Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) Tosca (Highlights) Opera in 3 Acts Libretto: Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa Tosca, a famous singer - Nelly Miricioiu, Soprano...
Giacomo
Puccini (1858-1924)
Tosca (Highlights)
Opera in 3 Acts
Libretto: Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
Tosca, a
famous singer - Nelly Miricioiu, Soprano
Cavaradossi, painter - Giorgio Lamberti, Tenor
Baron Scarpia, Chief of Police - Silvano Carroli, Baritone
Spoletta, a police agent - Miroslav Dvorsky, Tenor
Sciarrone, a policeman - Jan Durco, Bass
Un Carceriere (Gaoler) - Stanislav Benačka, Bass
Il Sagrestano (Sacristan) - Jozef Spaček, Baritone
Slovak
Philharmonic Chorus
Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Alexander Rahbari
Giacomo Puccini
was born in Lucca in 1858 into a family with long-established musical
traditions extending back at least to the early eighteenth century. It was
natural that he should follow this tradition and become a musician, and after
the death of his father, when the boy was five, it was arranged that he should
inherit the position of organist at the church of St. Martino, which meanwhile
would be held for him by his uncle. He was trained as a chorister and as an
organist, and only turned to more ambitious composition at the age of
seventeen. A performance of Verdi's opera Aida in Pisa in 1876 inspired
operatic aspirations, which could only be pursued adequately at a major musical
centre. Four years later he was able to enter the conservatory in Milan, assisted financially by an uncle and by a scholarship. There his teachers were
Antonio Bazzini, director of the conservatory from 1882 and now chiefly remembered
by other violinists for one attractive addition to their repertoire, and
Amilcare Ponchielli, then near the end of his career.
Puccini's first
opera was Le villi, an operatic treatment of a subject better known
nowadays from the ballet Giselle by Adam. It failed to win the
competition for which it had been entered, but won, instead, a staging, through
the agency of Boito, and publication by Ricordi, who commissioned the opera Edgar,
produced at La Scala in 1889 to relatively little effect. It was in 1893
that Puccini won his first great success with his version of the Abbe Prevost's
Manon Lescaut, a work that established him as a possible successor to
Verdi. La Bohème followed in 1896.
Tosca, which was first staged
in Rome in 1900, was based on a successful play by the French dramatist
Victorien Sardou (1831-1908), a work designed as a vehicle for Sarah Bernhardt,
as was much else that Sardou wrote. Ricordi had originally intended that the
opera should be written by Alberto Franchetti, who enjoyed considerable fame in
Italy at the time. By subterfuge Franchetti was dissuaded from the project by
what Ricordi suggested to him of its unsuitability as a subject for opera, and
the way was open for Puccini to undertake the composition, once La Bohème was
out of the way. The libretto was by Giuseppe Illica and the poet Luigi Giacosa,
writers who had collaborated with others on the text of Manon Lescaut and
had written La Bohème, and were hereafter to continue working
with Puccini with Madama Butterfly in 1904.
Tosca
was first staged at the
Teatro Costanzi in Rome with some success, in spite of threats of
bombing at the first night, presumably because of the political and
anticlerical implications of the plot, which is set in Rome. Critical opinion
has been mixed. Mahler refused a performance at the Vienna Court Opera, leaving
Zemlinsky to conduct the first Vienna performance at the Volksoper in 1907,
while the scholar Joseph Kerman has described the piece as "a shabby
little shocker".
Synopsis
The first scene
of the opera is set in the Church of Sant' Andrea della Valle in Rome. On the right is the Attavanti Chapel and on the left a scaffolding with a large
painting on it, covered with a cloth, with painter's brushes and colours and a
basket on the platform. The republican nobleman Angelotti, who has escaped from
prison, steals in and conceals himself in the family chapel. The Sacristan
complains about the work made for him by the artist Cavaradossi, who now comes
in and sets to work on his painting of St. Mary Magdalen, which, to the scandal
of the old Sacristan, bears a close resemblance to a gentlewoman who comes each
day to pray, the sister of Angelotti ("Sante ampalle") [Track 1]. Cavaradossi
takes out a miniature of Tosca, at which he gazes, praising her beauty ("Recandita
annania"), and comparing her with the subject of his portrait,
while the Sacristan complains of this blasphemy. As he goes, the fugitive
nobleman Angelotti emerges from hiding, eventually recognised by Cavaradossi,
who quickly moves to shut the church door, giving him his own basket of food.
As the voice of Tosca is heard outside ("Mario! Mario! Mario!") [2],
he hurries Angelotti into hiding once more.
Tosca, a famous
singer, is at first suspicious of Cavaradossi, since she has heard him talking
to someone and had found the church door locked. She offers the flowers she has
brought before the statue of the Madonna and turning to Cavaradossi urges him
to meet her that evening after the theatre, so that they may go together to his
little villa. She sings of this idyllic cottage ("Non la sospiri la nostra
casetta") [3] and of their future happiness, but shows signs of
jealousy when she sees the picture, with blue eyes, rather than a reproduction
of her own black eyes ("Ah, quegli occhi!") [4].
As Tosca
leaves, Cavaradossi reassures Angelotti, who has emerged again from hiding,
praising Tosca's loyalty, although he has told her nothing. He agrees to help
Angelotti escape with the disguise that his sister, the Marchesa Attavanti, has
arranged for him, to help him evade the clutches of the wicked and hypocritical
chief of police Baron Scarpia. The latter appears, with his henchman Spoletta,
to interrupt public rejoicing at the defeat of Napoleon and to investigate the
disappearance of Angelotti, whose sister he recognises in Cavaradossi's
painting. He himself has designs on Tosca, and from the discovery of an empty
food-basket and a fan bearing the Attavanti coat of arms in the Attavanti
chapel he infers that Cavaradossi has assisted Angelotti's escape, with the
help of the latter's sister. He resolves to use the fan, at least, to arouse
Tosca's jealousy. People begin to crowd into the church and Scarpia signals to
Spoletta, telling him to follow Tosca ("Tre sbirri, Una carrozza")
[5]. The Cardinal and his attendants move towards the high altar, the
Swiss Guards making a way for them through the crowd, while Scarpia gloats over
his intended victim. He now has two desires, to see Angelotti hanged and to
possess Tosca, his evil intentions in contrast to the Te Deum with which
the choir now celebrates the victory over Napoleon.
The second act
of the opera is set in Scarpia's rooms, on an upper floor. There is a table set
and through the window of the apartment can be seen the courtyard of the
palace. It is night, and Scarpia is taking his supper, while occasionally
breaking off in thought. He looks at his watch impatiently and remarks out
aloud on the usefulness of Tosca in leading him to his victims Angelotti and
Cavaradossi ("Tosca è buon falco") [6]. He learns from his
agent Sciarrone that Tosca has been sent for, as he ordered. From below, where
the Queen of Naples is giving a ball to celebrate victory, comes the sound of
music. Spoletta enters to tell him that Cavaradossi's villa has been searched,
but nothing found: Cavaradossi, however, has been arrested and is interrogated
by his captor. Tosca rushes in, anxious to help her lover, and is left with
Scarpia when the latter orders Cavaradossi to be taken away and questioned in
the adjacent torture-chamber. He shows her the fan, trying to excite her
jealousy, and then bids her tell him what she knows ("Orsù, Tosca, parlate").
[7] When she refuses to reveal anything, he tells Spoletta to open the
door, so that she may hear Cavaradossi's suffering. This convinces her, and she
now admits that she knows the whereabouts of Angelotti ("Nel pozzo ... nel
giardino"), the well in the garden, where she had earlier followed
her lover in jealousy.
Scarpia
commands that Cavaradossi be brought in and the lovers greet each other ("Floria!
... Amore!") [8]. She is appalled at his suffering and kneels by his
side, in tears, while he realises that she has betrayed him and thrusts her
away, as Sciarrone rushes in, excitedly announcing news of a new victory for
Bonaparte. Cavaradossi greets the news with jubilation ("Vittoria! Vittoria!"), while Tosca tries to silence him, and Scarpia threatens execution.
Cavaradossi is dragged away, to Tosca's protests, and she is left alone with
Scarpia, who takes up his wine-glass, polishes it with a napkin and suggests that
together they find a way to save the man. Tosca asks the cost ("Quanto?
Quanto? Il prezzo") [9] and Scarpia demands her honour. She jumps
up, aghast, and threatens to jump from the window if he cornes near her.
Then she makes a move to appeal to the Queen, in the apartments below, but
Scarpia makes it clear that such an appeal will be at the cost of Cavaradossi's
life. She tells Scarpia that she hates him, but this arouses still further his
desire for her. A drum-roll is heard, and he bids her look out of the window,
to see prisoners being led to execution. She kneels in supplication, protesting
her passionate devotion to her art and to virtue, doing harm to none ("Vissi
d'arte, vissi d'amore") [10]. Spoletta rushes in to announce the
suicide of Angelotti and is told that, now with Tosca's nodded agreement,
Cavaradossi is to pretend to be shot by the firing-squad, but allowed to
escape. Spoletta understands very well that this ruse is designed to deceive
Tosca and that Cavaradossi is actually to be executed. Scarpia gives his word ("lo
tenni la promessa") [11] and Tosca seeks a safe-conduct for herself
and her lover, which Scarpia starts to write, asking her which way they will
travel. As he writes, Tosca sees a knife on the table, which she takes and
hides behind her, and when Scarpia has finished writing and sealed the
document, she stabs him. As he falls, he curses her, but she quickly prepares
to leave the room, taking the safe-conduct with her, and leaving burning
candles at Scarpia's head and a crucifix on the corpse.
The final act
of the opera is set on a platform on the battlements of the Castel Sant'
Angelo. There is a little staircase leading up to the platform and below there
is a casemate, a room set in the wall of the fortress, with a table, a bench
and a chair. In the distance can be seen the Vatican and St. Peter's. It is
night, with stars shining in the clear sky. Sheep-bells can be heard and the
voice of a shepherd-boy, singing his distant song of unrequited love ("lo
de'sospiri"). [13] The matins bell rings and the bells of other
churches, some distant, some near at hand. A gaoler, carrying a lantern, comes
up the stairs into the room, lighting the lamp before the crucifix on the wall
and another lamp on the table. He goes up to the parapet and looks down into
the courtyard, where executions take place. He exchanges a few words with the
sentry patrolling the battlements and then returns to the room and sits down,
sleepy. Cavaradossi is brought onto the platform, escorted by soldiers and is
ushered into the room. The gaoler stands and salutes the sergeant, who hands
his prisoner over ("Mario Cavaradossi?"). [14] There is still
an hour to go before the execution, but Cavaradossi rejects the offer of a
priest, asking leave to write a last letter to Tosca, promising the man, in return,
his last possession, his ring. He sits down and starts to write, but breaks off
to reflect on his love for Tosca in happier times, as the stars shone, her
sweet kisses and embraces and her beauty ("E lucevan le stele") [15]
Spoletta comes up the stairs, with the sergeant, followed by Tosca. He
tells the sentry to watch the couple, and leaves them together. Tosca, too full
of feeling to speak, rushes over to Cavaradossi and gives him the safe-conduct
she has taken from Scarpia. He reads the document ("Ah! Franchigia a
Floria Tosca"), [16] a safe-conduct for Tosca and the gentleman who
accompanies her. She goes on to explain what had been demanded of her in return
and how she had killed Scarpia. He marvels that her gentle hands could be so
strong ("O dolci mani") [17] and she tells him what she thinks
has been arranged, with his mock-execution and their coming escape together.
Cavaradossi tells her of his bitterness at having to die without seeing her
again, but now they will be together. Returning to reality, she reminds him
that he must be seen to fall when the firing-squad shoots, and as the soldiers
approach, the two lovers sing of their coming joy and final triumph.
Dawn breaks and
a bell is heard striking four, the hour of execution that Scarpia had set. The
period of waiting is long ("Com'e lunga l'attesa") [18] and
Tosca warns Cavaradossi once again to remember to fall down when the men fire.
He takes leave of her and follows the officer, while she looks on, impatient.
Cavaradossi refuses a bandage for his eyes and the ritual of execution proceeds
slowly. The soldiers raise their guns and the signal is given. The men fire and
Cavaradossi falls. The sergeant inspects the body and Spoletta prevents the
sergeant from giving the coup de grace. The soldiers now withdraw and Tosca tells
her lover to lie still and not move until all is safe. She looks over the
parapet and goes back to him where he lies, telling him to stand up and make
his escape ("Presto, su! Mario! Mario!"), [19] but to her
horror she finds that he is really dead: Scarpia has outwitted her. She is in
despair, and now cries are heard from a distance, as the murder of Scarpia is
discovered and the alarm raised. Spoletta and Sciarrone mount the staircase to
seize Tosca, but she pushes Spoletta, so that he nearly falls backwards down the
stairs. She rushes to the battlements and leaps over to her death, now to meet
Scarpia again before the throne of God. Sciarrone and some of the soldiers rush
to the battlements and look down, while Spoletta stands aghast.
Keith Anderson
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Act I: Santa ampolle...Recondita armonia - 5:31 
