Instead stage director Brad Dalton resorted to mime downstage, which was disconcertingly abstract in an otherwise realistic production. The staging was perfectly traditional, the costumes were richly detailed, and all the sets looked plausible, though perhaps it would have been better to have a window in Scarpia's apartment. The strings struggled to stay in tune, most notably at the beginning of Act III, where they were exposed and neither in tune with each other or anyone else.
At times it was hard to hear the principals in the smaller roles, though the chorus was full and cohesive. The orchestral playing, under Music Director Joseph Marcheso, was speedy and loud. He was plaintive and appealing, especially in Act III's "E lucevan le stelle." Matthew Hanscom hammed it up as Scarpia and was almost cartoonishly evil as he strutted on stage, but this did not detract from his powerful voice or the villainous role. Tenor Kirk Dougherty (Cavaradossi) strained a bit but could always be heard. The rest of the singing was perfectly nice, and visually the young cast drawn from the resident company was convincing. Soprano Elizabeth Baldwin, who sings Tosca in the last two performances at the end of the month, has her work cut out for her to fill Chernisheva's shoes. Her “Vissi d’arte” (I lived for art) was riveting. It was all the more impressive that her Sunday matinee performance was so strong, after she had sung the opening night less than 24 hours earlier. Chernisheva’s dark, tawny sound also is distinct and her dazzling high notes are piercing without being ugly. You didn't need to know a word of Italian to know what was happening and how Tosca felt. Olga Chernisheva is a sympathetic Tosca - utterly lovable, coy, and fierce, depending on the situation. Like most Puccini operas, Tosca hinges on having a fine soprano in the title role, and at OSJ does it ever. And what a joy it was to hear and see this gripping piece with its timeless human conundrums, performed so well. 12 with that most quintessential of operas, Puccini's Tosca. While Opera San José's colossal neighbor to the north opened opera season last weekend with a Verdi rarity and a Broadway musical, the South Bay company started its 32nd year on Sept. Olga Chernisheva and Kirk Daugherty in Tosca Photo: Pat Kirk
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