Runtime (2 hours and 30 minutes)
- Act I
- Intermission
- Act II
- Act III
Overview
SEE OUR IMPORTANT UPDATE ON THE POSTPONEMENT OF SATURDAY, MAY 1 TO SUNDAY, MAY 2 AT 7:30 P.M.!
Austin Opera’s much-anticipated return to live performance is an innovative outdoor staging of Puccini’s Tosca at one of the most exciting venues in Austin: Germania Insurance Amphitheater at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), the city’s Formula 1 racetrack located just 15 miles outside the downtown core. The two performances will feature the Austin Opera Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Timothy Myers, the company’s Sarah and Ernest Butler Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor. David Lefkowich (2018’s La traviata) will direct the massive outdoor production, which will employ more than 125 local artists and stage crew who have been out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Making their Austin Opera debuts in Tosca are a trio of important international artists. A recent Opera News cover star, soprano Latonia Moore is Tosca, the fiery diva caught in the crossfire of love. A native of Houston, Moore has recently sung Tosca at Washington National Opera, Opera Australia, and in Rouen, France. Tenor Adam Smith makes his role debut as the heroic Cavaradossi, and baritone Aleksey Bogdanov is the evil Scarpia. Texas singers take on many of the opera’s supporting roles—see complete listing on the Cast & Production tab.
Tosca is one of opera’s most popular and enduring classics, and returns to the Austin Opera stage for the first time since 2014. The first act’s booming finale, the “Te Deum,” will have a unique visual complement in Austin’s stunning sunset, adding ethereal power to the full force of the Austin Opera Orchestra and Chorus. The second act’s most anticipated moment is Tosca’s “Vissi d’arte,” one of the most famous arias in all of opera, in which Tosca reflects on art, love, and faith as she reaches the most pivotal crossroads of her life. In the final act, Cavaradossi will sing his signature salute to the stars, “E lucevan le stelle,” under the blanket of stars in Austin’s evening sky. And in the opera’s thrilling finale, Tosca will make the ultimate leap of faith in a moment of staging not to be missed in this site-specific production.
See the “What to Expect” tab for specific details surrounding your audience experience!
Ticketing: Sections and Pricing Level Descriptions
There are three reserved seating sections moving back from the stage. “Floor” section seats are at the very front of the venue and sit at eye-level with the stage on flat ground. Sections 100 and 200 are the red stadium-type raked seats seen in most pictures of the venue. Pricing levels are from A-F with A-level seats considered Premium. There are multiple levels in each seating section.
Two alternatives to reserved seating are found beyond the seated sections: reserve a sectioned-off space on the lawn for up to four people for one price (lawn pod), or reserve a section of the risers for up to four people for one price. Please note there are no seats on the lawn (bring your own blanket), and there are backless barstools and a slender bar-like railing for riser reservations.
LAWN POD TICKETS: your entire lawn pod must go through the gates together to be admitted. Please wait until your party is complete before going through security.
Ample standard parking in COTA’s Lot H is included with all tickets. Limited upgraded parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis for $20 in Lots B and C. Lot D is already filled. Frequent open-air shuttles will also be available at designated pick-up spots to whisk patrons from Lot H to the box office and venue entrance; lots B, C, and D are within a very short walk. A map of the parking lots at COTA can be found here.
Seating
Seating in COTA’s Germania Insurance Amphitheater will be reserved in a socially distanced manner by section (see the venue map here). Ticket holders will be seated with at least two seats between groups, and every other row will be empty to allow for social distancing. The seating plan will continue to be contingent upon government orders and health and safety orders, and exact seat locations will be assigned pursuant to those guidelines.
Health and Safety
Austin Opera’s union agreements and artist contracts require social distancing and masks throughout the venue. The safety of our artists, patrons, and staff is paramount.
At the ticket gates, all patrons will be subject to a health screen with a temperature check, security screening, and a bag check, pursuant with COTA’s entry policies.
Rain Policy
Springtime weather in Texas often means light sprinkles; the show will continue as long as it is safe for the audience, the orchestra, and the singers. Bring a light rain jacket or poncho just in case! Austin Opera might pause a performance for a stronger passing shower – not unlike a rain delay in baseball – and resume as soon as possible.
