Puccini Tosca (#2)

The Opera

What is this opera about?

This is the essential MeToo Opera, the one where a powerful figure uses his authority to try to extract sexual favors.  He doesn't offer a job in return, but he offers the life of her lover.  He chooses the wrong woman.  Spoiler alert.  Instead of sex he gets a knife in the gut.

The political background is war.  All of the characters know that Rome, which is being ruled by Naples, will soon be invaded by the French army under Napoleon.  Scarpia represents the current government, but Mario is for the Republican French.  Tosca is a famous opera singer who seems only to care about love and art.  The entire opera takes place in real places in Rome.

More Information

First performed in 1900, the music is in the broad category called verismo, a style popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The plot is a tragic love affair with political complications.  Tosca and Mario truly love one another, but he cannot let go of his political involvement for her sake.

Giacomo Puccini's Tosca premiered in Rome and is based on a play by Sardou.  The plot, set in Rome in June, 1800, is a traditional political opera with some more modern sordid elements.  The characters are fictional, but the setting is historical and tied to a specific time and place.  Floria Tosca isn't an ordinary girl but instead is the most famous singer of her time and place.  Mario Cavaradossi is a famous painter.  Scarpia is the governor of Rome under the rule of Naples.  Everything happens just as the army of the French Republic are returning to Rome to throw out the Neapolitan government.

The Story

Act I

In Act I Mario Cavaradossi is painting in the Chiesa di Sant'Andrea della Valle in Rome.  The woman in the painting is the sister of Consul Angelotti who is hiding in the church.  She comes every day to pray and look for her brother. 

Hit Tune

At the very beginning of the opera Mario is on his scaffold looking at the painting he is making.  He cannot resist comparing his girlfriend Floria Tosca's beauty with the woman in the painting.  "Recondita armonia," "Contrasting harmony in these diverse beauties."  There is much discussion about how the woman in the painting has blue eyes while Tosca's eyes are black.



Tosca is at this time Cavaradossi's girlfriend, but Scarpia, the chief of police, wants her.  Tosca enters with flowers for the Virgin. 

Here is the Act I love scene between Tosca and Mario..



Mario helps Angelotti find a place to hide from Scarpia.  The scene ends with a church service, and Scarpia expresses how much he wants Tosca.

Act II 

This scene takes place in Scarpia's office in the Palazzo Farnese.  He has arrested and is torturing Cavaradossi to get him to tell where Angelotti is hiding.

Hit Tune

Tosca offers to give herself to Scarpia if he will free Cavaradossi.  Tosca sings "Vissi d'arte," "I lived for art, I lived for love.  Why this, lord?"




As soon as Scarpia has signed the paper, Tosca kills him and escapes.  To start at the top see Maria Callas kill Scarpia with Tito Gobbi as Scarpia.  She says things like "the kiss of Tosca!" when she stabs him and "die!" when he just lies there.  It is probably the most famous of all opera films.

Act III

Cavaradossi is in the prison in the Castel Sant'Angelo waiting to be executed.  His best arias are in this act.

Hit Tune

Mario sings about Tosca.





Mario goes bravely to stand before the firing squad.  Tosca thinks they are only going to pretend to shoot him but soon sees that he is really dead.  When she hears them coming to get her for killing Scarpia, she jumps off of the fortress.

Complete Film

This is a different movie than I previously posted but also looks like a movie and stars a young Placido Domingo.  Floria Tosca is Raina Kabaivanska, and Barone Scarpia is Sherril Milnes.

If you hate this, you should possibly try some Donizetti comedy,  or maybe Wagner.

If you love it, stick to Verismo for a while longer.