Wearing its legit roots with more pride than prudence, helmer Giorgio Ferrara's "Tosca and the Women," a riff on the Puccini workhorse, benefits from star leads who obviously enjoyed playing together.

Rivaling the splendor of Franco Zeffirelli’s set and costumes of the Napoleonic era, Sir David McVicar’s ravishing new production offers a splendid backdrop for Pucci's classic opera.