On December 18, 2024, at 9:00 PM, the fourth event of Siena in Opera 2024 will take place at Teatro dei Rinnovati in Siena. This series, dedicated to theater and opera, was spearheaded by Theater Director Vincenzo Bocciarelli and organized in collaboration with AMAT to enrich the season’s offerings and evoke the atmosphere of Italy’s grand opera houses.
In tribute to Giacomo Puccini on the 100th anniversary of his death, and following Suor Angelica—an innovative production blending opera with graphic novel elements aimed at young audiences—Tosca will take the stage. This monumental three-act melodrama, based on Victorien Sardou’s historical drama, promises to captivate audiences.
This production features the Orchestra of the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago and an international cast, under the baton of Marco Severi and staged by Lorenzo Lenzi. The lead roles include soprano Valentina Boi as Tosca, Siena-born tenor Samuele Simoncini as Mario Cavaradossi, and baritone Francesco Landolfi as Baron Scarpia. The cast also includes Claudio Mugnaini (Sacristan), Simone Rebola (Angelotti), Rocco Sharkey (Spoletta), Paolo Breda Bulgherini (Sciarrone), and Veronica Niccolini (Shepherd). Lighting design is by Samuele Batistoni, costumes by Il Chiacchierino, and set design by Orfeo in Scena.
This entirely Siena-based production is a collaboration between AMAT, the City of Siena, and the Theater Staff, driven by the local administration’s commitment to the arts.
The show is nearly sold out, with a few remaining tickets available online (accessible via the Teatri di Siena website) and at the Teatro dei Rinnovati box office from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Vincenzo Bocciarelli’s Statement:
“While planning the winter season for the Teatri di Siena, I decided to dedicate five events to opera and music theater. My goal was to recreate for Siena’s audience the same emotions that overwhelmed me as a teenager when I was cast as one of the altar boys in Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, starring Shirley Verrett and directed by Mario Monicelli, who sat in the audience giving instructions. Even then, I was captivated by the world of theater.
I wanted to draw a parallel between the core theatrical art of drama and the enchanting atmosphere of grand opera houses like La Scala in Milan or La Fenice in Venice, bringing a meaningful echo of those magical spaces to Siena. My hope is to guide the audience hand-in-hand into the spellbinding world of melodrama.”