Vienna The Operas 1 Tosca

You can't go wrong with Tosca, can you? I've heard that said many times and I think the performance at the Staatsoper proves that actually you can go wrong with Tosca, and using a production that is over  one hunded years old is definitely one of the many ways this can be done. I kid you not, the production was first put together in the early 1900s; the woman who did it left Austria in 1938 fleeing from the Nazis and never went back, and yet despite its age they roll it out quite proudly. You know, there's traditional and then there's stupidly hidebound. 

After the performance the tour manager asked what I would give it out of 10 and I said 4. She thought that was quite harsh but I thought it was fair. One point for the music, one point for the scenery, one for the baritone who was excellent, and one for Tosca's costume in Act 2. 

To my shame I had never heard of the baritone, who is apparently very well known and who was presented with the honour of being named a Kammersänger after the performance. This is huge. I suspect I don't really understand how huge it is, but he got a certificate from the President of Austria on the stage so quite a big deal obviously. 

The Staatsoper is a huge renaissance style building; the Emperor or Empress who commissioned it didn't like it, thereby ruining the careers of the two architects who designed it, one of whom was so distressed that he killed himself. Well done, your majesty ....

It is much less posh inside than you might expect, with the exception of the foyer, and of course the  auditorium, which is splendid  if you like that sort of thing.

A friend from Glasgow was coincidentally at the same performance and we met up with her in the bar beforehand with another couple on our holiday, also from Glasgow and who we have met at Scottish Opera events. That was fun.