TOSCA SYNOPSIS ACT 1

The Church of Sant'Andrea della Valle * Rome, June1800

 

Cesare Angelotti, who has escaped from the Castel Sant'Angelo, takes refuge in the church, where his sister, the Marchesa Attavanti, has left him some clothes hidden in the family chapel. Mario Cavaradossi, a painter, is working in the church on a portrait of the Madonna, which resembles the Marchesa. When Cavaradossi is alone, Angelotti comes out of his hiding place and recognizes the painter as an old friend and sympathizer. A commanding voice announces the arrival of Floria Tosca, a famous opera singer, and Mario's mistress. Angelotti hides again. Tosca is suspicious of the whispers she had heard when she entered the church, thinking that Cavaradossi is deceiving her when he swears he was alone. Finally he manages to reassure her with a promise of a meeting that night at his villa. She is about to leave when she recognizes the Marchesa in the painting and shows her jealousy. Meanwhile Angelotti's escape has been discovered and a canon is fired to raise the alarm. Cavaradossi decides to hide his friend in his villa outside of the city and the two leave. The sacristan returns with the news of Napoleon's defeat and the church fills up for a "Te Deum" to be sung in thanksgiving. Scarpia, the chief of police, enters and discovers a fan belonging to the Marchesa. That, coupled with Cavaradossi's disappearance, persuades him that the painter is implicated in the prisoner's escape. Tosca returns to see Cavaradossi and is surprised to find him no longer there. Scarpia suggests that the Marchesa's fan may explain his absence. Tosca leaves furiously heading for Cavaradossi's villa where she expects to find him with the Marchesa, not noticing that she is being followed by Spoletta, one of Scarpia's agents. During the "Te Deum", Scarpia makes plans -- to send Cavaradossi to the gallows and to make Tosca his own.
Click here for ACT II
New Rochelle Opera presented TOSCA June 22,23,24 & 25, 2006

Background music performed by Alex Perlov

Web Page by JF

This site is hosted for FREE by FreeWebs.com. Click here to get your own Free Website!