Tosca Tickets | Schedule for 2024/2025 Events

Tosca

Puccini's opera Tosca has been one of the most popular worldwide since its premiere on January 14, 1900. The famed French actress Sarah Bernhardt stars in this violent adaptation of Victorien Sardou's play La Tosca. The actions in the play sped up when it was turned into an opera. The characters were given an increasing "Italian" feel, and the political ideas were purged.

The play and opera occur in Rome between noon on June 17, 1800, and dawn on June 18, 1800. During this time, all of the main characters die violently.

The Story

Tosca is a thriller about politics in Rome in June 1800, i.e., during Napoleon's rule, filled with political unrest. The story is mainly about the three main characters: Rome's diva Floria Tosca, Baron Scarpia, the corrupt Chief of Police, and Floria Tosca's lover Mario Cavaradossi. Scarpia has always wanted Tosca, and when he thinks that Cavaradossi is helping an escaped political prisoner, he sees this as a chance to get both of them at once. He tricks Tosca into telling him where the prisoner is hiding and what Cavaradossi has to do with it, and then he takes her for himself.

When Cavaradossi is caught, Scarpia makes a terrible deal with Tosca: she must give herself to Scarpia, or her lover will be killed. What decision will she make, and who will live?

History of Performance

Tosca was practicing at the Teatro Costanzi by December 1899. Ricordi set up a Roman premiere for the opera because it was set in Rome. Puccini originally intended for Arturo Toscanini to conduct, but Toscanini had prior commitments at La Scala in Milan. Eugenio Giraldoni, whose father originated numerous Verdi parts, played the original Scarpia. Enrico Caruso, who was still young, wanted to play the role of Cavaradossi, but the more experienced Emilio De Marchi got the part instead. Nino Vignuzzi was going to run the show, and Adolfo Hohenstein was going to design the stage.

Italy's political and social climate had been tense for some time before this film was released. When the Holy Year started in December 1899, it brought religious people to the city, but it also got threats from anarchists and other people who didn't like religion.