Tosca

Synopsis
Artists
Video

Torture, murder and suicide … the clock ticks.

Tenacious diva, Floria Tosca, is thrust into a no-win situation after her lover assists the escape of a political prisoner. They are cornered by the corrupt Scarpia. Each decision she makes brings fate, and disaster, one step closer.

Stage director Keith Warner and his team have created a gorgeous new production inspired by the famous Italian surrealist artist Giorgio di Chirico with additional influences from the great filmmaker, Alfred Hitchcock.

Tortura, asesinato y suicidio… Comienza la cuenta atrás.

La obstinada diva Floria Tosca se ve empujada a una situación imposible después de que su amante haya decidido ayudar a escapar a un prisionero político. Ambos se ven acorralados por el corrupto Scarpia. Cada decisión que ella toma sólo los acerca más a su destino y al desastre.

El director de escena Keith Warner y su equipo han creado una nueva y espléndida producción inspirada en el trabajo del famoso artista surrealista italiano Giorgio di Chirico e influenciada por el gran director de cine Alfred Hitchcock.

Music By

Giacomo Puccini

Libretto By

Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Sung In

Italian

Instant Translation Screen

English and Spanish

Production support generously provided by

The Estate of Suzanne Hanson Poole

The Tobin Endowment

James R. Seitz, Jr.

Additional artistic support provided by

The L.A. Crosby and A.O. Crosby Endowment Fund

E.H. Corrigan Foundation Fund

The performances of John Fiore are supported by

The John Crosby Conductor’s Chair endowed by Flora L. Thornton

The performances of Joshua Guerrero are supported by

The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation

The performances of Freddie De Tommaso are supported by

The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation

The performances of Angel Blue are supported by

The Peter B. Frank Principal Artist Fund

Production Illustration By

Benedetto Cristofani

Run Time

Approximately 2 hours 24 minutes; includes a 25-minute intermission

Please Be Advised

This production contains atmospherics and depictions of violence including sexual assault, torture, blood, suicide, and simulated cannon and gunfire.

Act I

The church of Sant’Andrea della Valle. The escaped Bonapartist prisoner Cesare Angelotti enters the church, surveys the statue of the Blessed Virgin, and finds at her feet a key which he uses to enter his family’s private chapel to hide. The painter Mario Cavaradossi arrives to work on his portrait of Mary Magdalene–based on Angelotti’s sister, the Marchesa Attavanti, who has been a frequent visitor to the church. He compares the two beauties of his work – the blonde, blue-eyed saint and the fiery Floria Tosca, the famous singer who is his lover. Angelotti comes out of the chapel. Cavaradossi, recognizing him, offers his help. The exhausted and famished Angelotti gratefully accepts Cavaradossi’s lunch basket and quickly hides again as Tosca’s voice is heard outside. Tosca enters and immediately assumes that Mario was meeting another woman. Her jealousy explodes when she sees the blue eyes of the Magdalene. Mario reassures her, and they plan to spend the evening together. She leaves, and Angelotti re-emerges. They hear the cannon blast signifying an escaped prisoner, and Cavaradossi offers to escort Angelotti to a hiding place at his villa. They slip away. The Sacristan, choristers and acolytes enter excitedly to prepare a Te Deum to celebrate the victory over Napoleon at Marengo. Baron Scarpia, the chief of police, appears, hot on Angelotti’s trail. He orders his officers to search the Attavanti chapel, and he finds a fan with the family crest. Tosca enters, surprised not to find Mario at work. Scarpia greets her with the fan, and Tosca’s suspicions appear confirmed. She leaves the church in tears and Scarpia orders his men to follow her. While the choir sings, he raises his voice in jubilation: the fugitives will reappear and Tosca will run straight into his arms.

Iglesia de Sant’Andrea della Valle. Tras escapar de prisión, el bonapartista Cesare Angelotti entra en la basílica en busca de un lugar en el que esconderse. Dirige su mirada a la estatua de la Virgen María y encuentra a sus pies una llave que abre la capilla privada de su familia en la iglesia. El pintor Mario Cavaradossi llega a la iglesia para trabajar en su retrato de María Magdalena, inspirado en la marquesa Attavanti, hermana de Angelotti, la cual frecuenta la iglesia. Compara las dos bellezas de su obra: la santa rubia de ojos azules y la fogosa Floria Tosca, la famosa cantante que es su amante. Angelotti sale de la iglesia. Cavaradossi lo reconoce y le ofrece su ayuda. Angelotti, exhausto y hambriento, agradece y acepta la comida que Cavaradossi le da y, oyendo la voz de Tosca acercarse, se vuelve a esconder. Tosca entra e inmediatamente da por sentado que Mario estaba con otra mujer. Al ver los ojos azules de la Magdalena, estalla de celos. Mario la tranquiliza y deciden pasar la noche juntos. Tosca se va y Angelotti reaparece. Se escuchan los cañones que dan a entender que un prisionero ha escapado y Cavaradossi ofrece a Angelotti acompañarlo a un lugar escondido en su villa. Ambos salen. El sacristán entra con los coristas y acólitos. Van a preparar un Te Deum para celebrar la victoria sobre Napoleón en Marengo. El jefe de la policía, el barón Scarpia, aparece siguiendo el rastro de Angelotti. Ordena a sus oficiales registrar la capilla Attavanti y encuentran un abanico con el escudo de armas de la familia. Tosca entra y se sorprende de no encontrar a Mario trabajando. Scarpia le da la bienvenida con el abanico en la mano, con lo que las sospechas de Tosca se confirman. Abandona la iglesia llorando y Scarpia ordena a sus hombres seguirla. Mientras el coro canta, se oye la voz de Scarpia llena de júbilo: los fugitivos finalmente reaparecerán y Tosca correrá de vuelta a sus brazos.
Act II

Scarpia’s chambers in the upper floors of the Palazzo Farnese. Scarpia is dining. He gives Sciarrone a letter to deliver to Tosca, who will be singing a cantata in the royal apartments below. The spy Spoletta enters with news of their mission. He has not found Angelotti, but he has arrested and delivered Cavaradossi, whom Scarpia threatens with torture if he does not reveal the hiding place. Tosca, her performance completed, enters in haste. Scarpia sends Cavaradossi to the torture chamber and interrogates Tosca while Cavaradossi’s groans are heard. Unable to withstand his pain, she gives away Angelotti’s safety. Cavaradossi is dragged back in, unconscious. Tosca covers him with tears and kisses. He comes to and demands whether she has disclosed any information. She denies it. Scarpia loudly sends Spoletta to “the well in the garden!” Cavaradossi is furious. Sciarrone runs in with the news that Napoleon has, in fact, won the victory at Marengo. Cavaradossi props himself up and laughs defiantly in the face of Scarpia–who immediately orders his execution. Now that Tosca is alone with Scarpia, he suggests a bargain. Cavaradossi could go free for the price … of Tosca. Tosca appeals to heaven. Spoletta enters with the news that Angelotti, upon finding himself discovered, has swallowed poison. Knowing Cavaradossi’s fate is in her hands, she, weeping, agrees to Scarpia’s proposition. He directs Spoletta to perform a mock execution. Tosca demands that he provide a safe-conduct for her and Cavaradossi afterward. While he is writing the paper, Tosca notices a knife on the table and cautiously takes it. He finishes, turns to take her in his arms, and she kills him. She retrieves the pass and steals away.

Estancias superiores de Scarpia en el Palacio Farnese. Scarpia se encuentra cenando. Entrega a Sciarrone una carta para Tosca, que vendrá a cantar más tarde en los apartamentos reales de las plantas bajas del palacio. El espía Spoletta entra con noticias. No ha podido encontrar a Angelotti pero ha conseguido arrestar y entregar a Cavaradossi, al que Scarpia amenaza con torturar si no le revela dónde se esconde Angelotti. Al término de su actuación, Tosca entra apresuradamente. Scarpia manda a Cavaradossi a la cámara de tortura e interroga a Tosca mientras se escuchan los gritos de Cavaradossi. Tosca, incapaz de soportar el dolor del pintor, revela el escondite de Angelotti. Cavaradossi, inconsciente, es traído de vuelta y Tosca lo cubre de besos y lágrimas, tras lo cual recupera la conciencia y exige saber si ella ha revelado alguna información. Tosca lo niega. Mientras tanto, Scarpia manda en voz alta a Spoletta al “pozo del jardín.” Cavaradossi enfurece. Sciarrone entra a toda prisa con noticias de que ha sido Napoleón quien en realidad ha ganado la batalla de Marengo. Cavaradossi consigue ponerse en pie y se ríe de forma desafiante en la cara de Scarpia, que inmediatamente lo manda ejecutar. Scarpia finalmente se queda a solas con Tosca y le propone un trato: liberar a Cavaradossi… a cambio de ella misma. Tosca se encomienda al Altísimo. Spoletta entra con noticias de que Angelotti, tras verse descubierto, ha decidido ingerir veneno. Tosca sabe que el destino de Cavaradossi está en sus manos y, llorando, acepta la propuesta de Scarpia, que ordena a Spoletta organizar una ejecución falsa. Tosca le exige un salvoconducto para ella y para Cavaradossi tras la ejecución. Mientras Scarpia lo escribe, Tosca ve un cuchillo en la mesa y lo toma en silencio. Scarpia termina de redactar el salvoconducto, se vuelve para abrazar a Tosca y ésta lo mata. Tosca agarra el salvoconducto y escapa.
Act III

A platform of the Castel Sant’Angelo. Just before dawn, Cavaradossi is told he has an hour to live. He bribes the jailer to let him write a letter. Tosca brings in the safe-conduct, spills the story and they exult together. She coaches him to die convincingly. The firing squad approaches. The necessary preparations are made. The Sergeant offers to blindfold Cavaradossi, and he refuses. When all is in place, the soldiers fire, and Cavaradossi falls. Tosca waits until everyone has left … then realizes her love will not rise again. The execution was real: Scarpia’s final vengeance. Hearing voices shout that she has murdered Scarpia, she declares she will meet him before God. She leaps.

Terraza superior del Castel Sant’Angelo. Momentos antes del amanecer, se le comunica a Cavaradossi que le queda una hora de vida y éste consigue sobornar al carcelero para que le escriba una carta. Tosca llega con el salvoconducto, le cuenta la historia y ambos se regocijan de alegría. Ella le enseña a simular cómo morir de manera creíble. El pelotón de fusilamiento se aproxima y se prepara todo para la ejecución. El sargento ofrece a Cavaradossi cubrirle los ojos pero éste lo rechaza. Cuando todo está listo, los soldados disparan y Cavaradossi cae al suelo. Tosca decide esperar hasta que todos se hayan ido pero se da cuenta de que su amante ya no se levantará más. La ejecución ha sido real. Ha sido la última venganza de Scarpia. Se escuchan voces acusando a Tosca de la muerte de Scarpia, cuyo cuerpo han encontrado sin vida. Tosca declara que se encontrarán ante Dios, sube a la muralla del castillo y se lanza al vacío.

Tosca

Synopsis

Act I

Act II

Act III

Artists

Leah Hawkins

Leah Hawkins

Angel Blue

Angel Blue

Joshua Guerrero

Joshua Guerrero

Freddie De Tommaso

Freddie De Tommaso

Reginald Smith, Jr.

Reginald Smith, Jr.

Blake Denson

Blake Denson

Dale Travis

Dale Travis

Spencer Hamlin

Spencer Hamlin

Ben Brady

Ben Brady

Kai Edgar

Kai Edgar

Dylan Gregg

Dylan Gregg

John Fiore

John Fiore

Keith Warner

Keith Warner

Ashley Martin-Davis

Ashley Martin-Davis

Allen Hahn

Allen Hahn

Katharina Eva Kastening

Katharina Eva Kastening

Susanne Sheston

Susanne Sheston

Rick Sordelet

Rick Sordelet

Christian Kelly-Sordelet

Christian Kelly-Sordelet

Shireen Yehya

Shireen Yehya

Tosca