Continuing a tradition of producing world-class opera with world-class singers, San Diego Opera’s 44th International Season opened Jan. 24, with Giacomo Puccini’s operatic thriller Tosca.

Soaring and sensuous melodies back this tale of sex, politics, corruption, violence and torture, which all come together in a gripping story that could be ripped from the headlines of today’s papers.

Last performed by San Diego Opera in 2002, Tosca features the exciting Company debut of French soprano Sylvie Valayre who has dazzled audiences as Tosca in Paris, Zurich, Vienna, Washington D.C. and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Also making a Company debut is American tenor Marcus Haddock who’s Cavaradossi has been heard to critical acclaim in Paris, Munich, and Washington DC. Returning to San Diego to round out the cast are bass-baritone Greer Grimsely as Scarpia, German bass Reinhard Dorn as Angelotti/Sciarrone, American bass-baritone Scott Sikon as Sacristano and Taiwanese tenor Joseph Hu as Spoletta.

San Diego Opera’s principal guest conductor, Edoardo Müller, will conduct his first of three operas this season.

Beloved openly gay Australian stage director Andrew Sinclair – who opera enthusiasts enjoyed three times last season – returns to with Tosca to direct his only opera in San Diego this season.

Sinclair recently took time out of his rigorous schedule, between final dress rehearsals, to chat with the Gay & Lesbian Times.

Gay & Lesbian Times: Tosca was last performed by San Diego Opera in 2002, how will this production differ from the last time it was in town?

Andrew Sinclair: It’s essentially traditional, but with a few twists, which I won’t reveal. I do however I think they will probably unnerve or surprise a lot of people who are familiar with Tosca. There are reasons for doing it and not just because I want to fly in the face of what is normally done, because I don’t. This cast is particularly good at lending their ideas and acting to the art.

I hope people will look beyond that they don’t do what is normally done and therefore think it is wrong. I hope they will instead think about the fact we are doing something different and say it is interesting how it works with the story of Tosca.

GLT: Do you think the view people have toward opera in general might be changing?

AS: I would love to say yes. I would love to think that people can look at an opera and think this is what is happening in the world – abuse of power, desire, manipulation, clash of religion. I’d love to think people would look at the opera and say, “Wow that is contemporary.” After all basically nothing has changed that much over centuries. Still, without updating it I’m actually ramming it down their throats visually and putting it in a contemporary setting.

GLT: Tosca is said to have some of opera’s most beloved music and one of the most gripping plots. Is it truly an opera made for a drama queen?

AS: What one forgets about Tosca is that she is very, very young. I love the way Sylvie Valayre plays the youth of this character. And yes it’s an opera about a primadonna, but first and foremost it’s an opera about a woman. She’s the heroine who gets caught up in politics. Because she is so immersed in theater she doesn’t exactly realize where theater ends and real life begins.

GLT: Speaking of real life, economic recession has affected almost every corner of the world and every industry. How has it translated to opera?

AS: It’s already starting to affect it very badly. The fact that Opera Pacific in Orange County and Baltimore Opera have gone under is quite scary. It’s been publicly announced several others have made cuts. People are not investing money – they’re not buying tickets. If they do have the money, then they are sitting on it. It’s going to hit home very badly, as San Diego Opera will cut back to four operas next season, as opposed to the usual five.

GLT: What do opera companies have to do in order to make opera relevant today and reach out to audiences?

AS: I think that in some ways we might start to see more contemporary operas because they want to get people into the theater. Actually, the theater has been doing it for a while with movie TV stars – rather than experienced actors playing roles – because TV has altered our lives hugely. Without question people used to go out a lot more. They’ve said we have to get people to go out again, so lets put these people in the plays. Whether I agree with it or not, I sort of understand that way of thinking. You can’t quite do the same thing with opera. I think the way around it is to get well-known, or sometimes not so well-known film directors to direct, such as with Woody Allen’s operatic directorial debut with Il Tritico.

GLT: It has been said that Americans are known to have their carriages waiting outside the theater. How do you capture the attention of the audience with operas, such as Tosca, that are three acts?

AS: Well, first of all it is less than three hours. Still, it really amuses me because people come into the opera and after about 10 minutes you hear “click, click, click, click.” And then “glug, glug, glug, glug,” and again “click, click.” You know we are not asking them to cross the desert. How rude it is they can’t sit for 40 minutes without drinking water being disruptive to the artists who they are treating like they are home watching TV.

But getting back to Tosca, the first two acts are 40 minutes and the last act is 25 minutes. So it is not a long piece. The great thing about Tosca is that it’s so well constructed – dramatically and musically – there is not a moment to get bored. There is a wonderful feeling of melodrama to it and it is simply good theater.

GLT: Having directed 13 productions in the past year, do you ever find yourself living through the characters you direct?

AS: There are times depending on the production and character that I see myself in the character, but I think it is a matter of whether you identify with the character or not.

GLT: Is there any opera you may identify with that you would like to have the opportunity to direct?

AS: I think we have so many interesting things happening in the world – some of them very awful that I think there are a lot of political operas that could be put on the stage and I would be interested to one of those maybe. I mean, I’m not particularly a political animal, but I think these days it affects us all. A lot of people used to say I’m not into politics. But the connection of the world and the fact it has become a much smaller place, with the Internet being one way, we are all much more directly affected by politics. So perhaps bringing the two together in an opera would be very fun and exciting to direct. I’m not sure how it would come together but that would be stimulating.

GLT: Any interest in writing such an opera yourself?

AS: No. Not at all. It just does nothing for me. I’m happy being creative by directing.

GLT: There are many GLBT people involved in opera, and an even larger number of GLBT opera supporters. Brokeback Mountain has even been comissioned. Still, some opera supporters, including a member of the board of directors of the San Diego Opera were major donors supporting the ban of same-sex marriage in California. As an openly gay man, who is a world-renowned opera director, how do you respond to such intolerance within your own industry?

AS: Like I said, I’m not a political animal. I am here to do my job and so whatever political views people have are their views. Personally San Diego Opera is delightful – the company, the casts, the crew – everybody from the top down make me feel welcomed and is honestly one of the best companies to be a part of. I’ve been fortunate this time around because my partner and his mother were able get the time to fly out and join me here.

GLT: What is next for you?

AS: After this it is on to Seattle to do The Pearl Fishers. There are several other productions lined up for this year.

GLT: So when will we see you again?

AS: I will be back next year, but the season hasn’t been announced just yet, so I cannot say exactly what I will be here for.

GLT: Well whatever it is, opera aficionados know it will certainly be a treat to have you.

AS: Thank you. It is always a treat to be here.