Tosca's Rome

by Jonathan Dean

Giacomo Puccini's Tosca takes place over the course of a few hours, in three actual locations near each other in Rome, not far from the Vatican (you can still go visit them and see if the scenic designer did his research). More so than most operas, Tosca requires carefully designed, realistic scenery to reflect the authenticity and detail of the stage action. In this article, we take a closer look at the real-life venues that inspired the opera.

Praise for The Magic Flute

Duke Kim as Tamino with Ethan Ibsen, Caleb Petrini, and Autumn Helene Chociej as the Three Genies in The Magic Flute at Seattle Opera. Photo: David Jaewon Oh.

Audiences have one last weekend to catch Seattle Opera’s latest production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, which has taken the city by storm. Concocted by visionary director Barrie Kosky and mixed-media theater group 1927, the production blends hand-drawn animations with silent film aesthetics in a unique, fully animated film projected over live performers. Read what critics have to say about this audacious new production, and don’t miss your chance to see The Magic Flute, playing at McCaw Hall until March 9. Tickets and info at seattleopera.org/flute.