Tosca

Tosca

Subscribe now to watch

Subscribe Now

Official Selection Venice Film Festival, Benoît Jacquot’s acclaimed 2002 film of Puccini’s opera stars Angela Gheorghiu in the title role with Roberto Alagna, Ruggero Raimondi and the Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, under Sir Antonio Pappano.

Acte I - The painter Mario Cavaradossi, who is working in Sant'Andrea della Valle Church, helps a political prisoner who has taken refuge there. He conceals the fact to Tosca a famous prima donna and his jealous mistress, who has come to meet him. Then he takes the prisoner to his villa just before the arrival of the head-policeman Scarpia. The latter, suspicious about Mario, makes Tosca believe that her lover is unfaithful, and Tosca is followed when she rushes to Mario's villa.

Acte II - Scarpia has dinner at Palazzo Farnese, where there is a celebration in which Tosca sings. Spoletta, Scarpia's right-hand man, arrives with Mario who has been arrested. The latter is tortured. Tosca, summoned by Scarpia, can't stand the torturing and reveals where the fugitive is hidden. Mario has deserved the death sentence, but Scarpia promises Tosca his life will be spared (his execution will only be simulated) provided she gives herself to him. Tosca pretends to consent but, when Scarpia comes near her, she stabs him.

Acte III - At down, Mario is waiting for his execution on the terrace-roof of Castel Sant'Angelo. Tosca arrives and tells him she killed Scarpia. His execution will be shammed, but he'll have to simulate death as best he can. The firing squad arrives and shoots at him, Mario falls down, the squad withdraws. Tosca runs to her lover: she realizes in horror he has been actually shot death! Spoletta comes up to arrest her, and Tosca hurls herself into empty space.

Cast & Crew

(Director), Angela Gheorghiu (Floria Tosca), Roberto Alagna (Mario Cavaradossi), Ruggero Raimondi (Il barone Vittelio Scarpia), David Cangelosi (Spoletta), Sorin Coliban (Sciarrone), Enrico Fissore (Sagrestano), Maurizio Muraro (Cesare Angelotti), Gwynne Howell (Il carceriere), (Composer)

You may also like

Don Giovanni (Juan) retells Mozart's classical masterpiece as a story of the modern man's escape from himself and his demons.

Don Giovanni (Juan)

Opera

Danger lurks in every note of this breathtaking revival of Bizet's scandalous 1875 opera, “Carmen.”

Carmen, Bizet - 150th Anniversary in Versailles

Royal Opera of Versailles

Opera

Kasper Holten’s 2014 production for The Royal Opera House casts Don Giovanni as an artist who thrives on an audience enticed by his creative gifts.

Don Giovanni

Royal Opera House

Opera

Richard Wagner’s Das Rheingold - an epic of gods and monsters - brought to the 21st century at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Das Rheingold

Opera

Victory makes Radamès a hero, but tangles his Ethiopian lover Aida in a dangerous royal love triangle and a very personal war.

Aida

Opera Australia

Opera

Daniele Abbado explores themes of identity, exile and religion in this powerful staging of Verdi's epic opera with Plácido Domingo as Nabucco.

Nabucco

La Scala

Opera

Tosca