This is an unmissable, top-class production. There are still some tickets left so I urge you to rush out and buy them now, for the following reasons:

1. Tosca is an opera that must be seen live in full production to be really appreciated. Blurry movie versions of Callas and Gobbi in 1965 are wonderful in their own way but cannot really convey the visceral thrill of a full orchestra playing Puccini’s music which somehow seems to channel raw emotion directly into your brain via your spinal chord in addition to your ears.

2. This is an outstanding production, from the brutally repressive set design contrasted with the opulent, frankly sensual costumes, to the overwhelming charisma of the principals and the superb orchestra;

3. Mary Elizabeth Williams is an awesome Tosca. Her voice is incredibly powerful when it needs to be, effortlessly audible over the full orchestra, but flexible enough to be superbly expressive, and has the most beautiful tone, somehow rich and golden yet light, but still capable of the pantherish low chest-notes of extreme passion characteristic of this role. Her Tosca is not a tiger, and violence is not natural to her; this is the gentler, sweeter-natured Tosca that appears from the text of the libretto. Her rendering of that famous aria in Act 2 was just heartbreaking.

4. Claudio Otelli is an outstanding Scarpia – it’s clear from his bio in the programme that he is an extremely experienced opera villain, and he was fascinatingly wicked, a dilettante sexual predator with fabulous taste in wine and dressing-gowns, a ruthless manipulator, a cold sadist. His presence on-stage was very threatening, his gorgeous baritone by turns mellifluous, insinuating, bullying. 

5. Gwyn Hughes Jones was a wonderfully robust and masculine Mario – he partnered Tosca brilliantly, bringing to life a real and passionate love relationship. 

6. The conductor, Lothar Koenigs, was also wonderful – this was a warm, open, sensitive interpretation of the music.

7. Everyone else was also wonderful.

Just go.