This is an issue to delight far more than devotees of opera in English, a gripping account of Puccini’s red-blooded drama. Above all, it offers the first major recording to demonstrate the powers of Jane Eaglen at full stretch in one of the most formidable, vocally satisfying portrayals of the role of Tosca in years.
For this second of the Opera in English series on Chandos the line-up very much echoes those for the Opera Rara series similarly promoted by Peter Moores, not least in the choice of David Parry as conductor. Parry has already shown himself a sympathetic interpreter of rare repertory, but here he equally demonstrates his full understanding of Puccini. Though the opening Scarpia chords initially struck me as too protracted, that was my solitary reservation, for from then on the pacing could hardly be bettered. The bite and energy in the playing of the Philharmonia, not to mention the expressive warmth in the love music, had me riveted as though I were hearing the music for the first time.
The opulent Chandos sound, cleanly focused with plenty of atmosphere and presence, adds to the impact, whether in the power of the big tuttis or in the subtlety of whispered string pianissimos, with the Philharmonia Orchestra on outstanding form. So keen is the tension through Act 1 and in the opening scene of Act 2 that I find the break between the discs even more of an intrusion than I expected. It is specially irritating when – following most recent sets – Acts 2 and 3 could easily have been fitted on to the second CD without any break, my one serious moan about the issue. Off-stage effects are nicely evocative, though the sequence of bell-sounds at the start of Act 3 is so clear it suggests an orchestra rather than a Roman landscape.
Otherwise, the slightly forward balance of voices against orchestra is very well judged for a set in which the audibility of words is paramount. The translation is Edmund Tracey’s as used by ENO at the Coliseum and generally very good because unobtrusive, even if you get occasional awkwardnesses, as (near the start) “In front of the Madonna is where my sister told me”. Tosca’s “But make the eyes look darker” is an obvious weakening of “Ma falle gli occhi neri”, and Scarpia’s “Hidden in the garden well” also fails to have the bite of the original “Nel pozzo del giardino” in Act 2, when he reveals Tosca’s betrayal of Angelotti’s hiding place. Small reservations.
What above all will delight collectors is the power and command of Jane Eaglen as Tosca. The voice is in superb form, with none of the unevennesses which marred her recording of Norma with Muti (EMI, 10/95), and the confident sureness with which she attacks one top note after another is a consistent delight. In Act 1 this Tosca snorts fire in her jealousy. I was reminded of another Wagnerian, Birgit Nilsson, except that Eaglen’s sound is warmer and more rounded. Her vehemence in Act 2 then leads to a marked softening for the love music of the final Act. She is well matched by Dennis O’Neill as Cavaradossi, aptly Italianate in every register, and betraying only a slight unevenness occasionally, not a wobble, on high notes under pressure. Gregory Yurisich makes a powerful Scarpia, younger-sounding than most, and therefore a more plausible lover. He too is able to shade and soften his firm, clear tone as in his wooing of Tosca, and his cry of “Conquest!” early in Act 2 (disc 1, track 12, 0'43'') is spine-tingling. The others are well-cast too, notably Peter Rose as an outstanding, fresh-voiced Angelotti. It is good too to have such bright sounds from the Peter Kay Children’s Choir in the rumbustious Crowd scene of Act 1, rising above the excellent Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. I look forward to more in the series.'