On October 3 & 10, Kristine Opolais stars as the title role of Tosca, in a concert version of Puccini’s powerful verismo opera at the Semperoper Dresden. In this shortened version performed in concert, they will highlight the opera’s intimate scenes, in particular the deadly three-way relationship between Tosca, Cavaradossi and Scarpia.

Ms. Opolais will share the stage with Najmiddin Mavlyanov as Cavaradossi, Alexey Markov as Scarpia, Lawson Anderson as Angelotti, Matthias Henneberg as Der Mesner, Aaron Pegram as Spoletta, Tilmann Rönnebeck as Sciarrone, and Mateusz Hoedt as Ein Schließer. Omer Meir Wellber conducts.

The magnificent backdrop of the Staatskapelle concert stage is transformed into a church, in which Cavaradossi praises the beauty of his beloved and the choir sings a Te Deum; it also becomes the office of the police chief, Scarpia, where he lusts after Tosca, and she sings of her life dedicated to art and love; and finally the ramparts of the Castel Sant’Angelo, where Cavaradossi, full of despair, watches the sunrise for the last time.