Rating: 
Summary: Splendid
Review: Great singing, acting, and, especially, beautiful filming, on location. In this "political" opera, that counts. I can't imagine a better version.
Rating:
Summary: Splendid
Review: I agree with the other reviewers here who have praised the performances of Kabaivanska, Domingo, and Milnes. All three sing well and are convincing as actors. Shooting the opera on location is effective and adds to the dramatic power. The DVD transfer, however, is not the best I have seen. There are frequent white spots and "dirt", as well as places where the picture seems to skip a frame or two. Considering the relatively recent date of the original filming, it is hard to believe that the DVD transfer came from the best source available. I have a DVD of Furtwangler's "Don Giovanni" which was filmed in 1954, and the transfer is much cleaner than this. However, the sound is excellent, with the wide dynamic range one would expect from a DVD, and the slightly substandard video quality is not enough to give this anything less than a full 5-star rating.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent performances, DVD transfer could be better
Review: I agree with the other reviewers here who have praised the performances of Kabaivanska, Domingo, and Milnes. All three sing well and are convincing as actors. Shooting the opera on location is effective and adds to the dramatic power. The DVD transfer, however, is not the best I have seen. There are frequent white spots and "dirt", as well as places where the picture seems to skip a frame or two. Considering the relatively recent date of the original filming, it is hard to believe that the DVD transfer came from the best source available. I have a DVD of Furtwangler's "Don Giovanni" which was filmed in 1954, and the transfer is much cleaner than this. However, the sound is excellent, with the wide dynamic range one would expect from a DVD, and the slightly substandard video quality is not enough to give this anything less than a full 5-star rating.
Rating:
Summary: Superb opera for TV
Review: I think I have seen Tosca more than 10 times, including a performanece by the ultimate Scarpia Tito Gobbi. However, no performance carries the absolute dramatic experience of this production in the actual scenery where the opera scenes are taking place. From the barroque interior of the the Barberini Chapel in the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle, to the ornate room of Scarpia at the Palazzo Farnese, to Hadrian's mausoleum (Castel Sant'Angelo), this film follows the action all over Rome. A magnificent performance by a young and expressive Domingo, a dramatic and powerful Kabaibanska and the forceful ultra-evil portrayal of Scarpia by Milnes, and the magnificent prodution, make this my favorite opera in film. A must in any serious opera collection.
Rating:
Summary: My first exposure... and still my favorite ever
Review: I'd never experienced opera before seeing this treatment of Tosca, more years ago than I like to think, on PBS. I was captivated. Tosca remains my favorite opera ever -- and this version of it is still my favorite, even after the many I've seen subsequently. Yes, the scenery is terrific, Domingo and Kabaivanska are polished and effective... but for me, the most exciting performance was delivered by Milnes. Unlike every Scarpia I've seen subsequently (all of whom played the police chief as an aging roué who's been-there-done-that and come out the worse for wear), Milnes plays him as a man in his prime, with animal appetites and amorality -- a Scarpia who /does/ have attraction and power, and Tosca must fight with herself and her love for Cavaradossi to resist him. She wants him, though she knows she shouldn't, that he'll use her up and throw her away like his empty wineglass. That's an interpretation I've never seen anywhere else. I'd only be happier if it were a DVD... Wrote this review in October of 2000, and as of 2 Apr 2002: Oo! Hooray, lookit that! It /is/ a DVD! I am /so/ all over that action. :)
Rating:
Summary: Kabaivanska's Tosca in an interesting movie
Review: In 1976, Gianfranco de Bosio shot this film in locations in Rome. Many may think that the style here is a bit exaggerated, with strong colours and sterotypic gestures from the actors - but I think that all that is part of the right aesthetics of what is in origine grand-guignol. The fact that we are watching the actual places where the event of the story take place is also very endearing and Bartoletti, aided by the excellent New Philharmonia Orchestra, gives a competent account of Puccini's score. However, the main interest here is that the incredibly neglected Raina Kabaivanska is taking the title role. Not only she is in excellent voice and copes with the extreme difficulties of the role with no effort, but also it is a sensational voice - uniquely bright and powerful with unbelievably floating pianissimi, while also dealing with the most outspoken moments with good taste and dramatic engagement. She also looks gorgeous. Domingo is also in fresh and young voice - he's only a bit chubby here. Milnes, as the rest of the team, is in great voice and goes for a totally evil Scarpia, with a made-up nose that makes him look quite mean!
Rating:
Summary: Epic!
Review: Needless to say that the star is Raina Kabaivanska, a beautiful, graceful Tosca, whose soprano is very expressive - a voice that can be glorious and tender as well. She sings high pianissimo beautifully and her trills are brilliant in "Vissi d'arte". In contrast to other's acting, her acting is full of details and subtleties, dramatizing a proud, fiery, and willing-to-die-for-love Tosca wonderfully. Domingo's approach to Cavaradossi is heroic, poetic, and quite attentive. His voice is silvery; he looks virile, although a bit too wide his girth for a young Cavaradossi. "Recondita armonia" is sung with passion and graceful turns. In "E lucevan le stelle" he conveys the farewell to life with deep emotions and climaxes the aria in a wonderful outburst of "E non ho amato mai tanto la vita". Sherrill Milnes sings Scarpia with a powerful baritone, only if he could add some varieties in reflecting the character's human side, other than just evil. Also, did he really need that ugly unnatural-looking nose?
The film was exquisitely made, from the interior of the grand chapel to the crystals on Scarpia's dining table, everything was carefully chosen. Adding the effect of performing on locations where the story actually took place, this surely is an epic production of Tosca.
Rating:
Summary: Kabaivanska is the greatest Tosca of all time.
Review: Raina Kabaivanska is surely a composer's dream. She not only sings Tosca; for a couple of hours, she IS Tosca. Her voice is glorious and she is an actress of the first magnitude. Add to those enviable qualities, she is beautiful to look at and moves with extraordinary grace. She and Placido Domingo (Mario) are superb together. Raina Kabaivanska is stellar. Any opera lover must have this video. One never tires of its beauty. For the scholar, this is the definitive verisma in all its purity. No other Tosca rises to such heights of excellence! G.K. Brown, DMA Prof. of Music (Ret.)
Rating:
Summary: VIVA RAINA DIVINA !!!
Review: She is the most beautiful Tosca on video and her voice is simpley glorious! If you want to know much about her: www.rainafan.tk
Rating:
Summary: Kabaivanska is good, but not the greatest Tosca of all time
Review: This is a beautiful, spectacular film which uses the real locations in Rome where the opera takes place. Domingo and Milnes give wonderful performances. As for Kabaivanska, I thought she was very good, but certainly not the greatest Tosca of all time. To the reviewers who said Kabaivanska was the greatest of all time: have you seen Maria Callas? For me, Callas is the greatest ever. But Kabaivanska is a good actress and gives a moving performance.
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