Behind the “Scenery” at Pittsburgh Opera’s Tosca

A short video about the hand-painted, forced perspective scenery for Tosca

By David Bernabo

Pittsburgh Opera’s new production of Puccini’s Tosca opens Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Benedum Theater in Pittsburgh, and one fascinating aspect of the production is the forced perspective backdrops. These beautiful depictions of Rome were designed by Ercole Sormani, former head of an illustrious scenic studio founded in Milan in 1838, and restored by the Seattle Opera in 2015.

In the video below, watch as Stage Director Garnett Bruce, Lighting Designer Andrew Ostrowski, and Director of Production Tara Kovach reveal the history of these beautiful backdrops.

Find out more about the production, the cast, and ticket information here.