Crime, Politics, Deceit, Passion…

Puccini’s masterpiece: Tosca

Jackson, MI. To cap off the 53^rd season, the Jackson Symphony turns to the highly dramatized Puccini opera, Tosca. The JSO brings in an international cast with strong Jackson ties, whose combined credits include the Chicago Lyric Opera, Houston Opera, Italian-Venezuela Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera. The following members of the cast were born and raised in Jackson: Richard Fracker (Cavadarossi), Bryan Fowler (Spoletta) & Jeffrey Bauman (Angelotti). Several others of the cast and production crew have made Jackson their home: Melissa Osmond (Tosca), John Piper (Stage Director), and of course, Maestro Stephen Osmond. Arturo Rodriguez (Scarpia), from Houston, was the first Silver Prize winner in the Vera Scammon International Voice Competition—Vera Scammon, a Jackson native, received her early music training in Jackson before becoming professor of voice at Indiana University.

Tosca tells the story of a doomed love triangle in Rome in the early 1800s. Celebrated singer, Floria Tosca and Mario Cavaradossi, a painter, are in love and all they want is to be left alone. Baron Scarpia, the Chief of Police, however, wants Floria for his physical needs. He arrests Mario for aiding a fugitive and tells Tosca she can save him by giving herself to him. She agrees, but the kiss he has so longed for is the fatal kiss of a knife blade. He had promised to set up a false execution for Mario, but the treachery of Scarpia is revealed as Mario is killed. Tosca vows to meet Scarpia in front of God as she leaps over the side of the building to her death.

This is a timely drama with a gorgeous score by Giacomo Puccini that will have everyone caught up in its passionate spell.

Date:  8:00pm, Saturday April 26, 2003
Place:  Potter Center Music Hall, Jackson, Michigan
Contact: Jackson Symphony Orchestra, 517-782-3221
Event: 5th Concert in JSO’s 53^rd season.
Sponsors: Weatherwax Foundation and the Blakely Foundation

Tickets: Although basically sold out, there are still some seats available in various sections of the auditorium.  Prices range from the main floor at $25 and $22 to the Balcony at $14.  Call 782-4133 or contact us at our website at www.jacksonsymphony.org 

Special: Backstage Glimpse, with Composer-in-Residence, Dr. Bruce Brown, 7:00pm in Federer Room.