Tosca

Puccini's famous opera, a florid melodrama of love, jealousy, lust, and murder, received a sumptuous centenary staging in 2000 at La Scala in Milan. Riccardo Muti, music director of the company and a Verdi specialist, had previously conducted very little Puccini, but he leads a vital, passionate performance, securing beautifully controlled playing from his fine orchestra. Maria Guleghina is imposing as the diva who kills the villain threatening both her lover's life and her own honor, and while Salvatore Licitra isn't the most physically impressive Cavaradossi imaginable, he sings solidly, especially in the third act prison sequence. Leo Nucci makes Scarpia a silken, malevolent presence, and the lesser roles are generally well taken. The staging is fine as well, though the costumes, while elegant, are somewhat anachronistic for 1800, when the action supposedly occurs. The weakest element of the production is the set, which consists of structures placed at increasingly distorted angles, presumably to suggest the disordered nature of the political situation and the personal relationships; the concept doesn't quite come off. But the performance in this DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, and PCM stereo-backed disc is strong enough that the visual lapses are a minor irritant, making this the Tosca to own. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)