TOSCA
THE NEW YOK TIMES RAVES:
“AMBITIOUS, AGILE, AND DARING!”
“ DEMONSTRATES WHAT MAKES HEARTBEAT SO VITAL TO NEW YORK’S OPERA SCENE”
“SHADI’S FRAMING INTRODUCED A FRESH SENSE OF DANGER, [WITH] DEPTH AND INGENUITY.”
HEARTBEAT “HASN’T SKIPPED A BEAT”
Photo Credit: Zoë
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica & Giuseppe Giacosa
Co-Adapted by Shadi G. & Jacob Ashworth
Directed by Shadi G.
Newly Arranged by Daniel Schlosberg
Music Directed by Jacob Ashworth
Heartbeat's new production of Tosca translates Puccini's masterpiece of love and revolution from Rome's 1800 police state to the modern-day world of religious authoritarian regimes. This brand new co-adaptation by Iranian-American director Shadi G. and Heartbeat Artistic Director Jacob Ashworth focuses on a troupe of singer activists living in an oppressive dictatorship who have decided that tonight they will risk everything to perform the uncensored Tosca. They race to tell their whole story before the authoritarian forces lurking in the wings press in. This radical adaptation asks what it means to make art where freedom of expression does not exist — where even love is banned from the stage.
Puccini’s score is transformed in a breathtaking new arrangement by Daniel Schlosberg, featuring our biggest band yet: three cellos, bass, piano, flute, trumpet, and horn, conducted by Jacob Ashworth.
Sung in Italian, subtitles in Farsi and English.
CAST
Tosca // Anush Avetisyan
Scarpia // Gustavo Feulien
Cavaradossi // Chad Kranak
Sacristan/Spoleta/Junior // Christopher Nazarian Angelotti/Shepherd // Joseph Lodato
Undercover Boss, Anonymous Man // Masih Rahmati Undercover Police, Sciarrone // Reza Mirjalili
BAND
Conductor // Jacob Ashworth
Cello 1 // Clare Monfredo
Cello 2 // Maddy Fayette
Cello 3 // Nagyeom Jang
Bass // Milad Daniari
Flute // Amir Farsi
Horn // Nicolee Kuester
Trumpet // Clyde Daley
Piano // Jessica Osborne
TEAM
Director // Shadi G
Music Director // Jacob Ashworth
Arrangement by // Daniel Schlosberg
Adapted by // Shadi G and Jacob Ashworth
Scenic Design // Reid Thompson
Fight Choreographer // Rick Sordelet
Costume Design // Mika Eubanks
Lighting Design // Oliver Wason
Sound Design // Michael Costagliola
Props Supervisor // Rhys Roffey
Production Stage Manager // Chris Griswold
Assistant Director // Yekta Khaghani
Associate Music Director/Orchestra Manager //
Mona Seyed-Bolorforosh
Assistant Stage Manager // Brenna Comeay
Assistant Costume Design // Allison Esannason
English Supertitle Translators //
Peregrine Heard & Jacob Ashworth
Farsi Supertitle Translator // [anonymous]
Supertitles Operator // Nick Betson
Cultural Consultant // Torange Yeghiazarian
Production Managers //
Scott H. Schneider & Robert Signom III
Technical Director // Sarah Schetter
Assistant Production Manager // Keith Adams
Production Electrician // Rome Brown
Head Rigger // Charles Albano
Head Video // Dan Vidal
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