Puccini
Tosca
Melody Moore, Stefan Pop, Lester Lynch; Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin/Carlo Montanaro
Pentatone PTC 5187 055 (CD/SACD) 109:48 mins (2 discs)
Pentatone has been on a roll lately with Puccini. In recent years it has given us a Fanciulla, a Butterfly and a Tabarro, all featuring the American singers Melody Moore and Lester Lynch, with a variety of tenors. On this occasion, the pair are joined by the Romanian tenor Ştefan Pop, who is a former Operalia winner.
This new interpretation of a familiar work is noteworthy for two things. First, the close attention to the details of Puccini’s orchestral writing by conductor Carlo Montanaro and the Berlin musicians is captivating, the strings deliciously light and playful in the opening scene, the brass snarling and blazing in the Te Deum, the sense of swagger in the fake shooting scene. Second, this is a performance high on drama, as all the best Toscas should be. There were times when I wanted more chest register from Moore and her ‘Vissi d’arte’ begins somewhat tentatively, but she certainly brings all the requisite hysteria to the role. Lynch’s Scarpia is a taut ball of anxiety, ready to snap at anyone willing to challenge him, with a nasty sneer but occasionally also – interestingly – a hint of vulnerability. Pop’s ‘Recondita armonia’ has a sob in the voice that seems a little overstated, but the singer works himself into the role with utter conviction as the performance goes on, his ‘Vittoria’ electrifying and his ‘E lucevan le stelle’ touchingly introspective. Exchanges between the characters have a real sense of urgency and psychological tension, as all involved work hard to bring out the vivid, grand-guignol-esque quality of Puccini’s work. Thrilling stuff. Alexandra Wilson
