With under a month to go until our Autumn 2025 Season opens, things are starting to heat up here at Welsh National Opera. Whether you’ve been coming for years or thinking about seeing your very first opera, we’ve got two very different productions that promises to entertain, surprise and maybe even make you fall in love with opera.
From the globe-trotting optimism of Bernstein’s Candide to the heart-wrenching drama of Puccini’s Tosca, our Autumn Season shows that many sides of what opera can be, bold, witty, romantic, intense and always unforgettable.
Tosca
An absolute favourite in the opera world, Tosca has had quite a journey. Originally conceived as a five-act drama by French playwright Victorien Sardou, it premiered in Paris in 1887. It wasn’t until 1900 that Puccini, one of Italy’s greatest composers, transformed Sardou’s play into the intense, three-act opera we know today.
The plot
Set in Rome in 1800, Tosca centres on three characters: Floria Tosca, a famous singer; Mario Cavaradossi, a passionate painter; and Baron Scarpia, Rome’s ruthless chief of police. When escaped political prisoner Angelotti hides in a church, Cavaradossi helps him, drawing the unwanted attention of Scarpia, who is both suspicious of Mario and obsessed with Tosca. Scarpia uses the situation to trap his rivals, leading to a deadly game of love, loyalty, and betrayal.
(You can read the full synopsis here.)
Puccini’s classics
Tosca is packed with music that’s instantly moving and easy to connect with. Tosca’s aria Vissi d’arte (I lived for art) is one of opera’s most famous moments, while Cavaradossi’s E lucevan le stelle(And the stars were shining) is heartbreak set to music. From the grand Act I Te Deum to the thrilling duets and confrontations, Puccini’s score pulls you into the drama and doesn’t let go.
Listen to our Tosca (Natalya Romaniw) singing a rendition of Vissi d'arte.
Candide
If Tosca is opera at its most dramatic, Candide is its bright, playful cousin. Based on Voltaire’s satirical novella, it pokes fun at philosophy, politics, and human optimism with biting humour. Leonard Bernstein brought Candide to the stage in 1956, creating a dazzling operetta that mixes classical brilliance with Broadway energy.
The plot
Candide is the illegitimate nephew of Baron Thunder-ten-Tronck, living in the Baron’s castle in Westphalia. He is deeply in love with Cunégonde, who returns his feelings, and the two are tutored by Dr Pangloss, a philosopher who insists they live in ‘the best of all possible worlds.’ But when the castle is attacked, Candide is thrown into a whirlwind journey across continents, meeting colourful characters, enduring disasters, and questioning whether optimism can survive reality.
(Read the full synopsis here)
Broadway meets operetta
Bernstein’s score is witty, warm, and full of variety. The uplifting finale Make Our Garden Grow and the hilarious You Were Dead, You Knoware just two of many musical highlights.
(Explore our five favourite pieces from Candide here.)
The experience
If you’ve never been to an opera, this Season is the perfect time to start. Tosca offers gripping storytelling and sweeping, romantic music, while Candide brings a lighter, more comedic touch with plenty of that Broadway sparkle. Tosca will open at Wales Millennium Centre on 14 September, while Candide opens on 17 September. With tickets starting from £22, both make an accessible and perfect introduction to the opera.
