Puccini's Opera Tosca by Teatro dell'Opera di Roma July 17, 2008

Puccini's Opera Tosca by Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Time: 2008/7/17-2008/7/20
Venue: NCPA-Opera House
Price: 180/280/480/680/880
MSN: [email protected]
Tel: 86-10-64177845

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Performed by Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (Rome Opera House)

Toscais an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto byLuigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Victorien Sardou's drama, La Tosca. The work premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on January 14, 1900.

Oneof the most dramatic of operas and a staple of the standard operaticrepertoire, Tosca appears as number 8 on Opera America's list of the 20most-performed operas in North America

Synopsis

ACT I. Cesare Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, rushes into the church of Sant' Andrea della Valle to hide in the Attavanti chapel. As he vanishes, an old Sacristan shuffles in, praying at the sound of the Angelus. Mario Cavaradossi enters to work on his portrait of Mary Magdalene - inspired by the Marchesa Attavanti (Angelotti'ssister), whom he has seen but does not know. Taking out a miniature ofthe singer Floria Tosca, he compares her raven beauty with that of theblonde Magdalene ("Recondita armonia"). The Sacristan grumblesdisapproval and leaves. Angelottiventures out and is recognized by his friend and fellow liberal Mario,who gives him food and hurries him back into the chapel as Tosca isheard calling outside. Forever suspicious, she jealously questions him,then prays, and reminds him of their rendezvous that evening at hisvilla ("Non la sospiri la nostra casetta?"). Suddenly recognizing theMarchesa Attavanti in the painting, she explodes with renewedsuspicions, but he reassures her ("Qual' occhio al mondo"). When shehas gone, Mario summons Angelotti fromthe chapel; a cannon signals that the police have discovered theescape, so the two flee to Mario's villa. Meanwhile, the Sacristanreturns with choirboys who are to sing in a Te Deum that day. Theirexcitement is silenced by the entrance of Baron Scarpia, chief of thesecret police, in search of Angelotti.When Tosca comes back to her lover, Scarpia shows her a fan with theAttavanti crest, which he has just found. Thinking Mario faithless,Tosca tearfully vows vengeance and leaves as the church fills withworshipers. Scarpia, sending his men to follow her to Angelotti, schemes to get the diva in his power ("Va, Tosca!").

ACT II. In the Farnese Palace,Scarpia anticipates the sadistic pleasure of bending Tosca to his will("Ha più forte sapore"). The spy Spoletta arrives, not having found Angelotti;to placate the baron he brings in Mario, who is interrogated whileTosca is heard singing a cantata at a royal gala downstairs. She entersjust as her lover is being taken to an adjoining room: his arrogantsilence is to be broken under torture. Unnerved by Scarpia'squestioning and the sound of Mario's screams, she reveals Angelotti'shiding place. Mario is carried in; realizing what has happened, heturns on Tosca, but the officer Sciarrone rushes in to announce thatNapoleon has won the Battle of Marengo, a defeat for Scarpia's side.Mario shouts his defiance of tyranny ("Vittoria!")and is dragged to prison. Scarpia, resuming his supper, suggests thatTosca yield herself to him in exchange for her lover's life. Fightingoff his embraces, she protests her fate to God, having dedicated herlife to art and love ("Vissi d'arte"). Scarpia again insists, butSpoletta interrupts: faced with capture, Angelottihas killed himself. Tosca, forced to give in or lose her lover, agreesto Scarpia's proposition. The baron pretends to order a mock executionfor the prisoner, after which he is to be freed; Spoletta leaves. Nosooner has Scarpia written a safe-conduct for the lovers than Toscasnatches a knife from the table and kills him. Wrenching the documentfrom his stiffening fingers and placing candles at his head and acrucifix on his chest, she slips from the room.

ACT III. The voice of a shepherd boy is heard as church bells toll the dawn. Mario awaits execution at the Castel Sant'Angelo;he bribes the jailer to convey a farewell note to Tosca. Writing it,overcome with memories of love, he gives way to despair ("E lucevan lestelle"). Suddenly Tosca runs in, filled with the story of her recentadventures. Mario caresses the hands that committed murder for his sake("O dolci mani"), and the two hail their future. As the firing squadappears, the diva coaches Mario on how to fake his death convincingly;the soldiers fire and depart. Tosca urges Mario to hurry, but when hefails to move, she discovers that Scarpia's treachery has transcendedthe grave: the bullets were real. When Spoletta rushes in to arrestTosca for Scarpia's murder, she cries to Scarpia to meet her beforeGod, then leaps to her death.

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