I was intrigued by the very passionate comments I'd read about this movie, and was curious to see it. I'm not an opera fan, but have a special interest in Tosca, and remember seeing a PBS performance of it twenty or twenty-five years ago. I found this version unexpectedly entertaining; the things that might repel typical opera fans seemed to work well for me, maybe because I could link them to other film performances I'd seen, and made this film not so purely "opera". The outdoor shots, always with a rather shaky moving camera, reminded me of crime reconstructions I'd seen on TV, and also of the dreamlike atmosphere in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". They weren't long enough to annoy, and gave a sense of urgency to the film. I didn't even mind the lyrics spoken by the performers, while their voices sang in the background; once again, the non-opera aspect of it was appealing, perhaps because I wasn't completely resolved on seeing *only* an opera. The three main performers all had strong points. Roberto Alagna was good enough as Cavaradossi; I'm not experienced enough at opera to find the faults in his voice that other writers have, though I did notice at one point that he couldn't quite hold his own against the orchestra. I just found his acting to be a little weak for the hero; I'd expect a revolutionary to be a bit more fiery, and he should be able to give Scarpia a run for his money during their confrontation. Perhaps this was the director's interpretation; it would be natural for Cavaradossi to be scared when hauled before Scarpia, but he seemed a bit pathetic when he should have been proud and defiant. Even I could tell that Angela Gheorgiu has a beautiful voice, and never tired of hearing her sing. Her acting was not always to my taste, though; I thought her Tosca came across as coquettish in her scene with Cavaradossi in the church, and I would have preferred a more open-hearted and sincere Tosca at such a moment. She reminded me too much of a professional actress there, and I found her a bit artificial. Her best scenes were with Ruggero Raimondi, and I'll agree with everything everyone else has said about his performance - he was fantastic. That aria at the end of Act I certainly sets the pulse racing, and it's extremely sexy, though the performer is acting almost entirely with his eyes. As unlikely as a Tosca-Scarpia pairing would be, it was really believable in this film, and Gheorgiu really was able to convey conflicted feelings of attraction and repulsion for this terrible man. Raimondi has a real gift for bringing out her best acting - his acting ability is never in question, but she isn't always as convincing. This may not be anyone's "definitive" version of Tosca, but it is quite unique.
