Tosca

Act I

Political prisoner Angelotti has escaped from Castel Sant’Angelo. He finds refuge in a church, where his sister, Marchesa Attavanti, has hidden the chapel key and some women’s clothes to help him flee. Cavaradossi is working on a portrait in the same church and decides to help Angelotti. At the arrival of his lover, Tosca, Cavaradossi hides Angelotti in the chapel. Sensing that something is askew, Tosca thinks Cavaradossi has just met another woman in the church. She eventually believes his declarations of love and leaves the church. Cavaradossi turns his focus back to Angelotti, but the sound of the state prison cannons soon signals that the prisoner’s escape has been discovered. Cavaradossi decides to take the fugitive to safety himself.

Meanwhile, the church is being readied for a festive ceremony. Napoleon’s troops have been defeated in a decisive battle, and all of Rome is to celebrate the victory. Tosca has been summoned to sing in a gala performance for the queen that evening, and she must cancel her date with Cavaradossi. At the church, she finds the chief of police, Baron Scarpia. Upon searching the church, Scarpia has found evidence that Cavaradossi has aided the fugitive. In their hasty departure, Angelotti had left behind a part of his disguise: a fan with the Attavanti coat of arms. Pretending that he found the fan next to the painter’s easel, Scarpia fuels Tosca’s jealousy. Tosca sets out to confront Cavaradossi, with Scarpia’s people tailing her.

Act II

A few hours later in Palazzo Farnese, Scarpia has the stage set up for Tosca’s performance. His underling arrives with bad news. He has found only Cavaradossi, not Angelotti. Cavaradossi is imprisoned on suspicion of aiding Angelotti’s escape, though he denies any allegations against him.

Scarpia, Tosca’s fervent admirer, has invited the singer to his quarters after the gala. Once she arrives, Scarpia orders Cavaradossi to be interrogated. He will be forced to testify under torture. Tosca can’t bear to hear Cavaradossi’s cries of agony and reveals Angelotti’s hiding place to Scarpia. As Scarpia immediately halts the torture, Cavaradossi realises that Tosca has betrayed him and curses her. Scarpia then receives more bad news: the victory over Napoleon was a false claim, and in reality the royal army has fallen. Cavaradossi bursts into revolutionary song and insults Scarpia, calling him a tyrant’s servant and a murderer. This seals his death sentence, and Scarpia has him taken away.

Tosca tries to bargain for her lover’s life, and Scarpia makes it clear that the only price he accepts is Tosca herself. As she agrees to the deal, Scarpia orders a fake execution of Cavaradossi for the next morning. To explain the situation, Tosca insists on delivering the execution order to Cavaradossi in person. She forces Scarpia, who is delirious with lust for her, to sign a letter of safe conduct for her and Cavaradossi, so they can leave Rome the next day. When Scarpia attempts to embrace her, she stabs him with a knife, seizes the letter and leaves

Act III

Cavaradossi is waiting for his execution. Overcome by memories and dreams, he writes a farewell letter to Tosca. Suddenly, Tosca arrives with their pass to freedom. Tosca explains the fake execution to Cavaradossi, asking him to play along like an actor in a drama. At dawn, the execution takes place on the prison roof. Too late, Tosca realises that Scarpia has betrayed her: the execution is real, and so is the blood. Tosca throws herself from the roof to meet her death.

A full synopsis and background information are available in the programme booklet.