Giacomo Puccini’s TOSCA has every-thing it takes to make opera grand:lust, passion, sex, true love, decep-tion, murder, suicide, torture and more.Toss in a lush and sweeping score,add some of the world’s best-knownarias and you have all the ingredientsfor an enduring classic. Audiences have loved TOSCAsince itspremiere in Rome in 1900. The crowd-pleasing historical drama is the storyof a fiery, tempestuous, deeply reli-gious opera singer who bargains hervirtue with a sinister chief of police tosave the life of her lover, an artist withpolitical leanings. The power of itsmusic, the inventiveness of its orches-tration and the dramatic force of thestory continue to fascinate and thework is one of the most frequently performed operas.TOSCA is structured as a through-composed work, with arias, recitative,choruses and other musical elementswoven into a seamless whole. Pucciniused Wagnerian-style leitmotifs, whichare musical themes associated with aspecific character or situation whichheighten the musical storytelling. In discussing the major themes ofTOSCA, Director Jill Anna Ponasiksaid, “Tosca’s religious faith andCavaradossi’s belief in the power ofart are two paths to find meaning. Puccini explores both of these inTOSCA.” In the gripping conclusion,they collide with Baron Scarpia, Rome’sChief of Police, who expresses a devout belief in God and the Church,while in reality, he uses his power forevil purposes. The original Italian libretto by LuigiIllica and Giuseppe Giacosa wasadapted from Victorien Sardou’s 1887French play LA TOSCA, an interna-tional hit for the great actress SarahBernhardt. When Puccini undertook the task ofcomposing the opera, he worked withhis publisher Giulio Ricordi and two librettists, Giuseppi Giacosa and LuigiIllica who skillfully condensed and

adapted Sardou’s play. Their first actconveys the whole of Sardou’s exposi-tion and also introduces important elements such as Scarpia’s baiting ofTosca with the Marchesa Attavanti’sfan and his awakening of her jealousfury. The following two acts are a bril-liant synthesis of the original play’s integral scenes: the offstage cantata,the torture scene, the announcementof Bonaparte’s victory at Marengo, therape attempt, Tosca’s killing of Scarpiaand her suicide. The opera differs from the play in bothtone and structure. The librettistssoften Tosca’s jealousy, which in theplay is almost pathological, and onlyhint at Cavaradossi’s skepticism. Theplaywright is said to have found the libretto better than his play, and audi-ences have agreed. While Puccini’sTOSCA remains one of the world’smost performed operas, Sardou’s play,other than as the source for the opera,is forgotten.

Sources include Winston Burdett, 1953Capitol Records; John Louis Digaetani; Harvey Hatcher Hughes https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tosca&oldid=679522530

music theatre

Audience GuideThe guide is available online at www.skylightmusictheatre.org

2015-2016Our 57th SeasonIssue 1, September/October 2015IN THIS ISSUE

AUDIENCE GUIDEResearch/Writing by Justine Leonardfor ENLIGHTEN,Skylight Music Theatre’s Education ProgramEdited by Ray Jivoffwww.skylightmusictheatre.org

Music byGiacomo PucciniLibretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

English translation by Amanda Holden (c) 2002

Giacomo Puccini (1858 – 1924)

Puccini’s TOSCA

This production is generouslysponsored in part by

“Our production expresses itself inthree languages,” says Skylight StageDirector Jill Anna Ponasik. “It will besung predominantly in an Englishtranslation by Amanda Holden that debuted in 1999 for a production inLondon. The prayers and religiousservices will be sung in Latin, as origi-nally scored. And Tosca and Cavara-dossi will sing their emotionallyheightened music in Italian.” Although the Skylight is known for itspresentations of opera in English,Viswa Subbaraman, Skylight ArtisticDirector and Music Director for thisproduction, explains the reason forkeeping the major arias in Italian. “Itwas simply the sound of the arias. Musically, Recondita, Vissi d’Arte, Elucevan and the others have such astrong base in Italian that keepingthem in the original language allowsthe audience to just listen to thebeauty of the moment. Puccini doessuch a great job of setting up the ariaswith the action and the text that thestory telling is so clear we could havedone it in any language and the audi-ence would understand what wasgoing on.” Subbaraman noted that when theopera was composed, Mass was stillin Latin and not in the vernacular. “Soit seemed a smart move to keep the

religious service in Latin, keeping thesame gravitas as the original.“The opera is set in a very specific timeand place. The setting is Rome, fromthe morning of June 17, 1800 to justafter dawn the following day. The ac-tion takes place in three locations thatcan still be visited today: The basilicaof Sant’Andrea della Valle, PalazzoFarnese and Castel Sant’Angelo. Director Jill Anna Ponasik says, “TheSkylight’s production is inspired bythose details, but places its emphasison sweeping, abstract gestures ratherthan on theatrical naturalism. I discov-ered an excellent book, TOSCA’SROME by Susan Nicassio that puts theplay and the opera in a historical perspective. We also found inspirationfurther afield in images of contempo-rary Roman street art and in the workof puppeteer Basil Twist, who designsextraordinarily expressive perform-ances using wind, fabric and light.” Using these and other references andresources, the designers created astrikingly stylish TOSCA for Skylight.Lisa Schlenker’s beautifully spare setpulls its palette from the array of richcolors found in the marble and graniteof Sant’Andrea della Valle andPalazzo Farnese. Schlenker explains,“Puccini shows us raw human passion

and emotion, flaws and strengths.We’re highlighting how these forcesimpact the destinies of our charactersby choosing a naked, unfettered visualstyle to compliment the storytelling,While we pay homage to the roots ofthe Italianate setting through the richcolors and a scenic scale intended tocapture our small human performersreckoning with enormous forces out oftheir control, we hope to offer a dis-tilled and poetical interpretation of thehuman condition. We want the audi-ence to focus on the feelings evokedby the soaring and powerful score.” Jason Fassl’s lighting is a dramaticand dynamic force in this production,working with the intensity of the scoreto propel the action toward its inevitable conclusion.Kristy Hall’s elegant costumes projectthe mood and feel of TOSCA, while allowing it to become contemporary.The catalyst for Hall’s design was inStage Director’s Ponasik’s words: “Wewant to show Tosca's emotional land-scape and journey.” Hall says she designed costumes forthe Tosca character first. “We wantedto show the power of her love, passionfor her art and bravery for her belief.As a team, we gravitated towards thisdynamic character, and the rest of thecostume design grew out of the designs for that character. The wholeteam has placed these pockets ofbeautiful art throughout the productiondesign. I love the ability of all to findbeauty in challenging times.”

Sources include TOSCA'S ROME: THEPLAY AND THE OPERA IN HISTORICALCONTEXT (2002) Nicassio, Susan Van-diver (paperback ed.). Oxford: University ofChicago Press. ISBN 978-0-19-517974-3.

TOSCA

Scenic model by Lisa Schlenker

At the time TOSCA is set, Italy was notyet a unified country. It had long beendivided into a number of small statesunder various reigns. A French armyunder Napoleon invaded Italy in 1796,entering Rome in 1798 and establish-ing a republic there. This republic wasruled by seven consuls. In September1799, the French, who had protectedthe republic, withdrew from Rome. Asthey left, troops of the Kingdom ofNaples occupied the city. Following the French Revolution,Napoleon, now the undisputed leaderof France, again brought his troopsacross the Alps to Italy where his armymet the Austrian forces at the Battle ofMarengo in June 1800. The Austriantroops were initially successful, butNapoleon’s army ultimately triumphedand for the next fourteen years Romewas under French domination.TOSCA locations:ACT ISant'Andrea della Valle was built in 1591. It is one of the greatchurches of Rome. Its dome is secondin size only to that of St. Peter's. ACT IIThe Palazzo Farnese is admired asthe handsomest palace of the highRenaissance in Rome. In Sardou'splay, Scarpia's offices were in the Castel Sant'Angelo, but in the operahis quarters are on the top floor of thePalazzo Farnese. In 1874, the palazzobecame the French Embassy.ACT III The Castel Sant'Angelo was built between 135 and 139 as EmperorHadrian’s tomb. In 271 it became afortress. The papal state converted itinto a castle and prison in the 14thCentury. In 1901, it became a museum.The view from the terrace of this pow-erful symbol of the combined power ofthe Church and the State is one of thefinest in Rome.

TOSCAThe history behind the story

Act 3: The Castel Sant’Angelo by G.B. Piranesi, 1746

Act 1: The basilica of Sant’Andrea della Valle etching by J. Barbault, 1763

Act 2: The Palazzo Farnese by Giuseppi Vasi

Giacomo Puccini’s personal life wasas colorful and melodramatic as hisoperas. When he died at age 65, hewas a millionaire who made moremoney from his music than any classi-cal composer before or since. Hiswealth took him far from his early daysof poverty in Milan, so when he finallymade money, Puccini enjoyed it. Heindulged himself with yachts, expen-sive cars, several estates and a gamelodge. He dyed his hair, was alwayswell-dressed and loved fishing, hunt-ing and driving around his estate inone of the cars he collected.Puccini is regarded as one of the greatopera masters, alongside Verdi, Wagner, Rossini and Mozart. While hisearly work was rooted in traditionallate-19th century romantic Italianopera, he successfully developed hiswork in the realistic verismo style, andbecame one of its leading exponents.Although he composed a number ofother works including masses, stringquartets and a requiem, Puccini wasslow in producing his operas; he wrotejust ten. Perhaps that was because hewas a perfectionist who involved him-self in every phase of the productionfrom selecting singers and conductorsto overseeing rehearsals. He traveledall over the world supervising produc-tions of his works to ensure they werebeing performed to his specifications.“Almighty God touched me with His little finger,” wrote Puccini, “and said‘Write for the theater.' I have obeyedthe supreme command." Giacomo Puccini was born December22, 1858 in Lucca, in the Tuscany region of Italy. He was one of nine chil-dren whose great-great grandfatherestablished a local musical dynasty inLucca in the 1700s. His father Michele,a choirmaster and organist, died whenthe boy was five, and Puccini was expected to follow in his footsteps. Butafter seeing a performance of Verdi'sAIDA, he knew that operatic composi-tion was his real future.In 1880, with a scholarship and finan-cial support from an uncle, Puccini became a student at the prestigiousMilan Conservatory, where he entered

a one-act opera competition. His firstopera, LE VILLI, didn't win, but his sup-porters funded a production whichbrought him to the attention of musicpublisher Giulio Ricordi, who becamehis life-long business associate andfriend. In the autumn of 1884, Puccini begana relationship with Narciso Gemig-nani’s wife, Elvira. They had a son, Antonio, in 1886 but they were unableto marry until 1904, when Narciso waskilled by the husband of a woman withwhom he had an affair. Ricordi commissioned Puccini’s second opera, EDGAR (1889), whichwas not well received. Parallels toBizet's CARMEN are numerous. Bothfeature a confused young man who isstruggling to choose between the loveof a home town girl and the consumingpassion of an exotic gypsy.Through these early failures Puccinirealized the importance of good sto-ries, and from then on he chose hisown subjects. MANON LESCAUT (1893)was his first selection, and it was animmediate international success.Working on MANON, Puccini con-stantly changed his mind about thestructure of the piece and in the end,worked with a total of five writers. Thefinal two, Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, completed the opera. Theteam returned as librettists for Puccinifor his next three operas, probably hisgreatest: LA BOHÈME (1896), TOSCA(1900) and MADAMA BUTTERFLY (1904). LA BOHÈME, based on the 1851 bookby Henri Murger, premiered in 1896,conducted by Arturo Toscanini. Withina few years, it had been performed atmany of the leading opera houses ofEurope, Britain and in the UnitedStates. It remains one of the most frequently performed operas.The libretto of the opera combinescomic elements of the impoverishedlife of the young protagonists withtragic aspects, such as the death ofthe young seamstress Mimi. Puccini'sown youth in Milan served as a sourceof inspiration for elements of the libretto. During his years as a conser-

vatory student, he experiencedpoverty similar to that of the bohemi-ans in LA BOHÈME, including chronicshortages of food, clothing and moneyto pay rent. Puccini's next work was TOSCA (1900),arguably Puccini's first foray intoverismo, the depiction of many facetsof real life including violence. Themusic of TOSCAemploys musical sig-natures for particular characters andemotions, which have been comparedto Wagnerian leitmotifs. Puccini saw LA TOSCA, the play byFrench author Victorien Sardou, whenit was touring Italy. He wrote to hispublisher, Giulio Ricordi, begging himto get Sardou's permission for thework to be made into an opera: "I seein this TOSCA the opera I need, withno overblown proportions, no elabo-rate spectacle, nor will it call for theusual excessive amount of music." The melodrama is set in Rome in June1800, which was then controlled by theKingdom of Naples and under threatby Napoleon's invasion of Italy. Turn-ing the wordy French play into anopera took four years; during that timethe composer repeatedly argued withhis librettists and publisher.

TOSCAGiacomo Puccini

The trio who created LA BOHÈME, TOSCA andMADAMA BUTTERFLY: Puccini, Giacosa and Illica. (from Archivio Storico Casa Ricordi)

By 1900, the premiere of a Pucciniopera was a national event. ManyRoman dignitaries attended the open-ing of TOSCA including the Prime Min-ister of Italy with several members ofhis cabinet and Queen Margherita,though she arrived after the first act.Much of the critical and press reactionwas lukewarm, often blaming Illica's li-bretto. In response, Illica condemnedPuccini for treating his librettists "likestagehands" and reducing the text to ashadow of its original form. Neverthe-less, any public doubts about TOSCAsoon vanished; the premiere was fol-lowed by twenty performances, allgiven to packed houses.On February 25, 1903, Puccini wasseriously injured in a car accident. Hiswife Elvira, and their son, Antoniowere flung from the car and escapedwith minor injuries. Puccini was pinnedunder the vehicle, with a portion of thecar pressing down on his chest. His injuries included a badly fractured rightleg. The injury did not heal well, andPuccini remained under treatment formonths. It was also found that he wassuffering from a form of diabetes. Theaccident and its consequences slowedPuccini's completion of his next work,MADAMA BUTTERFLY.After 1904, Puccini's compositionswere less frequent. In1906, Giacosadied and in 1909, there was scandalafter Puccini's wife, Elvira, falsely accused their maid, Doria Manfredi, ofhaving an affair with Puccini. Afterbeing publicly accused of adultery,Doria Manfredi committed suicide. Anautopsy determined, however, thatDoria had died a virgin, refuting the allegations made against her. ElviraPuccini was prosecuted for slander,and was sentenced to more than fivemonths in prison, although a paymentto the family spared Elvira from havingto serve the sentence. Some music critics and interpreters ofPuccini's work have speculated thatthe psychological effects of this inci-dent interfered with his ability to com-plete compositions later in his career,and also influenced the developmentof characters such as Liù, a slave girlwho dies tragically by suicide in hisopera TURANDOT.

Puccini completed LA FANCIULLA DELWEST, based on a play by David Belasco, in 1910. This was commis-sioned by and first performed at theMetropolitan Opera in New York. Itwas the first world premiere of anopera at the Met and it was a greatsuccess. The opera has been acclaimed for its incorporation of advanced harmonic language andrhythmic complexity into the Italian operatic form. However, the composi-tional style employed in the opera,with few stand-alone arias, was criti-cized and remains a barrier to theopera's complete acceptance into thestandard repertoire.

In 1912, the death of Giulio Ricordi,Puccini's editor and publisher, ended aproductive period of the composer’scareer. Puccini wrote the score of LARONDINE, initially conceived as an operetta, to a libretto by GiuseppeAdami in 1917. The least known ofPuccini's mature operas, the com-poser continued to revise it until hisdeath. A modern reviewer described itas "a continuous fabric of lilting waltztunes, catchy pop-styled melodies,and nostalgic love music." IL TRITTICO, a set of three one-act operas, premiered in New York in1918. The trilogy is comprised of ILTABARRO, a horror story in the style ofthe Parisian Grand Guignol; SUOR ANGELICA, a sentimental tragedy andGIANNI SCHICCHI, a comedy.

A chain smoker of Toscano cigars andcigarettes, Puccini began to complainof chronic sore throats. In 1924, whileworking on TURANDOT, Puccini wasdiagnosed with throat cancer. He con-tinued his work on the finale while un-dergoing treatment. Before he wasable to finish, he died of a heart attack,and a colleague, Franco Alfano, com-pleted the opera. The world premiere took place at LaScala in 1926. When conductor ArturoToscanini reached the final notes writ-ten by Puccini, he put down his baton,turned to the audience and said, "Theopera ends here. At this point Gia-como Puccini broke off his work.Death on this occasion is strongerthan art." There was silence. Thensomeone shouted "Viva Puccini," followed by a tumultuous ovation. In an article in the New York Times,Anthony Tommasini writes:“The dramatic sweep and lyricalrichness of Puccini’s music sometimesobscure the complexity of hiscontemporary harmonic language.An admirer of Wagner and Debussy,he enriched his scores with unmooredchromatic chords and whole-tonescales. … Puccini incorporated whole-sale Wagner’s technique of leitmotifs:the art of manipulating short themesand motifs associated with charactersand incidents of an operatic drama.” Although some critics dismiss himas sentimental, his works steadilydraw both dedicated opera buffs andoccasional fans that might not recog-nize another note of opera but cherishevery note Puccini wrote.Two new Puccini biographies werepublished in the past few years, GIACOMO PUCCINI: THE MAN, HISLIFE, HIS WORK by Richard Spechtand Catherine Alison Phillips and PUCCINI: HIS LIFE & MUSIC by JulianHaylock.

TOSCA

PUCCINI'S OPERASLE VILLI (1884)EDGAR (1889)

MANON LESCAUT (1893)LA BOHÈME (1896)

TOSCA (1900)MADAMA BUTTERFLY (1904)

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST (1910)LA RONDINE (1917)IL TRITTICO (1918)(Three One-Act Operas)IL TABARROSUOR ANGELICAGIANNI SCHICCHITURANDOT (1926)

The characters:Floria Tosca, a celebrated singerMario Cavaradossi, a painterBaron Scarpia, chief of policeCesare Angelotti, former Consul of theRoman RepublicA SacristanSpoletta, a police agentSciarrone, a police agentA short summary:The action takes place in Rome overan eighteen-hour period, starting June17, 1800 and ending at dawn on June18. The plot centers on Floria Tosca, acelebrated opera singer; her lover,Mario Cavaradossi, an artist andBonapartist sympathizer; and BaronScarpia, Rome's ruthless Regent ofPolice. Scarpia arrests Cavaradossi and sen-tences him to death, then offers tospare her lover if Tosca will sleep withhim. She appears to acquiesce, but assoon as Scarpia gives the order for thefiring squad to use blanks, she stabshim to death. On discovering thatCavaradossi's execution had in factbeen a real one, Tosca commits suicide by throwing herself from thecastle's parapets.A detailed synopsis:Act 1Inside the church of Sant'Andrea dellaValleCesare Angelotti, former consul of theRoman Republic and now an escapedpolitical prisoner, runs into the churchand hides in the Attavanti privatechapel – his sister, the Marchesa Attavanti, has left a key to the chapelhidden at the feet of the statue of theMadonna. The Sacristan enters and beginscleaning. The painter Mario Cavara-dossi returns to continue work on hispicture of Mary Magdalene. The Sacristan immediately notices a like-ness between the portrait and ablonde woman who has visited thechurch recently. Unknown to him, sheis Angelotti's sister, the Marchesa. Cavaradossi describes the "hiddenharmony" (Recondita armonia) in the

contrast between the blonde beauty ofhis painting and his dark-haired lover,the singer Floria Tosca. The Sacristanmumbles his disapproval, “He wouldbe wiser to disguise her,” and exits.Angelotti emerges and tells Cavara-dossi, an old friend who has republi-can sympathies, that he is beingpursued by the Chief of Police, BaronScarpia. Cavaradossi promises to help him after nightfall. Tosca is heard,calling to Cavaradossi. Cavaradossigives Angelotti his basket of food andAngelotti returns to his hiding place. Tosca enters and suspiciously asksCavaradossi what he has been doing– she thinks that he has been talkingto another woman. Cavaradossi reas-sures her and Tosca tries to persuadehim to take her to his villa that night:(Non la sospiri la nostra casetta?; Doyou not pine for our secret lovenest?). Tosca recognizes the woman in thepainting is the Marchesa Attavanti andbecomes angry and jealous. Cavara-dossi explains the likeness; he hasmerely observed the Marchesa atprayer in the church. He reassuresTosca of his fidelity and asks her whateyes could be more beautiful than herown: (Qual'occhio al mond; What eyesin the world).After Tosca leaves, Angelotti reap-pears and tells the painter his plan toflee using clothes left in the chapel byhis sister as a disguise. Cavaradossigives Angelotti a key to his villa, say-ing, “If you are in danger, run quicklyto the well in the garden.There’s waterat the bottom, but half-way down theshaft you will find another passagethat leads to a hiding place, and nobody will ever find you there!”The sound of a cannon signals thatAngelotti's escape has been discov-ered. He and Cavaradossi hurry out ofthe church. The Sacristan returns withmembers of the choir, celebrating thenews that Napoleon has apparentlybeen defeated at Marengo. The celebration stops abruptly with theentrance of Scarpia and his henchmanSpoletta. They have heard that

Angelotti is hiding in the church.Scarpia orders a search, and theempty food basket and a fan bearingthe Attavanti coat of arms are found inthe chapel. Scarpia questions the Sac-ristan, and his suspicions are arousedfurther when he learns that Cavara-dossi has been in the church; Scarpiamistrusts the painter, and believes heis involved in Angelotti's escape. When Tosca arrives looking for herlover, Scarpia arouses her jealousy byimplying a relationship between thepainter and the Marchesa Attavanti.He shows Tosca the fan and suggeststhat someone must have surprised thelovers in the chapel. Tosca angrilyrushes off to confront Cavaradossi. Scarpia orders Spoletta and hisagents to follow her, assuming she willlead them to Cavaradossi and Angelotti.He privately gloats as he reveals hisintentions to possess Tosca and exe-cute Cavaradossi. A procession entersthe church singing the Te Deum.Scarpia declares 'Tosca, you make meforget even God!', then joins the chorus in the prayer.

TOSCASynopsis: Act 1

Tosca in Act 2; Designed by Kristy Hall

Act 2, scene 1Scarpia's apartment in the PalazzoFarnese, that eveningScarpia, at supper, has asked Tosca tocome to his apartment. He has notfound Angelotti, but has arrestedCavaradossi. As Cavaradossi isbrought in and questioned, the voiceof Tosca, singing a celebratory cantatain another room in the Palace, can beheard. Cavaradossi denies knowinganything about the escape of Angelotti.Tosca arrives, just in time to see herlover taken to an antechamber to betortured. He is able to speak brieflywith her, telling her to say nothing.Scarpia tells Tosca that she can saveher lover from indescribable pain if shereveals Angelotti's hiding place. Sheresists, but hearing Cavaradossi'scries of pain, eventually tells Scarpiathat Angelotti is in the well in the garden of Cavaradossi's villa.

Scarpia stops the torture of Cavara-dossi and the wounded painter isbrought back in. He recovers con-sciousness and is furious when helearns of Tosca's betrayal. Sciarrone, a police agent, enters withnews of Napoleon's victory atMarengo. Cavaradossi gloats, tellingScarpia that his rule of terror is over,before being dragged away byScarpia's men. Scarpia, left withTosca, proposes a bargain: if shegives herself to him, Cavaradossi willbe freed. She is revolted, and repeat-edly rejects his advances. She hearsthe drums that announce an execu-tion. As Scarpia awaits her decision,she prays to God for help, asking whyHe has abandoned her: (Vissi d'arte; I lived for art). Scarpia remains adamant despite herpleas. When Spoletta brings news thatAngelotti has killed himself, and thatall is prepared for Cavaradossi's execution, Tosca, in despair, agrees tosubmit to Scarpia in return for Cavara-dossi's freedom. Scarpia tells Spolettato arrange a mock execution, "as wedid with Count Palmieri".Following Spoletta's departure, Toscaimposes the further condition thatScarpia provide a safe-conduct out ofRome for herself and her lover. Whilehe is signing the document, Tosca quietly takes a knife from the suppertable. As Scarpia triumphantly embraces her, she stabs him, crying"There’s your kiss from the diva!”.When Scarpia falls dead, she declaresthat she now forgives him. She re-moves the safe-conduct from hispocket, saying “To think that Romeonce trembled before him!” Tosca thenlights candles in a gesture of piety andplaces a crucifix on the body beforeleaving.

scene 2The platform of the Castel Sant' Angelo, early the following morningA shepherd sings as church bellssound for matins. Cavaradossi is led inby guards and informed that he hasone hour to live. He refuses to see apriest, but asks permission to write aletter to Tosca. He begins to write, but is soon over-whelmed by memories: (E lucevan lestele; And the stars shone). Tosca enters and shows him the safe-conduct. She tells him that she haskilled Scarpia and that the imminentexecution is a sham. Cavaradossimust feign death, and afterwards theycan leave Rome together, beforeScarpia's body is discovered. Cavara-dossi is amazed at her courage: (O dolci mani; Oh sweet hands). The pair ecstatically plans the life theywill live away from Rome. Tosca thenanxiously instructs Cavaradossi onhow to convincingly play his part in themock execution. She tells him that hewill be shot with blanks by the firingsquad and instructs him to fall downas if dead. He agrees to act "likeTosca in the theatre".Cavaradossi is led away, and Toscawatches with increasing impatience asthe execution is prepared. The menfire, Cavaradossi falls and Tosca exclaims "He’s a true artist!” When thesoldiers have all left, she hurries toCavaradossi, only to find that he isdead and Scarpia has betrayed her.Heartbroken, she clasps his lifelessbody and weeps. The voices of Spoletta, Sciarrone andsoldiers are heard, meaning Scarpia'sbody has been found, and they knowTosca has killed him. As Spoletta,Sciarrone and the soldiers rush in,Tosca pushes them away and runs tothe parapet. Crying out, “Oh Scarpia,our judge is God!” she hurls herselfover the edge to her death.

TOSCASynopsis: Act 2

Scarpia costume sketch by Kristy Hall

Victorien Sardou (1831–1908) is a Frenchdramatist whose play, LA TOSCA (1887),is the source for Puccini's opera,TOSCA (1900). Sardou is known todayfor his development of the “well-madeplay,” which called for complex andhighly artificial plotting, a build-up ofsuspense, a climactic scene in whichall problems are resolved and a happyending. Sardou was not the greatest dramatistof his time, but he was by far the mostpopular. For almost fifty years, hisplays appeared regularly in everycountry of the Western World and hisinfluence is still seen in much of thedrama of today, though his work is seldom performed.Born in Paris to poor parents, he wasunable to complete his studies in med-icine, the profession his father hadchosen for him. He supported himselfby private tutoring, writing his firstplays in the meantime.In 1857, he was stricken with typhoidfever and Mlle. de Brecourt, an actressliving in the same house, nursed himback to health. This marked the turn-ing point in his career. Mlle. de Bre-court, whom he soon married,introduced him to Déjazet, a famousactress who commissioned him towrite a play for her. Over the next five years, Sardou produced three or four plays a year.One of these, LES PATTES DEMOUCHES, made him famous and re-mains one of the best examples of thecomedy of intrigue. He excelled in creating an exciting and clever story.But while his plays easily held the au-dience, his characters have little sem-blance of reality. He wrote seventy plays, ranging fromfarce to tragedy. His later work wasconfined to devising roles for SarahBernhardt, including Floria Tosca. Unfortunately, Bernhardt’s clevernessand technical dexterity, coupled withher inability to suggest sincerity ordepth of emotion, only accentuatedSardou’s weaknesses, and apart fromher highlighting Bernhardt’s personal-ity, these plays have little value.

Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923) was aFrench actress, referred to as "themost famous actress the world hasever known." She made her fame inFrance in the 1870s, developing a rep-utation as a serious dramatic actress,earning the nickname "The DivineSarah."She was born in Paris as RosineBernardt, to Julie Bernardt and an unknown father. When her mother, thedaughter of a petty criminal, moved toParis to become a courtesan she sentSarah to a convent school. Bernhardt's stage career started in1862 while she was a student at theComédie-Française, France's mostprestigious theater. However, shesoon left the school after slapping another actress across the face duringan argument.She moved to Belgium, where she became the mistress of Henri, Princede Ligne, and gave birth to their son,Maurice, in 1864. She resumed the lifeof a courtesan and made considerablemoney during the period of 1862–65.During this time, she acquired her fa-mous coffin, in which she often slept inlieu of a bed, claiming that it helpedher understand her many tragic roles.In 1899, Bernhardt took over a theatreon the Place du Châtelet, renamed itthe Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt andopened in one of her most admiredroles in Victorien Sardou's LA TOSCA.In 1905, while performing the role inRio de Janeiro, Bernhardt injured herright knee when jumping off the para-pet in the final scene. The leg neverhealed properly. By 1915, gangreneset in and her leg was amputated. Shecontinued to perform with the use ofan artificial limb.She played in her own productions almost continuously until her death.Sarah Bernhardt died from kidney fail-ure in 1923. She is believed to havebeen 78 years old.

by Harvey Hatcher Hughes, (1881–1945)@ Bartleby.com

TOSCAOriginal Playwright Victorien Sardou and Original Tosca Sarah Bernhardt

Sarah Bernhardt as Tosca, 1888Radio Times Hulton Picture Library

Victorien Sardou (1831–1908)