What's the story of Tosca? ǀ English National Opera

Puccini's Tosca | 30 Sep-4 Nov 2022 | London Coliseum
Find out more: www.eno.org/tosca
Compromise is for the weak: and Tosca is nothing of the sort.
With her artist beau Cavaradossi (Adam Smith) competing for her affections against the sadistic police chief Scarpia (Noel Bouley), Tosca’s (Sinead Campbell Wallace) story becomes intertwined with the tumultuous political landscape of Rome itself.
Already the talk of the town, opera singer Tosca becomes increasingly desperate to stop Scarpia’s plans and must resort to deadly means to wrest back her freedom from those who would suppress it. After all: when passion and politics collide, love can prove a fatal weakness.
Christof Loy’s production of Tosca sets the roller coaster story of love, lust, murder and intrigue against a production dripping in operatic grandeur, with Puccini’s beautiful score conducted by one of Britain’s finest young conductors, Leo Hussain.
With a dramatic story line and Puccini’s richly romantic score, book your opera tickets now for Tosca: one of the world’s most famous operas.
See Tosca at the London Coliseum from 30 Sep-4 Nov 2022
We offer brilliant opera experiences at a range of affordable prices. Tickets start at just £10 plus £2.25 booking fee per ticket.
Learn more and book tickets: www.eno.org/tosca
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We take a fresh inspiring approach to opera to reflect the diversity of our culture and sing in English to deliver a deeper understanding by performers and audiences. We encourage creativity throughout the company and our commitment to the future of opera provides a platform to develop outstanding careers. We connect to audiences through inspiring, accessible, world-class opera and stimulating, creative participation programmes. We create partnerships with a range of visiting companies to generate essential revenue and welcome new audiences to share the experience of our theatre.

[@charlessmith263]

At the end of Act 1, all of that cannon fire likely was from the prison when the "Te Deum" was celebrated, but all of the booms you hear were in celebration. There was one cannon shot that was done solo just before the Te Deum - this announced that the prisoner escaped - in the same act.

[@johncrwarner]

As long as ENO's crashmat for Tosca isn't too bouncy and she makes a return LOL.
I have to say that when I first saw Tosca - l was most surprised that Scarpia died at the end of act 2.
Killing off the villain relatively early and the third act is like a mechanical wind-up tragedy unfolding before us.

[@dennis12dec]

Definitely going to catch this when I head to the United Kingdom next week, Woohoo 🙌.

[@4ThoseAbout2RaxxWeSaluteU]

Just go to a real country and watch it

[@charlessmith263]

I love this opera. Baron Scrapia was something like Benito Mussolini of later times. You mess with him - you get either tortured or he will execute you. Especially if you are flagged as being a political revolutionary like Mario Caravandossi was in that opera.
And I know why Floria Tosca decides to reveal the exact hiding place where Angelotti (the prisoner) escaped. After Mario almost dies after the torture chamber almost killed him, Tosca rushes to Scarpia, and says "nel pozzo del giardino!" Or "The well in the garden". This saved Mario's life--for now, although his head was like Christ on the cross--heavily bloodied with the so-called crown of thorns.
We also found out that Angelotti killed himself, because he knew that if he was recaptured, he would be immediately get hanged to death at Sant'Angelo's prison with Scarpia's own hangman's noose. The suicide is not openly displayed in the opera, but I think he stabbed himself with his own knife...or drowned himself in the water of the well.

[@charlessmith263]

In response to Angelotti's self-kill-off, Scarpia says something like "Noose him on the gallows anyway!" That is how evil Scarpia was! Very evil!

[@py8554]

I expect the ending to be different if it had been a comic opera 😅