Tosca, de G. Puccini, at the Palau de la Música Catalana

The Fundació Òpera a Catalunya and the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès present Tosca at the Palau de la Música Catalana, following its premiere in Sabadell, where three performances were held with great success among both audiences and critics.

This production, conducted by Sabadell-born maestro Sergi Roca Bru and directed by Carles Ortiz, was first presented in 2021 as part of the Òpera a Catalunya series and featured at the Saaremaa Opera Festival in July 2024.

Soprano Carmen Solís will portray Floria Tosca, tenor Enrique Ferrer will take on the role of Mario Cavaradossi, and baritone Manuel Mas will play Baron Scarpia.

With this production, Mirna Lacambra bids farewell as Artistic Director of the Fundació Òpera a Catalunya, a role that will be assumed by Jordi Torrents starting January 2025.

After the success of the three performances on November 29, December 1, and December 3 at Teatre La Faràndula in Sabadell, which drew 2,952 attendees (93% occupancy), the Palau de la Música Catalana will once again host a production by the Fundació Òpera a Catalunya as part of the Simfònics al Palau season of the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès. The event is set for this Saturday, December 7, at the usual symphonic concert time (6:30 PM) and will feature the final performance of the season of Tosca by Giacomo Puccini, concluding the centenary celebration of the Italian composer’s death.

This will be the last production under the artistic direction of Mirna Lacambra, who will hand over the reins to Jordi Torrents in January 2025.

The production is a revival of the version presented in February-March 2021 as part of the Òpera a Catalunya circuit and performed in July 2024 at the Saaremaa Opera Festival in Estonia. This classic revival focuses on the dramatic elements, using them as the driving force for the stage action. With staging true to the period in the original libretto, it features a set design that frames the narrative and Napoleonic-era costumes that enhance the dramatic intensity. At the Palau de la Música, the set design has been adapted to the venue's conditions, utilizing specific scenic and prop elements to ensure a seamless performance.

As in previous performances, the musical direction will be led by Sabadell-born maestro Sergi Roca Bru, an internationally renowned conductor currently serving as Kapellmeister at the Schleswig-Holsteinisches Landestheater in Flensburg, Germany. Stage direction and costumes are by Carles Ortiz, a regular collaborator with Òpera a Catalunya, who has directed over thirty opera and zarzuela productions and made his debut at the Estonian festival with three opera productions and the world premiere of Carmen in a flamenco ballet adaptation.

The cast is led by four singers well-known within the Òpera a Catalunya series: Soprano Carmen Solís from Badajoz as Floria Tosca, a regular performer at major theaters and auditoriums in Spain and in the seasons of the Fundació Òpera a Catalunya. Tenor Enrique Ferrer from Madrid as Mario Cavaradossi, who has performed in prestigious Spanish, European, and American theaters, with an extensive repertoire in opera, zarzuela, and oratorio. Baritone Manuel Mas as Baron Scarpia.

The production also features the voices of bass Juan Carlos Esteve as Cesare Angelotti; baritone Pau Armengol as Il Sagrestano; and tenor Jorge Juan Morata as Spoletta. Completing the cast are soprano Laura Obradors (Un pastore), baritone Quim Cornet (Sciarrone), and bass Lluís Vergés (Un carceriere), all frequent participants in Òpera a Catalunya seasons.

The soloists will be accompanied by the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès (principal conductor: Xavier Puig) and the Cor Amics de l’Òpera de Sabadell (director: Daniel Gil de Tejada). Additionally, the children’s choir Coral de l’Escola Sant Nicolau, prepared by soprano Laura Obradors, will join the performance.