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Sung in Italian with surtitles in English and Welsh (in theatres in Wales)

Running time approximately 2 hours 45 minutes

Tosca is sponsored by

Rome, 1800

Act I
Inside the church of Sant’ Andrea della Valle

Angelotti, the former consul of the Parthenopean Republic of Naples, has been imprisoned in the Castel Sant’Angelo by the Royalists loyal to the Queen of Naples under her police chief, Baron Scarpia. Angelotti’s sister, the Marchesa Attavanti, has helped him to escape and take refuge in her family chapel in a disguise she has provided. Mario Cavaradossi, a painter, is working on a picture of Mary Magdalen, modelled on a woman the Sacristan recognises as a recent visitor to the chapel, the Marchesa herself. Cavaradossi sees a resemblance in the painting both to the Marchesa and to his beloved, the operatic soprano Floria Tosca. Angelotti comes out of his hiding-place and recognises Cavaradossi as an old friend. Cavaradossi promises to help him escape, but is interrupted by Tosca calling his name from outside the church. Angelotti hides again, and Tosca comes in, full of suspicion and jealousy at the rumours she has been hearing. Cavaradossi calms her fears, and together they sing of their love for one another. They plan to meet that evening, and Tosca goes. Cavaradossi is helping Angelotti plan his escape from Rome when a cannon-shot interrupts them: it is a signal that he has been found missing from the Castel Sant’Angelo. Cavaradossi decides to hide Angelotti in his own villa outside Rome.

No sooner have they gone than the Sacristan returns with the news (false, as it turns out) that Napoleon has been defeated. He is surprised to find Cavaradossi no longer there. A procession forms for the solemn Te Deum in celebration of the Royalist victory over the French and the Republicans, but Scarpia’s sudden arrival brings the preparations to a halt. He discovers a fan near Cavaradossi’s painting equipment and the Attavanti coat of arms on it proves that Angelotti has been hiding in the church. The Sacristan tells him that Cavaradossi’s food-basket is now empty, indicating that the painter must have helped the fugitive to escape. Tosca returns to tell Cavaradossi that a new engagement, to sing a cantata for the Queen of Naples at the Palazzo Farnese as part of the victory celebrations, will prevent her from meeting him that evening. Her jealousy is aroused again by his absence from the church. Scarpia builds on this by showing her the Marchesa’s fan, and tricks her into believing that Cavaradossi is betraying her. She sets off for his villa, where she fears she will find him with her rival. Spoletta, Scarpia’s agent, secretly follows her there. As the Te Deum begins, Scarpia has a sudden flash of inspiration: he will send Cavaradossi to his death on the gallows, and at the same time force Tosca to submit to him.