Raimondi as Scarpia in Tosca......Re-Post

RE-POST AS THE ORIGINAL VIDEO WAS REMOVED 

The universally popular aria 'Vissi d'art' from Puccini's three act opera Tosca may be
one of the most famous in operatic history, but for me it would have to be the climax
of act 1 when Italian tenor Ruggero Raimondi performs 'Va Tosca, ( Te Deum).
And if anyone was born to play the role of the evil Baron Scarpia, the Cheif of Police,
then it is Raimondi. Having performed in this role numerous times, it's a role that he
practically owns.
I've often read that legendary tenor Tito Gobi was the most popular  Scarpia and
that everyone else came second to him. But I would strongly disagree.
In this climatic Church procession Raimondi as Scarpia is in a passionate rage over
his love of Floria Tosca, who's lover Mario Cavaradossi he plans to kill so
that he can have Tosca for himself.
And as the procession reaches the Church's exit doors, he utters the immortal line
' Tosca, mi fai dimentcare Iddio.' Which translates as 'Tosca, you make me forget
my God.' Not the kind of thing you might want to say in a Church Mass with a Cardinal
about to pass you.
And as the Cardinal passes, Scarpia apologetically  kisses his satin cloak as an
act of remorse. At which point the Cardinal holds up The Holy Eucharist, a gold
star shaped monstrance, and holds it up high to the Congregation as if to
announce the very presence of God himself, at least that's what we were
told in my growing up days when we were forced to attend Catholic Sunday
Church services.

Of course the evil Scarpia (Raimondi) isn't too keen to be anywhere near his
maker, and so looks up to The Holy Eucharist in a powerhouse finish
that even the Maestro himself Giuseppe Verdi would have been proud of.
Although I do wonder if Verdi was even able to take in Puccini's
new Opera, as Tosca first premiered in January 1900, the final year of Verdi's life.


The above performance was first shown in 1992 live on European tv over
two days in which Tosca was performed in the exact places of the libretto, in
something close to real time. Although the orchestra conducted by
Zubin Mheta was situated a few miles away.

GIACOMO PUCCINI
( Dec 1858 - Nov 1924 )

VIDEO UPLOAD BY OPERAFAN RAIMONDI