Synopsis

ACT ONE
The Church of “Sant’ Andrea della Valle”.
Cesare Angelotti, consul of the fallen Roman Republic – escaped from Castel Sant’Angelo, where he was kept prisoner – takes shelter in the church and hides in the chapel of the marquise Attavanti, his own sister. The painter Mario Cavaradossi enters to work on his painting of Mary Magdalene and recognizes in Angelotti his friend and follower of his political ideas; he gives him food and promises to help him in the flight. Their talk is interrupted by the arrival of Floria Tosca, famous singer and Cavaradossi’s lover: fearing an imprudence, he hides Angelotti’s presence and hurries him back into the chapel. Tosca recognizes in the portrait of Mary Magdalene the marquise Attavanti, who has inspired the painter when he has seen her praying; Tosca makes him a scene, but Mario reassures her, promising a meeting that evening at his villa. When she has gone, Mario summons Angelotti from the chapel: he will take refuge in Mario’s villa. A gun shot signals that the escape has been discovered. No sooner had the two men left, the Sacristan and a group of choirboys enter with joy and enthusiasm for the news of a Napoleonic defeat. Their excitement is silenced by the entrance of Baron Scarpia, cruel and feared chief of the secret police. Scarpia finds a fan with the Attavanti crest – it has fallen down from a box full of female clothes that Angelotti has taken to disguise himself in case of need – and the empty Mario’s breakfast basket. He understands that Angelotti has been there and that Cavaradossi is an accomplice. When Tosca comes back looking for her lover, Scarpia shows her the fan, fomenting her jealousy. Thinking Mario has betrayed her, Tosca leaves the church and rushes to the villa to find the supposed lovers. Scarpia sends his men to follow her. He is madly in love with her and, as people sing the Te Deum to thank God for the victory over Napoleon, he already pictures to himself Cavaradossi hanged and Tosca in his arms.

ACT TWO
Scarpia’s room in the Farnese Palace, the same night.
As Scarpia is having dinner, the cop Spoletta arrives and gives information about the villa search: they haven’t found Angelotti but the painter’s ironic and provocative behaviour led the policemen to arrest him. Spoletta brings in Mario, who answers with scorn to Scarpia’s questions, denying any complicity in the prisoner’s escape. Tosca – after receiving a note from the baron - enters just as her lover is being taken to an adjoining room to be subject to a further interrogation: in a low voice, he urges Tosca to talk on no account. At first, she tries hard to keep calm and skilfully answers to Scarpia’s tricky questions. But then, hearing Mario’s screams as they torture him, she reveals Angelotti’s hiding place in the garden will. Mario is carried in and, realizing what has happened, he curses Tosca; the officer Sciarrone rushes in to announce Napoleon’s victory at Marengo: Mario has the strength to get up and to shout at Scarpia all his hatred and scorn. Then he is dragged to prison. Scarpia suggests Tosca to give herself to him in exchange for her lover’s life. Disgusted, the woman hesitates; when she hears Spoletta announcing that Angelotti, hearing the soldiers arrive, has killed himself and that everything is ready for Mario’s shooting, Tosca accepts Scarpia’s infamous blackmail. The baron orders a “mock” execution for the prisoner and writes a safeconduct for the lovers. Then, eager to embrace Tosca, he gets close to her but the woman snatches a knife from the table and staggers him. Scarpia, gasping for breath, falls on the ground and dies.

ACT THREE
The tower at Castel Sant’Angelo.
It’s almost dawn and the voice of a shepherd is heard while he drives his herd. Mario is awaiting execution in jail; he asks the soldier to hand over a farewell note to Tosca. After writing just a few lines, he is overcome with memories of his love and bitterly cries for his end. Suddenly, Tosca runs in and tells him the recent events. They will leave Rome forever, but first he has to be subject to the mock shooting and to fake his death convincingly. The soldiers shoot and Mario falls down, arising Tosca’s admiration. Her impatience and joy turn into a terrible pain when, reaching his body to help him getting up, she withdraws with her hands full of blood. Cavaradossi is dead, killed by Scarpia’s last cruel treachery. Spoletta and Sciarrone rush in with some soldiers to arrest Tosca for Scarpia’s murder. Spoletta dashes against Tosca, shouting that she will pay for her crime but the woman rejects him and escapes. She suddenly jumps on the tower parapet and leaps to her death.