Feb
28

Seth Mease Carico

Sacristan

Tosca

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Berlin, Germany

Seth Mease Carico: Sacristan

Puccini’s “Torture Opera”, as Oskar Bie dubbed it, was based on LA TOSCA, the well received play by Victorien Sardou [1831–1908], which premiered in Paris in 1887 with Sarah Bernhardt in the title role. Puccini attended a performance of the play in Milan during an 1889 tour and found the subject matter interesting, although the Tosca project was to remain dormant for another six years. Puccini’s interest in the work grew, doubtless prompted by another viewing of the Sardou play in Florence and by Luigi Illica’s work on a TOSCA libretto for composer Alberto Franchetti [1860–1942]. Following a “conspiracy” between Puccini, Illica and Ricordi, the publisher successfully persuaded Franchetti to abandon his TOSCA project and to surrender the scoring rights to Puccini.

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