April 8, 2006
Tosca Backstage
Okay, I admit it. In addition to really getting to love Opera, I am an "access hacker". The word "hacker" has gotten a bad name lately, but all that it means is someone who comes up with clever ways of doing things (the computer bad guys really should just be called "criminals", and leave the "hacker" term to the clever good guys). An "access hacker" is someone who likes going into attics, roofs, subway and steam tunnels, and... backstage. So once more Christopher Hahn (here with a blurry Maetro Mauceri at the after-opera talk on Tuesday night), bribed (ahem, "persuaded") me to blog by giving me backstage access to Tosca.
From my seat at the back of the first tier, I was amazed at the sheer magnitude of the sets. They positively filled the stage from wing to wing and curtain to flies. What I was unprepared for was that the stagehands would manage to present three of these sets - one for each act. In fact, unless I was mistaken, the audience (myself included) applauded for the set in Act III. None of the principals were on stage, the orchestra was playing softly - yet the incredible spectacle that we wintessed was almost overwhelming. As Maetro John Mauceri said, Puccini was one of the first cinematographers. Although his oevre was Opera, movies had been invented by the time Tosca was penned, and I have no doubt that Puccini and the early film makers drew from each other. For what we saw in the house was life writ large, lavishly set upon the stage, powerfully sung, and richly orchestrated. But I digress...
From backstage, the sets are almost impossibly large. Executive Director Mark Weinstein told me that these sets come from the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and that "they don't build them like that any more - unless you are the Met". From the front of the stage, the back of the church is huge. It is the size of a real church, with the roof aspiring to heaven. The front of the church, with the statue of the Madonna and the pews, butts right up to the line of the curtain. It feels so real, but since I have the chance to spoil the illusion, from the side you can see how it all fits together. Amazingly, there is a lot of space behind the set, where the drapes and flies hide the absolute back of the stage.
But here is the amazing part... In Act II, we see Scarpia's suite in the castle, and in Act III, we see the ramparts outside the castle. But as I wandered around backstage, I didn't see it! I saw stagehands with Scarpia's globe from Act II. Christopher also pointed out the chairs from Act II. Those are especially interesting, because Christopher also told me that the leather chairs are the very ones that Maria Callas sat in when she sang the role of Tosca! But I am amazed as to where they managed to hide Scarpia's suite and a whole castle from Act III!
I love stagecraft. Perhaps it is why I enjoy being backstage almost as much as I like being in the audience! It is amazing what the stagehands manage to accomplish in a 15 minute intermission. Take another look at what is packed in behind the chairs. You can see the huge busts from Scarpia's suite in Act II, and the massive chest. Look again in the far-left background of the picture of Maria Callas' chairs - you can see the crenellations of the battlements from Act III. The fact is, I didn't even see them as I wandered slack-jawed backstage. I only found them after reviewed my pictures while writing this blog entry!
Perhaps what distracted me was the history present backstage. The Callas chairs were one thing, but there are graffiti everywhere. It is something of a tradition to (literally) make your mark on a set that you work on, and Tosca was rife with marks. Stagehands and crew sign the back of the set, and stage manager Emma Turner also left her mark. But what is most interesting is the back of the altar, stage left. The entire back of the canvas is covered with billboards from the Academie Nationale de Musique & De Danse, all from the early 1960's. I took a series of pictures and stitched them into a panorama that stretches from floor to ceiling. You may have to scroll down to see it all.
Finally, one more bit of magic... At the after-performance discussion, a charmingly effusive Susan Neves (who sang Floria Tosca) told us of the leap from the battlements. She also told us stories of other productions with twelve foot drops, and one stage manager who broker her ankle demonstrating how safe the drop was. I am happy to relate that Susan's ordeal in Pittsburgh was purely theatrical. Christoper especially wanted me to photograph the famous jumping platform, and although it is rather high up in the air, the bottom of the box is only 4-5 feet from the top, and very well padded, so Ms. Neves had a relatively soft landing!
I love watching close-up magicans work. Sleight of hand is an amazing craft, because even though I know what the magicians are doing, I still can't manage to catch them doing it. I delight in watching the show, and it is even more fun for me considering that the illusion is preserved, even when I know what the illusion is. Stagecraft holds the same appeal. I know the magic and wonderment I experience as an audience member, but that magic is utterly undissipated even though I know what goes on backstage. Alas, although I know what happens, I cannot manage to catch them actually doing it. Next time, I think I will have to ask Christopher if I can watch an entire opera from backstage :-)
But wait... what about the Opera itself? Okay... I should say something more than just Wow!
It was amazing. Susan Neves as Tosca was powerful and passionate, as were Alfredo Portilla and Tony Dillon (I regret that I don't have good pictures of Craig Verm, Jason Karn and the rest of the excellent cast). But I do have one of Greer Grimsley, who as Baron Scarpia was just pure evil! The end of Act I, with the chorus and orchestra going full blast, and Scarpia clearly heard over it all singing "Tosca, you make me forget God". Wow. I could go on, but it is hard to do without gesticulating, and since you can't see me from your screen... wow will have to suffice!
From my seat at the back of the first tier, I was amazed at the sheer magnitude of the sets. They positively filled the stage from wing to wing and curtain to flies. What I was unprepared for was that the stagehands would manage to present three of these sets - one for each act. In fact, unless I was mistaken, the audience (myself included) applauded for the set in Act III. None of the principals were on stage, the orchestra was playing softly - yet the incredible spectacle that we wintessed was almost overwhelming. As Maetro John Mauceri said, Puccini was one of the first cinematographers. Although his oevre was Opera, movies had been invented by the time Tosca was penned, and I have no doubt that Puccini and the early film makers drew from each other. For what we saw in the house was life writ large, lavishly set upon the stage, powerfully sung, and richly orchestrated. But I digress...
From backstage, the sets are almost impossibly large. Executive Director Mark Weinstein told me that these sets come from the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and that "they don't build them like that any more - unless you are the Met". From the front of the stage, the back of the church is huge. It is the size of a real church, with the roof aspiring to heaven. The front of the church, with the statue of the Madonna and the pews, butts right up to the line of the curtain. It feels so real, but since I have the chance to spoil the illusion, from the side you can see how it all fits together. Amazingly, there is a lot of space behind the set, where the drapes and flies hide the absolute back of the stage.
But here is the amazing part... In Act II, we see Scarpia's suite in the castle, and in Act III, we see the ramparts outside the castle. But as I wandered around backstage, I didn't see it! I saw stagehands with Scarpia's globe from Act II. Christopher also pointed out the chairs from Act II. Those are especially interesting, because Christopher also told me that the leather chairs are the very ones that Maria Callas sat in when she sang the role of Tosca! But I am amazed as to where they managed to hide Scarpia's suite and a whole castle from Act III!
I love stagecraft. Perhaps it is why I enjoy being backstage almost as much as I like being in the audience! It is amazing what the stagehands manage to accomplish in a 15 minute intermission. Take another look at what is packed in behind the chairs. You can see the huge busts from Scarpia's suite in Act II, and the massive chest. Look again in the far-left background of the picture of Maria Callas' chairs - you can see the crenellations of the battlements from Act III. The fact is, I didn't even see them as I wandered slack-jawed backstage. I only found them after reviewed my pictures while writing this blog entry!
Perhaps what distracted me was the history present backstage. The Callas chairs were one thing, but there are graffiti everywhere. It is something of a tradition to (literally) make your mark on a set that you work on, and Tosca was rife with marks. Stagehands and crew sign the back of the set, and stage manager Emma Turner also left her mark. But what is most interesting is the back of the altar, stage left. The entire back of the canvas is covered with billboards from the Academie Nationale de Musique & De Danse, all from the early 1960's. I took a series of pictures and stitched them into a panorama that stretches from floor to ceiling. You may have to scroll down to see it all.
Finally, one more bit of magic... At the after-performance discussion, a charmingly effusive Susan Neves (who sang Floria Tosca) told us of the leap from the battlements. She also told us stories of other productions with twelve foot drops, and one stage manager who broker her ankle demonstrating how safe the drop was. I am happy to relate that Susan's ordeal in Pittsburgh was purely theatrical. Christoper especially wanted me to photograph the famous jumping platform, and although it is rather high up in the air, the bottom of the box is only 4-5 feet from the top, and very well padded, so Ms. Neves had a relatively soft landing!
I love watching close-up magicans work. Sleight of hand is an amazing craft, because even though I know what the magicians are doing, I still can't manage to catch them doing it. I delight in watching the show, and it is even more fun for me considering that the illusion is preserved, even when I know what the illusion is. Stagecraft holds the same appeal. I know the magic and wonderment I experience as an audience member, but that magic is utterly undissipated even though I know what goes on backstage. Alas, although I know what happens, I cannot manage to catch them actually doing it. Next time, I think I will have to ask Christopher if I can watch an entire opera from backstage :-)
But wait... what about the Opera itself? Okay... I should say something more than just Wow!
It was amazing. Susan Neves as Tosca was powerful and passionate, as were Alfredo Portilla and Tony Dillon (I regret that I don't have good pictures of Craig Verm, Jason Karn and the rest of the excellent cast). But I do have one of Greer Grimsley, who as Baron Scarpia was just pure evil! The end of Act I, with the chorus and orchestra going full blast, and Scarpia clearly heard over it all singing "Tosca, you make me forget God". Wow. I could go on, but it is hard to do without gesticulating, and since you can't see me from your screen... wow will have to suffice!
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I must say I have forgotten about this blog. Last time I blogged was for Ariadne, I have to get back into it.
Tosca, the whole opera presented was above every one of my expectations.The Pgh Opera keeps getting better and better and a lot of my coments also have been blogged on Opera News site. The anticipation of Cosi fan Tuttes getting overwhelming. I must admit next season looks terrific except for Pagliacci, I must also have Cavalleria too!!
Tosca, the whole opera presented was above every one of my expectations.The Pgh Opera keeps getting better and better and a lot of my coments also have been blogged on Opera News site. The anticipation of Cosi fan Tuttes getting overwhelming. I must admit next season looks terrific except for Pagliacci, I must also have Cavalleria too!!
Just to "set" the record straight. The sets are from the Royal Covent Garden in London. That was where Maria Callas performed on them in 1964. The costumes are recreations from the original designs of that production. They are now owned by Chicago Lyric Opera.
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