Goikoetxea and Romaniw Take Over Tosca at Semperoper Dresden

The Semperoper Dresden has announced a cast change for its production of Puccini's "Tosca": Alexandra Kurzak is out, and sopranos Vanessa Goikoetxea and Natalya Romaniw will share the title role.

The company confirmed the switch. Goikoetxea sings Floria Tosca on Nov. 6 and Nov. 14, 2026. Romaniw takes the role on Nov. 21, 2026.

Who replaces whom, and when?

Two singers, three performances, one role. Kurzak's withdrawal leaves the November run of Johannes Schaaf's production in the hands of two sopranos with distinctly different track records at the house.

Goikoetxea is the returning hand. Her credits include:

• Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
• Opéra de Nice
• Opera de Tenerife
• Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona
• Royal Opera House Covent Garden
• Seattle Opera
• Semperoper Dresden

That last entry matters. She has already sung on the Dresden stage, so the Nov. 6 performance is a return rather than a cold start.

Romaniw is the fresher face, but not an unknown quantity here. She recently made her Semperoper Dresden debut in the title role of "Tosca" — the same part she now returns to on Nov. 21. Her broader résumé lists the Royal Opera House, Finnish National Opera, Welsh National Opera, and Dutch National Opera.

In practice, the house has swapped one Tosca for two, one of whom has already tested the role on this exact stage.

Who else is on stage and in the pit?

The new sopranos join a cast that includes Riccardo Massi and Gevorg Hakobyan. John Fiore conducts.

The staging remains Johannes Schaaf's production — a fixture repertory revival rather than a new premiere, which is standard operating procedure for a mid-run cast substitution of this scale.

For audiences holding tickets, the practical takeaway is simple: check the date. Nov. 6 and 14 deliver Goikoetxea; Nov. 21 delivers Romaniw. Three performances, two Toscas, one conductor, and a production that carries on as scheduled.