“We have been working hard to get artists back to work and to bring them together with the audiences who love to see and hear them perform live,” said David B. Devan, General Director & President of Opera Philadelphia. “Shortly after the pandemic began, as we spoke with our artists and audiences about when they would feel safe returning to live performances, the idea of initially gathering outdoors was strongly favored. We are thrilled to have the amazing open-air Mann Center for the Performing Arts here in Philadelphia, and I am so grateful to Catherine Cahill, President and CEO of the Mann, for welcoming us into her home. The Mann staff has been working diligently with Opera Philadelphia’s Artistic and Guest Services teams, consulting the recommendations of public health officials, to create a welcoming environment with enhanced safety protocols, so we can get back to the joy of experiencing live music together. With seating limited due to social distancing, I am also thrilled that we will be filming the concert to stream on the Opera Philadelphia Channel beginning in June.”

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be welcoming Opera Philadelphia to the Mann in May,” said Cahill.  “We’ve all sacrificed so much this year, and that’s certainly true for the arts community and all who love and support the arts. It’s why we are honored to be playing a central role in bringing live performances back to Philadelphia. The Mann is singularly suited for this role as Philadelphia’s preeminent outdoor music destination, and to have the opportunity to be working in collaboration with David Devan and Opera Philadelphia’s incredible creative team is very special. I am also beyond excited to share that Opera Philadelphia’s early May performances will mark the beginning of the Mann’s 2021 season, and we will have more to announce in the coming weeks about additional performances.”

Enhanced safety precautions will be in effect for the performances, including mandatory masks for all audiences and staff, reduced audience capacity, physical distancing, paperless ticketing, and a mandatory self-health assessment. Concessions will be closed, and food and beverages will not be permitted on the Mann campus for these performances.

Opera fans are offered a unique opportunity to support the artists through a special “Fill the House” campaign launched today by Opera Philadelphia. For a $100 donation, fans can “fill” an empty seat in the TD Pavilion at the Mann with a photo cutout of themselves dressed in their finest opera attire or their Opera Philadelphia gear. Donations will help the company pay the more than 120 artists and production staff who have not performed together on the opera stage in 15 months, while helping the artists perform to a “full house” in May. Donors will also receive a code to watch a free stream of the concert in June, where they might just spot themselves in the audience. Details on the fundraising campaign are available at operaphila.org/fullhouse.

Puccini’s lethal love triangle unfolds over the course of 24 hours, from June 17-18, 1800. In a nod to the dates of the opera’s action, a filmed version of the concert will premiere on the Opera Philadelphia Channel on Thursday, June 17, 2021, and will be available for rent as well as unlimited viewing with an annual channel pass.

The Drama of Tosca
Music by Giacomo Puccini; libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Adapted by Francesco Micheli
Concert Performances
Wednesday, May 5, at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 7, at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 9, at 2:00 p.m.
TD Pavilion at the Mann
Performed in Italian with English narration and English supertitles
90 minutes with no intermission
Underwritten, in part, by Judy and Peter Leone