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The Story
Sex, politics, corruption, violence and torture: Tosca is a story that could be ripped from the pages of today’s newspapers as a beautiful woman risks everything to save her lover in an oppressive police state. The resulting love triangle of the passionate diva, the revolutionary artist who loves her and the corrupt police chief who lusts after her, results in murder and suicide in Puccini’s stunning operatic thriller.
The Music
Soaring and sensuous melodies, great arias such as the soprano’s plaintive "Vissi d’arte", the tenor’s moving "É lucevan le stelle" as he faces death, and the brilliant chorus in Act One, create an atmosphere of such power and raw emotion that you will be left breathless. Melodies you have long loved dominate a score of exquisite beauty.
The Look
Rome’s Sant'Andrea della Valle church, the luxurious Palazzo Farnese apartments and the prison Castel Sant’Angelo are faithfully recreated on stage, drawing you into a seductive world of beauty and danger in the Eternal City.
Cast Highlights
Having just thrilled the Paris Opera as the lovers Tosca and Cavaradossi, French soprano Sylvie Valayre and American tenor Marcus Haddock make their San Diego Opera debuts, combining great voices with dramatic commitment. Scarpia is Greer Grimsley, whose dark baritone voice makes him a favorite villain, and Edoardo Müller conducts Puccini’s masterpiece with true Italian verve and experience.
The running time is approximately 2 hours, 41 minutes.
ACT I
The Church of Sant' Andrea della Valle
Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, runs into the Attavanti chapel in the church
of Sant' Andrea della Valle. He hides as a Sacristan is heard. Mario Cavaradossi
enters to work on his portrait of Mary Magdalene – inspired by the Marchesa
Attavanti (Angelotti's sister), whom he has seen but does not know. He compares
the raven beauty of the singer Floria Tosca with that of the blonde Magdalene. When
the Sacristan leaves, Angelotti comes out of hiding and is recognized by Cavaradossi,
who gives him food and hurries him back into the chapel as Tosca is heard calling
outside. She jealously questions Cavaradossi, and reminds him of their rendezvous
that evening at his villa. Recognizing the Marchesa Attavanti in the painting, she
explodes, but he reassures Tosca he is not having an affair with her. After she
has gone, Mario and Angelotti flee to Mario's villa. Soon after, the Sacristan returns
with choirboys, announcing a celebration. Baron Scarpia, chief of the secret police,
searches for Angelotti. Tosca returns looking for Cavaradossi, and in comes Scarpia
who shows her a fan which he has just found, decorated with the Attavanti crest.
Thinking Mario faithless, Tosca tearfully vows vengeance and leaves. Scarpia sends
his men to follow her and schemes to get her in his power.
ACT II
The Farnese Palace
In the Farnese Palace, Scarpia acknowledges his lust for Tosca. The spy Spoletta
arrives with Mario, who is interrogated as Tosca's voice is heard singing a cantata
downstairs. She enters as her lover is being taken to an adjoining room to be tortured.
Unnerved by his screams, she reveals Angelotti's hiding place at the villa. Realizing
what has happened, Mario turns on Tosca, but the officer Sciarrone rushes in announcing
that Napoleon has won the Battle of Marengo, a defeat for Scarpia's side. Mario
shouts his defiance and is dragged out. Scarpia suggests Tosca yield herself to
him in exchange for her lover's life. Fighting off his embraces, she protests her
fate to God, having dedicated her life to art and love. Under pressure from Scarpia,
Tosca is forced to give in or see her lover killed. In front of Tosca, Scarpia orders
a mock execution for the prisoner, after which he is to be freed. When Scarpia writes
a safe-conduct for the lovers, Tosca snatches a knife from the table and kills him.
Wrenching the document from his fingers, she slips from the room.
ACT III
The roof of Castel Sant'Angelo
Awaiting execution at the Castel Sant'Angelo, Mario bribes the jailer to take a farewell
note to Tosca. Writing it, overcome with memories of love, he gives way to despair.
Tosca runs in telling him that it will be a mock execution and they will be able
to escape. As the firing squad appears, she coaches Mario on how to fake his death
convincingly. The soldiers fire and depart. Tosca urges Mario to hurry and get up,
but when he fails to move, she discovers that Scarpia's treachery has reached from
beyond the grave: the bullets were real. Calling out that she and Scarpia will meet
before God, Tosca leaps to her death.
ACTO I
La Iglesia de San Andrea del Valle
Ha escapado Angelotti, prisionero político. Entra corriendo a la capilla Attavanti en la iglesia de San Andrea del Valle. Se esconde cuando oye a un sacristán. Mario Cavaradossi entra a trabajar en su retrato de María Magdalena—inspirado por la Marquesa Attavanti (hermana de Angelotti), a quien sólo conoce de vista. Compara la belleza morena de la cantante Floria Tosca con la belleza de la rubia Magdalena. Cuando se retira el sacristán, Angelotti sale de su escondite. Lo reconoce Cavaradossi, quien le ofrece comida y lo apura a volver dentro de la capilla cuando escuchan a Tosca llamando afuera. Celosa, Tosca cuestiona a Cavaradossi y le recuerda del encuentro que tienen acordado para esa noche en la casa de campo del pintor. Al reconocer a la Marquesa Attavanti en la pintura, Tosca explota de celos, pero Cavaradossi le asegura que no tiene motivo para sentirse de esa manera. Cuando Tosca se retira, Mario y Angelotti huyen a la casa de campo de Mario. Al rato, el sacristán regresa con niños de coro anunciando una celebración. El Barón Scarpia, jefe de la policía secreta, busca a Angelotti. Tosca regresa buscando a Cavaradossi, y entra Scarpia quien le muestra un abanico que acaba de encontrar, decorado con el blasón de los Attavanti. Creyendo que Mario le es infiel, Tosca jura vengarse y se retira. Scarpia envía a sus hombres a seguirla y traza un plan para hacer suya a Tosca.
ACTO II
El Palacio Farnese
En el Palacio Farnese, Scarpia confiesa su deseo por Tosca. El espía Spoletta llega con Mario, a quien interroga mientras se escucha cantar a Tosca; la cantante entra en el momento en que llevan a su amante a una habitación contigua a ser torturado. Perturbada por sus gritos, Tosca revela el escondite de Angelotti en la casa de campo. Al darse cuenta de lo ocurrido, Mario se vuelve contra Tosca, pero el oficial Sciarrone entra apresurado y anuncia que Napoleón ha ganado la Batalla de Marengo, una derrota para el bando de Scarpia. Mario grita desafiante y lo llevan arrastrando. Scarpia sugiere a Tosca entregarse a él a cambio de la vida de su amante. Tosca se resiste, invocando a Dios y protestando su destino de haber dedicado su vida al arte y al amor. Viéndose presionada por Scarpia, Tosca se ve obligada a ceder o permitir que maten a su amante. Delante de Tosca, Scarpia ordena un simulacro de ejecución del prisionero, después del cual debe ser liberado. Cuando Scarpia redacta el salvoconducto para los amantes, Tosca levanta un puñal de la mesa y lo mata. Arranca el documento de sus manos y se aleja sigilosamente del cuarto.
ACTO III
El techo del Castillo de San Ángelo
Esperando su ejecución en el Castillo de San Ángelo, Mario soborna al carcelero para que éste entregue una nota de despedida a Tosca. Al escribirla, lo inundan las memorias de amor y sus emociones lo llevan a la desesperación. Tosca entra corriendo para avisarle que la ejecución será un simulacro y que podrán escapar. Cuando aparece el pelotón, Tosca muestra a Mario cómo fingir su muerte de manera convincente. Los soldados disparan y se marchan. Tosca ruega a Mario que se levante, pero al percatarse que no se mueve, descubre que la traición de Scarpia ha llegado desde más allá de la tumba: las balas eran de verdad. Gritando que ella y Scarpia se encontrarán ante Dios, Tosca se lanza al vacío y muere.
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THE CAST
Please click an artist’s name to read more.
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TOSCA
SYLVIE VALAYRE
TOSCA
SYLVIE VALAYRE
San Diego Opera debut. French soprano Sylvia Valayre is known for Lady Macbeth in Verdi’s Macbeth, the title roles of Norma, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Gioconda and Salome at all the world’s major houses, as well as Abigaille in Nabucco which she sings in San Diego Opera’s 2010 season. Her Metropolitan Opera debut was in 2000 as Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly. She returned for Maddalena di Coigny in Andrea Chénier and the title role of Tosca, a role she has performed in Zurich, Berlin, Washington, Rome, Bologna, Paris, Tokyo and Vienna. Recent engagements include Lady Macbeth for the Glyndebourne Festival, Tosca for Opéra National de Paris (with Marcus Haddock) and Nabucco for Deutsche Oper Berlin. Valayre debuted at the Teatro all Scala in La Gioconda, at Lyric Opera of Chicago as Tosca, at San Francisco Opera in Madama Butterfly, at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich as Aida, and at Opernhaus Zurich and the Bolshoi Opera in Moscow in Nabucco.
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CAVARADOSSI
MARCUS HADDOCK
CAVARADOSSI
MARCUS HADDOCK
San Diego Opera debut. American tenor Marcus Haddock has sung with many of the finest companies in the world in a wide range of roles. Late last year he appeared in Tosca at Opéra National de Paris with Sylvie Valayre, and has sung the title role of Werther with the Vienna State Opera and Grand Théâtre de Genève, the title role of Faust with the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Don José in Carmen with the Bavarian State Opera and Houston Grand Opera. Other notable performances include the title role of Don Carlo at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale, Operá de Monte Carlo and Cologne Opera, Riccardo in A Masked Ball with San Francisco Opera, and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at Covent Garden. An accomplished recording artist, he can be heard on recordings of Montemezzi’s L’amore dei tre re, Mercadante’s Gli Orazi e i Curiazi and the title role of Werther with the Orchestre de Lille on Naxos.
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SCARPIA
GREER GRIMSLEY
SCARPIA
GREER GRIMSLEY
American bass-baritone Greer Grimsley made his San Diego Opera debut in Lohengrin in 2000 returning for Fidelio in 2003 and Samson and Delilah in 2007. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Captain Balstrode in Peter Grimes and has subsequently appeared there as Escamillo in Carmen, Jokanaan in Salome, Scarpia in Tosca, Telramund in Lohengrin and Amfortas in Parsifal. Recent engagements include Wotan in Seattle Opera’s Ring Cycle, the title role of The Flying Dutchman in Lithuania and Seattle Opera, the title role of Macbeth with Vancouver Opera, Don Pizzarro in Fidelio with the Saint Louis Symphony, Amonasro in Aida with Portland Opera and Méphistophélès in Faust with New Orleans Opera. His European appearances include performances at Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Royal Danish Opera, Prague National Theatre, Aarhus-Den Jyske Opera in Denmark, the Scottish Opera and the Stadttheater Basel in Switzerland, among others.
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ANGELOTTI/SCIARRONE
JAMIE OFFENBACH
ANGELOTTI/SCIARRONE
JAMIE OFFENBACH
American bass-baritone Jamie Offenbach made his San Diego Opera debut as Ceprano in Rigoletto in 2002 and returned later that season for Tosca in these same roles. Recent engagements include the title role in The Mikado, Basilio in The Barber of Seville and Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlo with Hawaii Opera Theatre, Capellio in I Capuletti ed I Montecchi and Ramfis in Aida with Florentine Opera, Old Hebrew in Samson and Delilah with Nashville Opera, Basilio in The Barber of Seville with Michigan Opera Theater, Bogdanovich in Merry Widow with Los Angeles Opera and The Dallas Opera, Mustafa in The Italian Girl in Algiers with Santa Barbara Opera, Bartolo in The Marriage of Figaro with Opera Pacific, Zuniga in Carmen with Los Angeles Opera, Sparafucile in Rigoletto with Hawaii Opera Theatre and Opera Carolina and Tiger Brown in The Threepenny Opera with Arizona Opera. He has appeared as a featured soloist in concert with the Honolulu Symphony, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and Colorado Springs Orchestra, among others.
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SACRISTAN
SCOTT SIKON
SACRISTAN
SCOTT SIKON
Since his San Diego Opera debut in 1991 as Superintendent Budd in Albert Herring, American bass-baritone Scott Sikon has sung more than twenty roles here including Schaunard in La bohème, Monterone in Rigoletto, Dikoi in Katya Kabanova, Steve Hubble in A Streetcar Named Desire, Curio in Julius Caesar in Egypt and most recently, Reinmar von Zweter in last season’s Tannhäuser. Appearances in the United States have been with Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre and many other companies. His European debut was at the Vienna Volksoper in the premiere of The Number 11 Bus.
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SPOLETTA
JOSEPH HU
SPOLETTA
JOSEPH HU
Taiwanese tenor Joseph Hu made his San Diego Opera debut as Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor in 1995. His many performances here include Goro in Madama Butterfly, Spoletta in Tosca, the Steersman in The Flying Dutchman, Roderigo in Otello, Pong in Turandot, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, Count Lerma in Don Carlo, the Messenger in Samson and Delilah, Ruiz and the Messenger in Il trovatore and most recently Don Curzio in The Marriage of Figaro. Among other companies with which he has sung are The Dallas Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Kentucky Opera, Nashville Opera, Fort Worth Opera and Dayton Opera.
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CONDUCTOR
EDOARDO MÜLLER
CONDUCTOR
EDOARDO MÜLLER
Italian conductor Edoardo Müller is San Diego Opera’s Principal Guest Conductor. He has led more than 30 productions in San Diego since his debut in 1980 with Giovanna d’Arco. Last season he conducted Mary, Queen of Scots and Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci. Known worldwide for his mastery of the Italian operatic repertoire, he has enjoyed a long association with the Teatro alla Scala in Milan where he conducted Aida, I due Foscari, Il trovatore, I masnadieri, La forza del destino, Ernani, The Barber of Seville and Anna Bolena, among others. His career has taken him to the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro Municipal in Santiago, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Seattle Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Dallas Opera, Cincinnati Opera as well as companies in Paris, Rome and Tokyo.
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DIRECTOR
ANDREW SINCLAIR
DIRECTOR
ANDREW SINCLAIR
Australian stage director Andrew Sinclair made his San Diego Opera debut in 2000 with Lohengrin followed by Aida in 2001 and the highly successful The Pearl Fishers in 2004 and 2008, a production he has also directed for New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, Opèra de Montréal and Florida Grand Opera. He returned in 2006 to stage Lucia di Lammermoor and also directed last season’s Mary, Queen of Scots. He is a Staff Director with Covent Garden where he has worked on many productions including Der Rosenkavalier and both Lohengrin and Der Ring des Nibelungen with Götz Friedrich. He was also at the Bayreuth Festival with Lohengrin. Andrew Sinclair began his association with Opera Australia in 1981, directing new stagings of La bohème and The Bartered Bride, and from 1983 to 1985 was Principal Resident Director of that company. He has since returned for many productions including Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci, Peter Grimes and Lohengrin. Other United States engagements have included Norma for San Francisco Opera and The Marriage of Figaro
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