After seeing the Angela Gheorgiu Tosca on Nov. 18, and reading a review of the other cast (with Patricia Racette) that started “What a difference a change in cast makes!” I picked up a ticket to see that other cast.
The other cast:
Tosca: Patricia Racette
Cavaradossi: Brian Jagde
Scarpia: Mark Delavan
Angelotti: Christian van Horn
Sacristan: Dale Travis
Conductor: Nicola Luisotti
Director: Jose Maria Condemi
The main thing that I learned from this performance is to avoid the ultra-low-priced seats in the back corner of the second balcony. There is a reason that they are priced so low.
As in the first cast, the Scarpia was the most impressive. This time it was Mark Delavan, in fine voice, though without the tremendous depth of villainy that Lado Ataneli gave us in the summer of 2009. Brian Jagde’s Cavaradossi was somewhat marginal in Santa Fe a few months ago, and my hopes for a quantum improvement for San Francisco were not realized. Patricia Racette sang well, but without reaching the heights of her 2007 Cio-Cio San. Too bad that Angelotti has such a small part, I would have loved to hear more of Christian van Horn. It’s still somewhat short of a beta, though my inferior seat may have a lot to do with that judgment.
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