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Opera in Three Acts
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by
Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica




Characters:

Floria Tosca ........ Fiorenza Cedolins
a famous singer (soprano)
Mario Cavaradossi ........ Andrea Bocelli
a painter (tenor)
Il barone Scarpia .......... Carlo Guelfi
chief of police (baritone)
Cesare Angelotti .......... Ildebrando D'Arcangelo
a political prisoner (bass)
Il sagrestano .......... Matteo Peirone
sacristan, the caretaker of the church and its sacred items (bass)
Spoletta ........... Sergio Bertocchi
a police agent (tenor)
Sciarrone .......... Diego Barretta
a policeman (bass)
Un carceriere ......... José Ignacio Ventura
a jailer (bass)
Un pastore .......... Matteo Ciccone
a shepherd (mezzo-soprano)

Orchestra e coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Conducted by Zubin Mehta

Act 1 synopsis
Recondita armonia
Act 1 duet: Mario! Mario! Mario!
Act 2 synopsis
Act 3 synopsis
E lucevan le stelle
O dolci mani


ACT I
SCENE: Rome in 1800 - The Church of Sant' Andrea della Valle.

As the curtain rises, three somber chords (always associated with Scarpia) are thundered out by the orchestra, and we behold the high-vaulted interior of the Church of Sant' Andrea. Angelotti enters, pale, disheveled, panic-stricken, in prison garb. He barely has time to conceal himself before the Sacristan appears, going about his duties. A moment later Cavaradossi appears, returning to work. He has been painting a fair-haired, blue-eyed Madonna using for his model an unknown worshiper in the church whose beauty has impressed him. He is unaware that she is the sister of his friend Angelotti, and anyway his interest is purely artistic. Drawing from his bosom a miniature of his beloved, the dark-eyed Tosca, he sings of the strange manner in which the various features of her loveliness blend into a harmonious whole, "Recondita armonia" ("What subtle harmony").

The Sacristan goes, after a covetous glance at Cavaradossi's lunch basket. A moment later the wild-eyed Angelotti appears, relieved at finding his old friend, who promises him aid in escaping. Tosca is heard calling outside for her "Mario." Cavaradossi gives the fugitive a few hurried directions, and Angelotti disappears, taking with him a woman's dress left as a disguise for him by his sister.

Tosca enters. The temperamental singer is angry at Mario's delay in admitting her and is suspicious, having heard voices. The painter quiets her jealous fancies, and they arrange to meet that evening. Tosca leaves, and Mario goes to aid Angelotti further his escape.

The members of the choir enter, hurriedly preparing for a festival to celebrate Napoleon's defeat. Their excitement is suddenly hushed at the entrance of Scarpia, the dreaded chief of police. The escaped prisoner has been traced to the church. A fan is discovered belonging to Angelotti‘s sister, and overlooked by the prisoner in his haste, Tosca, still doubting her lover, returns to church under some trivial pretext. She is greeted not by Mario, but by Scarpia, who approaches her courteously. Flatteringly saying that she comes to church devoutly, to pray, not like other women who come to distribute their favors, Scarpia arouses her jealousy by showing her the fan. Tosca becomes greatly excited and leaves the church, weeping. Scarpia orders three of his agents to follow her. The cardinal and a great procession now enter the church, advancing toward the high altar, and a “Te Deum” is sung. The voices of the choir mount in sacred song, and Scarpia, kneeling in mock devotion, can be heard muttering to himself while he gloats over the anticipated destruction of his rival and the moment when Tosca shall be his own. At this thought he joins with the final magnificent outburst of the choir.

ACT II

SCENE: Scarpia’s apartment in the Farnese Palace.

Scarpia restlessly awaits news of his prey-Cavaradossi and Angelotti. Hearing Tosca‘s voice leading the choir in a victory cantata sung in the Queen’s apartment nearby, he sends a message to her, saying that he has received word of her lover. This, he knows, will be bait enough for Tosca, tormented as she is with jealousy; again Scarpia rejoices at thought of his conquest. Yet a moment later he is angered, for Spoletta, his agent, brings word that Angelotti cannot be found. He is quickly consoled however, on hearing that Cavaradossi has been captured. The painter, when brought in, refuses to divulge Angelotti‘s hiding place. Accordingly he is consigned to the torture chamber-just as Tosca appears. Scarpia greets her with an exaggerated courtesy, and bluntly tells her that her lover is in next room being tortured; for each refusal the pain-producing instrument is tightened. Tosca trembles with anxiety, and Scarpia sadistically opens the door so that she may hear Mario’s stifled cries. The artist urges her to reveal nothing. Scarpia bids her look at her lover; one glance, and Tosca cries out in horror; even the hardened Spoletta is appalled at the abominable proceedings. The ever-augmented pain brings a fearful cry from Mario, and Tosca, no longer able to endure this, tells Scarpia where Angelotti is hidden. Cavaradossi is then brought in, still racked with pain, near fainting. Suddenly word comes that the reported defeat of Napoleon was a mistake; he was really the victor. Scarpia stands abashed, but Mario, in spite of his weakness and Tosca’s whispered admonition to remain silent, gives a shout of victory. The enraged official orders Cavaradossi to prison and death. Scarpia replies to her impassioned prayer cynically, and at last in desperation Tosca says that she will yield to his unholy demand if he will rescind the order of execution and write a passport giving Mario and herself safe-conduct to leave the country.

Scarpia is overjoyed. He informs her that a mock execution will be necessary, summons Spoletta for a moment to give him some secret instructions, then turns to his desk to write the required papers. Meanwhile, Tosca surreptitiously takes from the table a sharp knife and conceals it. Scarpia advances toward her, overpowering in his triumph. He takes her in his arms; Tosca drives the knife into his body, and he falls, crying for help with his final breath. First, Tosca washes the blood from her hands; then with grim reverence, she places lighted candles at the head and a crucifix on the bosom of the corpse, crosses herself, and steals noiselessly away.

ACT III

SCENE: The terrace of Castel’ Sant’ Angelo.

Mario is brought out from his cell to the terrace of the Castle of S ant’ Angelo. The city is still in darkness although the sound of sheep bells on the distant hillsides, the song of a shepherd boy and then the clanging of the great bells in the church tower announce the approach of dawn. Told by the jailer that he has only one hour to live, Cavaradossi sings a touching farewell to his dreams of art and to his beloved, recalling their former meetings on starlit nights in quiet gardens, ”E lucevan le stelle” (“The stars were shining”). He is suddenly startled by the arrival of Tosca. She tells him of the death of Scarpia, and he commends the gentle hands that struck the blow, "O dolci mani" ("Oh, sweet hands") even though regretting that they should have had to be soiled with the blood of such a scoundrel. The soldiers come, the shots of the supposedly mock execution are fired, and Mario falls. Tosca, waiting till the firing party has gone, bids him rise-“Now, Mario, all is safe.” He does not answer. She rushes to him, stunned by the knowledge that Scarpia has tricked her. Mario is dead. She throws herself on the body in an agony of grief. Spoletta and the soldiers approach to seize her as Scarpia’s murderer. Before they realize her intention she evades them, quickly climbs the parapet of the castle, and leaps to freedom and death. The orchestra thunders out “E lucevan le stelle.”

From "The Victor Book of the Opera" 13th Edition © 1929, 1949, 1953, 1968