Vancouver Opera takes a page out of The Walking Dead with Zombie Tosca

And top prize for our favourite promotional stunt in Vancouver's arts world goes to Vancouver Opera and the Halloween-flavoured Zombie Tosca it sent staggering out into the streets last week.

The undead diva appeared to have risen from the grave post-suicidal jump, blood trickling down her historical dress. Shocked downtown passersby who thought she was lurching toward them for their brains instead got handed an innocent flyer for the Giacomo Puccini opera, which opens Saturday night (October 26) and runs till November 3.

There is a show Halloween night, and our local opera purveyors are saying "zombies welcome".

Don't expect a rendition of Tosca that resembles an episode of The Walking Dead, though; the star sopranos sharing the title role have assured us it's a traditional version.