LA TOSCA " La Tosca," an opera in three acts, with score by Giacotno Puccini and text by Illica and Giacosa after Sardou's drama, was produced at the Constanzi Theatre, Rome, in January, 1900.
Floria Tosca, a celebrated songstress.
Mario Cavaradossi, a painter.
Baron Scarpia, chief of the police.
Cesare Angelotti.
A sacristan.
Spoletta, a police agent.
Sciarrone, a gendarme.
A jailor.
A shepherd-boy.
Executive, scribe, judge, cardinal, officer, sergeant, soldiers, police-agents, ladies, nobles, citizens, artisans. Scene, Rome, June, 1800.
Cesare Angelotti, a political prisoner, escapes in the garb of incarceration and takes refuge in the chapel of the church of Sant' Andrea alla Valle, where his sister has con cealed for him woman's apparel in which he may disguise himself. The artist, Mario Cavaradossi, is at work in the church and the refugee, recognizing him as an old friend, makes himself known, delighted at the thought of finding succor. While they are conferring, Floria Tosca, the painter's mistress, calls from without and Angelotti is hastily concealed but not before Mario has managed to get into the hands of the famished man his luncheon basket, filled with food and wine.
Floria proves to be what her lover has called her, the most jealous of women. Her ears have caught the sound of a whisper in the church. Her fancy has supplied the swish of skirts. When she tells Mario that she will meet him at the stage door that night after her song and paints in anticipation the beauty of the moonlit Italian night, he responds to her rhapsodies absently, for his thoughts are with his friend in his peril. She is hurt and petulant when he dismisses her on the pretext that he must be at his work, and when, as she is leaving, she perceives that the magdalen on the easel is in reality a portrait of a beautiful, blue-eyed woman (Angelotti's sister, who comes frequently to the chapel to pray), she is consumed with unhappiness, until Mario succeeds in convincing her that her own dark eyes are the most lustrous in the world.
As soon as she has gone, Mario lets Angelotti out of the chapel and the condemned man is about to venture forth when the cannon of the fortress is heard, the signal that his escape is discovered. Mario nobly resolves to go
with his friend and fight for him if need be. As the doors of the church close behind them, a crowd of people arrive, rejoicing that reverses have overtaken Napoleon. Scarpia and his policemen trace Angelotti to the church, where they find evidence of his recent presence. As they search for dews, Floria comes back with a message for Mario, and Scarpia, who wants her for himself, seizes the opportunity to rouse her jealousy, pointing out a fan dropped by the prisoner's sister and insinuating that Mario has been inspired by more than a glimpse of a stranger's face to paint the picture on the easel. His poison works well. Floria leaves weeping, followed by Scarpia's spies.
In the second act, Scarpia is seen at supper in his apartments in the Farnese Palace. He learns from Spoletta that both Floria and Mario have been followed to their villa but no trace of Angelotti can be found. Floria is singing at an entertainment given by Queen Caroline in the palace below but Mario has been seized by Scarpia's agents and brought to the house, from thence being conducted to the Chamber of Inquisition. Though subjected to frightful torture, the painter steadfastly refuses to disclose his friend's whereabouts. Floria comes but she is just as steadfast under Scarpia's pleas and threats, until she realizes what agony her lover is undergoing and is promised that her confession will release him from it. Then she informs Scarpia that Angelotti is hidden in a well in the garden. Mario is at once brought in unconscious and Floria tries to soothe his bruised head with tears and kisses. He rouses to hear Scarpia's orders to search the well, and, knowing that Tosca has betrayed his friend, he curses her. News comes that Napoleon has just conquered the Royalists, and Mario, fearlessly rejoicing in the event, is carried away to be shot.