Issue #1,095 Thursday, November 5, 2026
I’ll be honest: I haven’t seen many operas, but on Sunday my wife and I got to attend Tosca, one of the most famous operas ever written. It was a phenomenal experience.
When I had a chance to do a bit of research before going to the show, I discovered that Tosca, an Italian opera that was written in 1900, was conceived as both a tragic love story and a political thriller involving a corrupt and ruthless chief of police who lusted after a woman who did not share the same feelings about him. Set in Rome in June 1800, the opera unfolds amid political turmoil and upheaval.
As the political junkie I am, the theme of political corruption and politically motivated persecution, as seen through the lens of art, really got my attention. The fact that a South African woman now played the title role, with a voice I don’t even have words to adequately describe, also made this an event I knew I had to see.
The event did not disappoint. Although the story ends tragically, the willingness of the lead character, Floria Tosca, and her lover, the revolutionary painter Mario Cavaradossi, to risk their lives and sacrifice themselves against a tyrannical government was inspiring. And after Tuesday’s mid-term election results, when the overwhelming majority of Americans made their voices heard and stood up to the tyranny and oppression of the Donald Trump regime, the story of Tosca seemed even more relevant.
You might not win at first, but if you keep fighting, the outcome can sometimes be better than you ever hoped for.
Two more 7:30 pm performances are scheduled at the Detroit Opera House on Thursday, November 5, and Saturday November 7, 2026.
You can purchase tickets at this link.
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