scarpias: Armenian baritone Gevorg Hakobyan and homegrown star Warwick Fyfe.