Members of the Italian American Chamber of Commerce of Michigan (IACCM), along with friends and family, attended the opening of Tosca at the Detroit Opera House on November 1, 2026. Giacomo Puccini’s 1900 tragic opera “Tosca” is an intense political thriller and melodrama set in Rome over the course of less than 24 hours in June 1800, during the Napoleonic Wars.
This presentation by director Louisa Proske was set in modern times, follows the essence of the story, but tends toward its political themes, which she found relevant for modern times.
Tosca, a tempestuous diva, lives for art—and for love. When Cavaradossi, her lover and a revolutionary painter, is targeted by Rome’s corrupt chief of police, Scarpia, Tosca is determined to save him—but at what price? Puccini’s lush score contrasts moments of exquisite tenderness with heart-stopping spectacle.
The exceptional cast included soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, making her role debut as Tosca, tenor Nathan Granner as Cavaradossi, and bass-baritone Alfred Walker as Scarpia. The IACCM group thoroughly enjoyed the performance, as did the rest of the audience as demonstrated by resounding applause and a standing ovation. Afterward we enjoyed dinner and conversation at Presley’s.
