Music and Dance Reviews : Fetta Leads a Microphoned ‘Tosca’ Outdoors in Redlands

Many years before the Inland Empire became--as it is today--an area of varied and competitive symphonic activity, there was opera every summer in Redlands Bowl. The outdoor showplace, now in its 66th summer season, has hosted budding singers and al-fresco operatic production--as well as dance and orchestra concerts and recitals--throughout its long history.

Puccini’s “Tosca” returned to Redlands Bowl on Friday night, courtesy of music director Frank Fetta, a 31-player orchestra and a cast of attractive young singers. Unstaged, the old thriller still made its mark; the power of this score does not reside in sets, costumes and gesture.

There was a modicum of interaction between the singing actors, which helped. What did not help the performance was a probing use of microphones and amplification, which seemed to distort all voices, flatten out timbres and stifle vocal coloration. The one benefit of such close aural scrutiny was a near-complete clarity of words: Sung in English in a serviceable combination translation, this “Tosca” could usually be understood.

Fetta’s impassioned and thorough approach to the familiar score achieved Puccinian sweep in some moments, but too often bogged down, motion-wise, in detail. Still, this was an effective musical reading, buoyed neatly by the capable orchestra. Assisting in choral duties was the Cambridge Singers, prepared by Alexander Ruggieri.

Though their voices and singing emerged from the sound system distorted in regard to size and color, the three principals nevertheless seemed appropriately cast, and comprehensive in their preparation.

As Tosca, Starleigh Goltry looked statuesque and divalike in her gowns, and sang confidently and with conviction. And, like Jane McGowan before her--in 1958, McGowan was Tosca in Glynn Ross’ production for Redlands Bowl--Goltry sang her final lines from the balcony above the Bowl stage.

William Trabold’s Cavaradossi matched Goltry in spirit and vocal thrust, despite apparent sound distortion above the staff. Peter Van Derick looked stoic and impassive as Scarpia, but spit out the words vehemently.

Among the assisting singers, John Ross Nelson produced a well-detailed characterization of the Sacristan.