‘Tosca’ screened for opera aficionados

Islamabad : The 2018 opera season in Islamabad - yes that’s right! – began with the screening of the well known and popular opera, ‘Tosca.’ An initiative of the ambassador of Argentina, Ivan Ivanissevich and spouse, Anna Walberg, the event was held at their residence and attended by some European ambassadors and their spouses; a few other members of the international community living in the capital and a few Pakistani guests who are familiar with opera.

The dress code for the event was formal – the gents wore a black tie or dark suit and ladies ‘enlivened the event by rattling their jewellery’ – a phrase borrowed from a quote by John Lennon!

Welcoming his guests the soft spoken host – an appreciator of good music - said he was taking the initiative to restart opera screenings because when he was posted in Pakistan the first time around, he used to have screenings at his house which were a looked forward to event by those who enjoy opera and missed live performances. He then said a few words about the opera; its composition and the artistes; informed that the ‘season’ will feature the screening of other operas and concluded by saying he hoped everyone would enjoy the evening.

The opera chosen is about three hours long, so there was an intermission – just like in a live performance – and refreshments were served, giving guests time to interact; discuss the opera and the cultural scene of the capital in general. There are some interesting events being planned for culture vultures in the coming months, so watch this space for news about them!

Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on January 14, 1900. The work, based on Victorian Sardou's 1887 French-language dramatic play, ‘La Tosca,’ is a melodramatic piece set in Rome in June 1800, with the Kingdom of Naples's control of Rome threatened by Napoleon's invasion of Italy. It contains depictions of torture, murder and suicide, as well as some of Puccini's best-known lyrical arias. It is a powerful depiction of the passion and emotion of love and real life. Needless to say the lead protagonist, Romanian diva Angela Gheorghiu lives up to her reputation, to quote, “Nine years on, her Tosca remains a force to be reckoned with, giving a performance delivered with dramatic insight and tonal nuance: she stops the show with her focused account of the famous Act 2 aria Vissi D’Arte. If there’s a touch of the kittenish about Gheorghiu’s demeanour elsewhere, at her best she dominates the evening.”

As a first time viewer/listener I found the dramatic side of the opera interesting and attention grabbing - it will take time to really understand and appreciate the ‘tonal nuance!’ I’m sure those who were present at the screening are looking forward to the next one!