Last night the significant other and I went to the opera, which is not quite as la-de-da as it sounds. The opera crowd is far more diverse than it used to be. True, there are plenty of middle-aged frumps, and older, but there are also gays aplenty and yes - last night at least, tons of twenty-somethings in tight jeans and black everything. People don’t dress up for it anymore, or a lot don’t, and that’s good, I think. 

Could be the crowd make-up was a reflection of the fact that the big attraction was Tosca.  It’s one of the most approachable operas you’ll find.  Some will say shows like Carmen or La Boheme or Madame Butterfly are the ones to get your opera feet wet. I say nah -  all three border on the tedious. Tosca, on the other hand, has it all.

Want love, lust, jealousy, attempted rape? How about political intrigue, desperate rebels, evil villains, heroic patriots?  Or murder, executions, suicide? In Tosca, they are all here.  And the soprano dies at the end.  So does the hero, and, earlier,  the villain, bloodily too. And because it’s Puccini, all this is conducted against incredibly lush melodies, lovely set pieces for the soprano (before she jumps to her death) and a powerful orchestral score that might just have you humming on the way out.

It’s all hugely melodramatic, of course, which is an operatic convention of sorts that one has to swallow, along with, in this case, a stylized, traditional acting style that may grate.  But Tosca is nevertheless exciting theatre. Act Two in particular will have you on the edge of your seat – a classic battle of good and evil that is written as taut as a drum and sung to the hilt.  That’s in part why I recommend Tosca as a starting point for those new to opera.  Simply put, you won’t be bored. Everything is larger than life, but rooted in human emotions stretched to the breaking point.

I wish I could recommend this particular production more.  The Canadian Opera Company is a reliable source of good opera, often adventurously staged, and this show, at the Four Seasons Centre for the Preforming Arts until February 25, isn’t the latter. It’s very traditionally staged, in fact.  If you’ve ever seen Tosca before, there are no new touches here. That’s not to say it isn’t gorgeous to look at, beautifully sounding  - both vocally and orchestrally - and that the drama quotient is in any way impacted by the lack of directorial risk-taking.  It’s just not one of those departures from standard staging that some love and infuriate others.

Those non-standard interpretations, by the way, are often popular with younger audiences.  I like them too. They can be quite bizarre.  Instead of legions of spear carriers, for instance, you could see these transformed in the director’s vision to packs of Nazi storm-troopers. Sopranos might be sloshing around in knee deep water rather than singing away on the battlements with a horned helmet on their head.  Or  - and we've seen this in Toronto -  swimming in pools of blood.

Back to Tosca. Despite my disappointment that this production does nothing new, it does what it does well.  You’ll likely love the music, be awed by the big scene at the end of Act One which features a cast of thousands and spectacle for days. You’ll be biting your nails wondering whether Tosca will survive the menacing advances of the uber-villain Scarpia   And  - because Puccini’s material is so strong, and it’s difficult to produce a bad production of Tosca, and this one certainly isn’t – you’ll have a good time.

Going to the opera house is a nice experience too.  It’s circa 2006, with a striking minimalist but grand lobby, all blonde woods, glass staircases and big vistas. The hall itself has a classic horseshoe layout that delivers excellent sightlines and great sound.

One thing I didn’t mention that while opera tickets can be pricy, there are incredible deals for those 30 and under. The opera company wants you.  Give them a try.

I’ve written this report for opera newbies. But will more experienced opera-goers like this show? Probably. The production has garnered generally good reviews, though, sometimes with the same kind of reservations I’ve voiced here too.

Tosca runs until February 25 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto. Buy tickets here.