Once described by toffee-nosed members of the so-called polite society as "A shabby little shocker", Puccini's Tosca is now among his top three operas.

Yes, it is melodramatic, but his music easily enables it to rise above the vulgar to show us great heroism and great evil.

And in Ellen Kent's vivid production of the composer's fifth opera, the staging and the acting and the music combined to give a ride on a roller-coaster of emotions.

Love, jealousy, betrayal, torture and murder were all brought vividly to life by the National Opera of Chisinau from Moldova who grabbed my heart and turned it inside out.

Soprano Natalia Margarit was Floria Tosca in the Callas mould. Her voice was rich and powerful and she was quick to rage and quick to love. And when she fought against the horrendous advances of the police chief Baron Scarpia (Boris Materino) the electricity between the two was palpable. This Scarpia was evil personified, made more so by a sinister smile and a devilish laugh that chilled the blood. This was a man who would cheerfully chuckle as he slowly and carefully broke every bone in your body.

Miss Kent set her Tosca firmly in the realm of 1800 with sumptuous sets and costumes to die for. I would have killed for Scarpia's black velvet and gold coat and his thigh-length leather boots.

Music director Gheorghe Stanciu got the full Puccini sound from his 40-strong orchestra. I doubt that I was the only member of the audience to be totally blown away by this production.