IT SEEMS to me, thinking back six years, that the revival of Christopher Alden’s Opera North production of Puccini’s Tosca, which transfers the setting from church nave to sacristan store room, complete with Forza Italia posters, has become sleazier and less effective than at its first staging in 2002.

The characters are lessened in dramatic effectiveness by the translation from 19th to 20th century, the more so by demeaning the worshippers to an unduly Rabelaisian mob and leaving both Scarpia’s henchmen and the Marchesa on stage during the rape scene – that the latter occurs on a perch some 10ft above the chapel entrance makes heavy demands on credulity.

Nor does the transition of the final act’s Castel San Angelo to the sacristan’s den (with Marchesa and henchmen) add anything – save the expense of scene shifting and having to employ a firing squad.

It is good job, therefore, that Opera North’s strengths are vocal and orchestral, with American soprano Takesha Meshe Kizart a nicely volatile Tosca, the Mexican tenor Rafael Rojas safe (after a slightly edgy start) as Mario Cavaradossi, and Robert Hayward, baritone, nicely ringing and consumed with passion, despite the unwarranted demands of the producer.

It was also a pity that the chorus singing of the Te Deum scene in act one had to suffer the same visual distractions.

Fortunately, the Opera North orchestra and conductor, Andrea Licata, produced their usual quality playing from the pit.

The production may please some of today’s audience, but not others. Bring back Puccini’s original settings, I say.

To make up your mind, catch one of the performances at Leeds Theatre Royal (0844-848-2720) on October 14, 22, 25, 28 and 31, together with a production of George Gershwin’s Of Thee I Sing on October 4 and 11. Newcastle Theatre Royal (0844-811-2121) stages both operas, plus Bellini’s I Capuletti e i Montecchi during the week of November 11-15.

Dave Robson