Cape Town Opera to Present TOSCA in September

After a stellar debut season of TOSCA at the Joburg Theatre in July, Cape Town Opera (CTO) will present Puccini's powerful opera to  Cape Town audiences at the Artscape Opera House from 12 to 17 September 2023. The highly anticipated grand scale production that saw standing ovations at every performance and received superb notices across the board, is directed by Magdalene Minnaar with set and costume design by Maritha Visagie and Leopold Senekal. Movement direction is by Fiona du Plooy while lighting design is by Oliver Hauser.

Puccini's score reveals his compositional mastery and skill in distilling humanity's most profound emotions into music. Maestro Björn Bantock will conduct the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cape Town Opera Chorus will be directed by Marvin Kernelle. An exciting addition to the sixty-strong cast is the inclusion of a 28-member children's chorus, overseen by Antoinette Huyssen.

Heading the stellar cast is a trio of Cape Town Opera House Soloists led by soprano Nobulumko Mngxekeza as the fiery Floria Tosca in her first production with Cape Town Opera since being appointed as House Soloist last year. This is Mngxekeza's first production with the company since returning from a working stint in Europe earlier this year. Joining Mngxekeza will be tenor Lukhanyo Moyake as Cavaradossi, Tosca's love interest, and the award-winning baritone Conroy Scott as the malicious police chief Baron Scarpia. Singing alongside these superb CTO House Soloists is the celebrated baritone Bongani Khubeka and Cape Town Opera Judith Neilson Young Artists including Lonwabi Mose as Angelotti, Van Wyk Venter as Spoletta and Lwazi Dlamini as Sciarrone.

The story of TOSCA, an opera in three acts, follows Floria Tosca and Mario Cavaradossi, the ill-fated lovers whose romance plays out amidst political turmoil in Italy in 1800. It is a heart-wrenching, passionate and at times violent melodrama of love, loss, jealousy and deception set against the backdrop of a Roman revolution during the Napoleonic Wars. Cape Town Opera's production blends Roman grandeur with contemporary elements and strong references to the splendid architecture of the day. Tosca's gowns are elegant and exquisite, in rich palettes that speak to the period of the day. 

TOSCA is a marvellous spectacle loaded with the drama, intrigue and mystery that audiences have come to expect and appreciate from this powerful artistic genre. 

Cape Town Opera acknowledges, with grateful thanks, the support of the Judith Neilson Foundation,  the Rupert Music Foundation and the City of Cape Town for their support.  

TOSCA is at the Artscape Opera House from 12 to 17 September 2023. Tickets cost from R180 to R520 with booking through Computicket and 0214217695.