I hadn’t been to the opera in over a month.

I think that has never happened in my life. And let me tell you — a few minutes before the curtain went up, I felt like a guy about to get his fix after weeks without it. Slightly nervous, overly excited, probably unbearable to sit next to.

Did I need a reason to go see Tosca? Absolutely not.
But if I had to find one, it was clearly Lucas Meachem making his role debut as Scarpia. The North Carolina baritone, who already shines in Puccini, Verdi, and Donizetti, was stepping into one of the most iconic villain roles in the repertoire. That alone was enough to get me on a train.

Carlo Felice = going to a friend’s house

Coming to the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova feels a bit like going to a close friend’s place. You know the vibe, you feel good instantly, and you just know you’re going to have a great time.

We talk about it often within the Opera Diary team: this theatre has something special. It’s warm, welcoming, consistently delivers strong seasons, thoughtful productions, well-chosen casts — and honestly, a chorus that could make La Scala a little jealous.

Last night? Sold out.

And the moment the curtain went up… you could literally hear “wow” and “ohhh” across the room. The staging is that kind of iconic — beautiful, striking, almost like watching your favorite football team play in vintage kits in a packed stadium. It just hits differently.

A last-minute twist… and a great surprise

Originally, the trio was supposed to feature Annastasia Bartoli as Tosca. But just four hours before the performance, she was replaced by Carmen Giannattasio.

Not gonna lie — I was disappointed.

For about… 30 seconds.

Because from her very first “Mario, Mario… Marioooo”, Giannattasio completely erased any doubt. She delivered a Tosca that was both fragile and fiery, fully caught in Scarpia’s web. And physically, the contrast worked perfectly — Meachem, tall and imposing, facing a more vulnerable but determined Tosca. That dynamic? Gold.

Giorgio Berrugi – solid, with a tiny “but”

Giorgio Berrugi as Cavaradossi was strong overall.
Now, I’ll be honest — his “Vittoria!” didn’t quite explode the way I wanted. I like a bit more rage, more fire (#VittorioGrigolo style, you know what I mean).

But he came back beautifully in the final act. His “E lucevan le stelle” was emotional, controlled, and very well received. The applause was long, warm, and fully deserved.

Lucas Meachem – worth the wait

And yeah… let’s talk about Lucas Meachem.

I loved it. Honestly, I loved it.

First of all, that duo with Tosca? It works perfectly. He has zero problem being cruel — not in an exaggerated way, but through subtle looks, posture, presence. He owns the space.

His Te Deum was classy, cold, almost calculated — the kind of Scarpia who doesn’t need to shout to dominate. At times, it reminded me of Bryn Terfel in the way he commands the stage with authority and control.

And just putting his name in the same sentence as Terfel? That says everything.

Final thoughts

Another night, another reminder of why Italy just hits different when it comes to opera.

The atmosphere before the show, the energy during, the warmth after — it’s all part of the experience. The audience is passionate but fair, loyal but demanding, and always deeply involved.

So yes — I’ll say it clearly:

I love Italian opera.
I love Italian opera in Italy.
And nights like this at the Carlo Felice are exactly why.

A huge thank you once again to the theatre for the welcome — and I already can’t wait to come back in a few weeks for Macbeth and La Bohème.

Because honestly… once you’ve had your fix, you just want more.

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CAST

Direttore
Giuseppe Finzi

Regia
Alessandro Talevi
ripresa da Anna Maria Bruzzese

Scene e costumi
Adolf Hohenstein

Luci
Vinicio Cheli

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Floria Tosca
Carmen Giannattasio

Mario Cavaradossi
Giorgio Berrugi

Il Barone Scarpia
Lucas Meachem

Cesare Angelotti
Luca Tittoto

Il Sagrestano
Fabio Maria Capitanucci

Spoletta
Manuel Pierattelli

Sciarrone
Franco Cerri

Un carceriere
Loris Purpura

Un pastorello
Maria Guano

Orchestra, Coro, Coro di voci bianche e Tecnici della Fondazione Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova

Maestro del coro
Claudio Marino Moretti

Maestro del coro di voci bianche
Gino Tanasini

Allestimento del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma