SYNOPSIS

Act One

The church of Sant’Andrea della Valle. CD 1 [1] It is midday and the church is deserted. Angelotti has fled there and‚ using a key left hidden for him by his sister‚ lets himself into their family chapel where a disguise of women’s clothing has been left.

[2–3] The artist Cavaradossi returns to continue work on his painting of Mary Magdalene. The sacristan‚ already disapproving of the free-thinking painter‚ is further upset by the fact that a woman who has been coming recently to the church alone to pray (in fact‚ Angelotti’s sister) has been the unwitting model for the painting.

[4] When the sacristan goes‚ Angelotti comes out of the chapel. He and Cavaradossi recognise each other‚ but they are interrupted by the arrival of Floria Tosca‚ a singer and Cavaradossi’s mistress‚ and Angelotti hides again.

[5–8] Tosca‚ unreasonably jealous‚ accuses her lover of seeing another woman‚ but Cavaradossi calms her and they arrange to meet at his villa later that evening. The painting of Mary Magdalene also arouses Tosca’s jealousy‚ but Cavaradossi hurries her out.

[9] He then offers Angelotti the use of his villa and describes a hiding–place‚ half–way down a well in the garden. A cannon shot announces that the escape has been discovered and Cavaradossi suddenly decides to lead Angelotti to the villa himself.

[10] The sacristan returns with news of Napoleon’s defeat at Marengo; as the choristers rush in‚ he explains that the celebrations will include a cantata to be sung by Floria Tosca at the Palazzo Farnese and a Te Deum in the church.
[11] Scarpia‚ having been informed of Angelotti’s escape plan‚ enters the church. On interrogating the sacristan he connects Angelotti with the painter and the portrait of Angelotti’s sister; in the open chapel he finds a fan‚ dropped from the bundle of women’s clothing.

[12] Tosca returns to explain to Cavaradossi that she must perform in the celebratory cantata and will be unable to meet him. Finding him gone‚ she is again suspicious‚ and Scarpia uses the abandoned fan to further provoke her jealousy. [13] When she goes off to confront Cavaradossi and his supposed lover at the villa‚ Scarpia sends three of his agents to follow her. As the Te Deum begins Scarpia broods on his goal of taking Tosca and executing her lover.

Act Two

Later that evening in Scarpia’s room on the upper floor of Palazzo Farnese. CD 2 [1] Eating his supper alone‚ Scarpia is still obsessed with his plan for Tosca and Cavaradossi. He gives one of his agents a note to pass to Tosca when she arrives for the cantata. [2] Another agent‚ Spoletta‚ comes back from Cavaradossi’s villa having found no trace of Angelotti‚ but appeases Scarpia with the news that he has arrested Cavaradossi. [4] Scarpia calls Cavaradossi in to question him‚ but the painter denies knowledge of Angelotti’s escape or whereabouts.

The cantata has ended and Tosca enters; Scarpia sends Cavaradossi off to another room for further interrogation‚ [5] then turns his attention to Tosca. She too will give no information‚ but Scarpia then reveals that her lover is being tortured. [6–7] The pressure is finally too much for her and she tells Scarpia of Angelotti’s hiding–place.

[8] Cavaradossi is released and brought back from the torture chamber. [9] On hearing of Tosca’s betrayal‚ he rejects her‚ but suddenly one of Scarpia’s agents bursts in with the news that the earlier report from Marengo was premature and that the French have won. Cavaradossi’s enthusiastic response to this provokes Scarpia to sentence him to death and he is dragged off.

[10] In deep despair‚ Tosca asks Scarpia for his price for Cavaradossi’s life. Scarpia replies that she must give herself to him. [12] Tosca describes her deeply religious nature [13] and then begs mercy from Scarpia Spoletta returns to report that Angelotti killed himself on being discovered; he now waits for instructions on what to do with Cavaradossi. Scarpia leaves the decision with Tosca. She nods her agreement to Scarpia’s proposal‚ but wants her lover to be released immediately. In order that the painter will be thought dead‚ Scarpia decides on a mock execution and instructs Spoletta to carry this out‚ stressing that it should be done as on a previous occasion. Tosca asks for a safe–conduct for herself and Cavaradossi to be able to leave Rome. As Scarpia writes it‚ she catches sight of a knife on the supper table‚ [14] and when he rises to embrace her‚ she plunges it into his heart. He dies still clutching the safe–conduct‚ which she removes from his grasp; she places a candle on either side of his head‚ a crucifix from the wall on his chest‚ and then steals out of the room.

Act Three

It is still dark on the open platform of Castel Sant’Angelo where Cavaradossi is due to be shot. [15] As dawn breaks a shepherd boy’s song is heard in the distance; nearby church bells ring for matins.

[16] Cavaradossi is led on and consigned to a jailer‚ whom he bribes to take a letter to Tosca. [17] He begins to write‚ but after a few lines he is overwhelmed by memories. [18–21] Suddenly Tosca arrives with the safe–conduct which she and Cavaradossi read ecstatically together; she tells him how she murdered Scarpia and explains the mock execution. Their love duet is mingled with Tosca’s advice for Cavaradossi to fall and lie motionless when the shots are fired‚ so that no one will detect the fraud.
A platoon of soldiers arrives [22] and carries out the execution of Cavaradossi. [23] When they have left‚ Tosca goes to rouse him but discovers that he is dead. Scarpia’s body has been found and his agents and the soldiers rush on to trap Tosca‚ but she escapes them‚ runs to the parapet and throws herself over to her death.

Kenneth Chalmers