Classical Concert Reviews Cinci

@cincinnatiopera continued its 2025 summer season with a gorgeous production of Giacomo Puccini’s immortal opera Tosca. First staged in Rome in 1900, it tells the ultimately tragic tale of the love between painter and rebel Mario Cavaradossi and actress Floria Tosca as the two are caught in the quagmire of political unrest during Napoleon’s invasion of Rome in 1800.
Under the direction of guest conductor Clelia Cafiero, making her American debut, an exceptional cast brought this story spectacularly to life.
Baritone Anthony Clark Evans as Baron Scarpia was menacingly creepy and towering, with a crystal-clear timbre that was laser-like in its precision. Tenor Matthew White, making a return appearance to Cincinnati following his debut in Romeo and Juliet in 2019, essentially defined Cavaradossi for the modern age. His was a voice that was passionate with a resonant timbre filled with a surprisingly vivid amount of emotional depth, calling to mind Jose Carreras and Roberto Alagna with flashes of Pavarotti.
Perhaps the most wondrous voice of the evening belonged to the South Korean soprano Karah Son in the title role. It is a treat to find a soprano who can perform two of the most beloved Puccini heroines flawlessly, much less in two successive seasons. Ms. Son definitely succeeded here, with a relaxed and plush voice possessing high and low registers that didn’t feel forced or timid in any way.
Excellent contributions in smaller roles were provided by baritones Samuel Smith, Justin Hopkins, Julius Ahn and Ryan Henry along with the Cincinnati Opera Chorus and Children’s Chorus.
@cincysymphony was an amazing musical partner, with wonderfully scintillating strings, biting brass and winds and spine-tingling percussion, particularly through the extensive use of tubular bells and solo bass drum.
This production repeats Saturday, June 28 at @musichallcincy, Come partake in one of the most magical opera experiences to emerge in Cincinnati in recent years.