Tosca

Opera in 3 acts
Concert performance of the opera

Performed in Italian with Russian subtitles

Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa to the drama of the same name by Victorien Sardou with the participation of Giacomo Puccini

The dramatic conflict of one of the most frequently performed operas is centred around the pivotal (and in this case only) female figure. All the male heroes make Floria Tosca’s strong and passionate nature more prominent. She is a Roman prima donna, who is embroiled in political intrigue. But then again, historical background plays the same role here as the nail in Victor Hugo’s famous aphorism: on it is hung the picture of the love between the famous singer and the artist Mario Cavaradossi.

The plot is drawn from the drama of the same name by Victorien Sardou, written for Sarah Bernhardt. In 1889 Puccini saw her in La Tosca in Milan and completely lost his composure until the final note of the score had been played. A trace of Bernhardt has been preserved in the opera: the performer of the title part, like her theatrical forerunner, must break free from every canon.

The premiere took place in 1900 and in the hall were not only representatives of authority but also the queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, and the whole of cultural society. As in the case of La Bohème four years previously, Tosca was received coolly at first, but it was soon taken up by productions throughout Italy and beyond her borders.

Age category: 6+