H/T Opinionated Catholic.
I discovered (that is came to appreciate and enjoy deeply) opera about 1 1/2 years ago. My daughter and I attended a simulcast of the Metropolitan Opera’s performance of “La Cenerentola” by Rossini last year and we both loved it. She could not get enough of the famous sextet “Siete voi?” and could not wait for me to borrow a recording and play it repeatedly in the car. We call it the “oompa loompa” song. It is the “oh poop” moment of shocking revelation in the opera.
Opinionated Catholic points us to What Does the Prayer Really Say? which in turn cites Patrick Madrid. Who heard on the radio that the Met has added to “Tosca” a scene where Baron Scarpia simulates a sexual act with a statue of the Virgin Mary (aka Our most glorious and blessed lady Theotokos aka Mary mother of Jesus).
I am willing to believe this is true. And if so would represent a deeply disturbing and offensive act on the part of the producer(s) of this performance. Probably – because what is the point of this alleged addition? Blasphemy? Or to show what a scumsucking carrion eater the Baron is? (Although one would still wish they had chosen a different way to get the point across.)
But increasingly I want to track this back for confirmation. Do we have specific information that comes from the Met that yes this is something they will do? Where did this come from?
And I may still jolly well attend. I mean heck we are talking about “Tosca”. By Puccini.
Update: Either my customary dyslexia kicked in or Patrick Madrid quickly added a specific reference to the Laura Ingraham show talking with Raymond Arroyo. My guess is I somehow brilliantly missed that. Need to check that out.
Second update: Well blankety bleep. I gotta pay money to listen to Laura Ingraham?!? No way. Searching for “Patrick Arroyo Tosca” yields nothing concrete. Only references to him but not what this fellow has to say himself. Houston – we have a dead end.
