Two years almost to the day since Opera Australia last presented a fully staged opera in Melbourne, the company returns at a surprising and problematic venue.

Edward Dick’s production of Tosca for the UK’s Opera North makes its debut Downunder at one of the tennis centre’s arenas, Margaret Court. Although less than half its capacity is utilised, it’s still a cavernous space in which Puccini’s tragedy looks, feels and to some extent sounds diminished – despite fine performances by Diego Torre and Karah Son.

Andrew Moran as Sacristan in Opera Australia’s Tosca at Margaret Court Arena 2024. Photo @ Jeff Busby.

Tosca is set in Rome, where it premiered in 1900, and traditionally takes place a century earlier. Dick shifts the action to the present, but in any case it’s a time of political oppression in which the lovers Tosca and Cavaradossi are pitted against Scarpia.

This police chief exploits Tosca’s jealousy and devotion to get what he wants – right up until she kills Scarpia instead of submitting to his lust. Tosca believes she has saved Cavaradossi’s life, but the promised mock execution is all too real.

In a wide, high space,...