Maria Callas & Tosca features the famous 1964 performance of Puccini’s Tosca at London’s Royal Opera House whose 2nd act marks one of the very rare video documents of Maria Callas’ stage performances.
Gianni Schicchi
Gianni Schicchi is a comic opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, composed in 1917–18. The libretto is based on an incident mentioned in Dante’s Divine Comedy. The work is the third and final part of Puccini’s Il trittico (The Triptych)—three one-act operas with contrasting themes, originally written to be presented together. Although it continues to be performed with one or both of the other trittico operas, Gianni Schicchi is now more frequently staged either alone or with short operas by other composers. The aria “O mio babbino caro” is one of Puccini’s best known, and one of the most popular arias in opera.
Messa di Gloria
The ‘Messa a quattro voci’, better known as the ‘Messa di Gloria’, is a youthful work by Giacomo Puccini for orchestra and choir as well as solo tenor and baritone. It was the Italian composer’s final project at the Istituto Musicale Pacini in Lucca and was premiered there on 12 August 1880.
The majestic Romanesque church of San Biagio in Bellinzona, the capital of the canton of Ticino and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, provides an appropriate setting for this milestone in classical music. The performance with original texts and instrumentation by Puccini offers the perfect opportunity to discover the Italian composer’s diverse compositional talent outside the world of opera.
Tosca
The appeal of Margarethe Wallmann’s »Tosca« production has stood the test of time since 1958. The staging has also garnered interest on account of its symbolic allure with the impressive number of renowned artistic personalities who have appeared before the Viennese audience in this very production with these very decorations and in these very costumes in memorable performances. The gallery of outstanding performers will now be continued with Viennese role debut of international audience favourite: Anna Netrebko as Tosca. “Anna Netrebko as Tosca in Vienna: fan-tastic!” (Kurier)