Fall in love with "Tosca" at The Metropolitan Opera

“Tosca” is Puccini’s dramatic Italian opera about a love triangle from 1900.

Tosca 2020

March 26 – April 18, 2020 ~ Tosca is at the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center on selected days.

Soprano Anna Netrebko returns as the explosive diva. Bertrand de Billy conducts.

Tickets from $30 at metopera.org

Tosca

“Tosca” is Giacomo Puccini’s Italian opera about the love triangle between a volatile diva, a sadistic police chief, and an idealistic artist. It is based on Victorien Sardou’s French play “La Tosca” (1887).

The Italian libretto is by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. “Tosca” premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome in 1900, and at the Metropolitan Opera in 1901.

This most Wagnerian of Puccini’s operas uses the leitmotif of musical signatures to identify characters.

It’s famous arias are:

Recondita armonia (Hidden harmony) sung by Cavaradossi in Act 1
Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore (I lived for art, I lived for love) sung by Tosca in Act 2
E lucevan le stele (And the stars shone) sung by Cavaradossi in Act 3

Tosca Setting

Tosca is a historical opera set in the unstable period just before the formation of Italy from a group of regional powers.

Napoléon Bonaparte invaded in 1796 and took Rome. The French withdrew in 1799 and the Kingdom of Naples took over Rome. Napoleon returned in 1800 and Naples withdrew.

Tosca is set in Rome in the summer of 1800 at a moment of political upheaval with the Neapolitans trying to solidify their control as the French threaten again.

Tosca is set at real places in Rome. The church of Sant’ Andrea della Valle is the setting for Act 1. It is still a church. The Farnese Palace of Act 2 is now the French Embassy. The castle of Sant’Angelo in Act 3 is a famous sightseeing spot in Rome. It was built as the Mausoleum of Hadrian, was later used as a castle and fortress, and is now a museum.

Tosca Roles

SOPRANO :Floria Tosca, a singer who is Cavaradossi’s lover
TENOR: Mario Cavaradossi, a painter
TENOR: Spoletta, one of Scarpia’s police thugs
BARITONE: Baron Scarpia, chief of the secret police
BASS: Cesare Angelotti, a former Bonapartiste consul who is now an escaped political prisoner

Tosca Story

Tosca is a melodramatic opera about a #MeToo moment of betrayal.

Act 1 ~ Church of Sant’Andrea della Valle

Escaped prisoner Angellotti hides in the church. Cavaradossi is working on a painting inspired by Angellotti’s sister Marchesa Attavanti. He promises to help.

Cavaradossi’s lover Tosca arrives and wonders with whom her boyfriend is talking. Recognizing the image of Attavanti, she becomes suspicious.

Cavaradossi and Angellotti flee. Choirboys prepare to sing a hymn.

Chief of police Baron Scarpia arrives looking for Angellotti. Tosca arrives looking for Cavaradossi. Scarpia shows her a fan with the Attavanti crest he has found.

Tosca is devastated thinking she has discovered an infidelity. She leaves looking for vengeance. Scarpia’s men follow her.

Act 2 ~ Palazzo Farnese

Police spy Spoletta brings in Cavaradossi. Scarpia interrogates him.

Tosca enters while her lover Cavaradossi is being tortured. She gives up Angelotti.

Cavaradossi realizes the betrayal. An officer enters to explain that Napoleon has won the day. Scarpia orders Cavaradossi’s execution.

Scarpia offers to spare Cavaradossi if Tosca will just sleep with him. Tosca declares that she has dedicated her life to art and love. She asks for God’s help as Scarpia makes his move. Spoletta bursts in saying that Angelotti killed himself.

Tosca agrees to sleep with Scarpia to save her lover. Scarpia tells Spoletta to stage a mock execution and then free Cavaradossi.

Tosca asks for a letter of safe passage. When Scarpia finishes it, she stabs him with a knife and flees.

Act 3 ~ Castel Sant’Angelo

Cavaradossi is waiting his execution. Tosca appears and explains what has happened. They dream of their future together. Tosca tells her love to fake a convincing death.

The firing squad does its work and leaves. But Cavaradossi is dead. The execution was real. The soldiers try to grab Tosca, but she leaps to her death over the castle walls.

Tosca 2017-18

The Metropolitan Opera performs Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center fifteen times between December 31, 2017 and May 12, 2018. This is Sir David McVicar’s new production. There are Winter and Spring casts.