HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB) will premiere Giacomo Puccini’s opera Tosca in Việt Nam on September 26 and 27, 2026, at Hồ Gươm Opera House in Hà Nội.

For more than a century, Tosca has captivated audiences on the world’s leading opera stages and is widely regarded as one of the most powerful and dramatic works in the operatic repertoire.

Tosca is a gripping story of love, lust, murder and political intrigue. With its richly romantic score by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, it remains one of the world’s most beloved operas.

A tragic tale of passion and jealousy, Tosca follows the tempestuous opera singer Floria Tosca as she struggles to save her lover, the painter Mario Cavaradossi, from the sadistic police chief Scarpia.

The opera is directed by Singaporean Jeong Ae Ree, founder and artistic director of New Opera Singapore.

“My focus in staging the opera is to portray the most authentic emotional journey of Tosca and Cavaradossi – where love, devotion, vulnerability and boundless sacrifice come together as one,” said Ree.

“Tosca presents a woman who loves passionately and experiences every shade of emotion, from tenderness and jealousy to unwavering determination. Puccini’s music opens up this inner world with exquisite beauty. They are not merely grand operatic figures, but two very real human beings with their dreams, fears and aspirations.

“I hope the production will offer a deeply moving experience that celebrates the enduring strength of the human heart.”

Sopranos Tố Loan and Hương Diệp will perform Tosca, while tenors Trịnh Thanh Bình and Nguyễn Trường Linh will portray the lovestruck artist Cavaradossi.

Loan is one of Việt Nam’s leading sopranos. She won the top prize at the Singapore Lyric Opera ASEAN Vocal Competition and the first prize at the Lidal North Opera Workshop in Oslo.

She is currently a soloist with the Việt Nam National Opera and Ballet. Diệp won First Prize in the Classical Category at the Dinu Lipatti International Festival in Romania while studying on an opera master’s programme.

In 2024, she received First Prize in the Musical Theatre/Opera category at the Georges Bizet International Music Competition, as well as First Prize at the Golden Classical International Competition.

Tenors Bình and Linh are leading singers with the VNOB and have performed roles in major works such as La Boheme, Carmen, and Les Miserables. 

Bringing the opera to Việt Nam marks a milestone for VNOB, reflecting the remarkable development of opera in the country and offering audiences a chance to experience world-class artistry.

“Tosca is a production that demands a great deal in terms of scale, vocal technique and performance,” VNOB director Phan Mạnh Đức said. “However, we have made thorough preparations to present audiences with an elegant and sophisticated production.”

Conductor Đồng Quang Vinh will lead the VNOB orchestra and Hanoi Voices for the production. — VNS