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It is a drama of undying love, fiery passion, tragic deceit and finally, ultimate sacrifice.
If you think it sounds like a tagline for a soap opera, you would be halfway right. While the plot elements do resemble those of a soap opera, the Austin Lyric Opera's production of "Tosca" is an opera of a different sort - with none of the bad lighting and trite music that accompany the television variety.
The music is "Tosca's" high point. Composed by Giacomo Puccini, the melodies have remained popular for the hundreds of years since its inception.
"Tosca" has not changed since its birth, but the Austin Lyric Opera has. Artistic Director and Conductor Richard Buckley believes it is evolving for the better. In his inaugural season with ALO, Buckley will bring more international performers than ever before in the opera's 18-year history. Buckley volunteers that, "This whole season is a compilation of international performers and local talent."
The role of Tosca, the heroine of the opera, will be sung at some performances by soprano Eszter Sumegi, who Buckley says "is known internationally for singing this role." This production will be Sumegi's Texas premier.
By raising the bar, Buckley and the Austin Lyric Opera hope to create a local company with an international reputation, much like the international reputation that Maestro Buckley has garnered for himself.
Buckley has traveled the world to conduct and present great music. Audiences in cities such as Berlin, Paris, London and Lisbon have listened to his performances.
Why, then, has he decided to create a permanent home in Austin and an artistic relationship with the Austin Lyric Opera?
"At 50, I had a paradigm shift. I wanted to commit myself to a city and a specific organization," Buckley said. The opportunity at the Austin Lyric Opera provides Buckley with the base he needs on which to build an international organization.
The ALO is not only expanding on a global scale, but it is reaching out to the community as well. The Lyric Opera has a program that allows University students to work on productions. This is one of the programs that Buckley is committed to providing to the University.
"This interface is a professional extension of the Opera," says Buckley.
Students who work with the ALO gain professional experience that may help them in their future professional careers. The program will also be a chance for University students to work with an unprecedented amount of international talent.
The new season of the Lyric Opera will provide something for everyone. Following "Tosca," the Opera will present a production of Richard Strauss' "Elektra" and then will finish the season with Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro."
Buckley admits it is hard to please everyone, much like it is hard to "have a menu that is inclusive of all tastes ... This season's selections provide examples of three completely different approaches to opera."
"Tosca" is passionate, tragic and action-oriented. It flows in three acts. "Elektra," however, surges to the audience in only one act.
"'Elektra' provides a more psychological view of what is happening," Buckley said.
"The Marriage of Figaro" is the most accessible of the three, because "it is a comedy and many people recognize the melody lines of Mozart."
Some would argue that opera has no relevance in today's world of short attention spans, nurtured by reality-based television and video games. Austin Lyric Opera would like to reach out to people who find that their lives are ruled by television and video games.
"Opera allows you to experience emotion in a way that television cannot," Buckely said, offering his insight. "Television is non-participatory and there is no concentration involved. Opera allows you to experience emotional reality. That is why opera and all art forms have such significance today. They are more important than ever."
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