THE ROYAL OPERA
Music Director
Director of Opera
Exceptional philanthropic support from
Royal Opera House Principals Julia and Hans Rausing
Generous philanthropic support from Alan and Caroline Howard
Production generously sponsored by Veuve Clicquot
Tosca
Melodramma in Three Acts
24.02.2024 19:30
APPROXIMATE TIMINGS
GUIDANCE
This production contains depictions of violence, sexual assault and implied torture. There are gunshots in Act III.
CREDITS
CAST
Grisha Martirosyan and Jamie Woollard are Jette Parker Artists
Extra Chorus
Sopranos Angela Caesar, Janet Fairlie, Celeste Gattai, Vanessa Woodfine
Mezzo-sopranos Maria Brown, Siobhain Gibson, Clare McCaldin, Jennifer Westwood
Tenors Simon Biazeck, Richard Monk, Richard Reaville
Basses Oliver Gibbs, Gavin Horsley, Simon Preece
Actors
Peter Benton, Barry Callan, Peter Cooney, Rain de Rye Barrett, Kris Dillon, Basil Patton, Jason Sabin, Suleiman Suleiman, Daniel Swan, Addis Williams
Children’s Chorus from The Trinity School under Director of Music David Swinson
SYNOPSIS
ACT I
Cesare Angelotti, a Consul of the former Roman Republic, has escaped prison and seeks refuge in the Church of Sant’Andrea della Valle. The painter Mario Cavaradossi, a Republican sympathizer working in the church, promises to help him. Angelotti hides as Cavaradossi’s lover Floria Tosca arrives. The lovers’ meeting reveals Tosca’s passionate love and jealousy. When Tosca has gone, Cavaradossi instructs Angelotti to dress in the disguise left for him, and hide at Cavaradossi’s villa. Baron Scarpia arrives at the church. He suspects Cavaradossi of hiding Angelotti. When Tosca returns, Scarpia uses a fan left by Angelotti to make her believe that Cavaradossi is having an affair. Tosca leaves for Cavaradossi’s villa, and Scarpia instructs his assistant Spoletta to follow her and track down Angelotti.
INTERVAL
ACT II
Scarpia has arrested Cavaradossi. He summons Tosca to his apartment, and forces her to listen as Cavaradossi is tortured in the next room. Tosca reveals Angelotti’s hiding place. Scarpia condemns Cavaradossi to death but tells Tosca that he will free her lover if she will offer herself to him. In agony, Tosca agrees and Scarpia tells her he will arrange a mock execution. As Scarpia embraces Tosca, she fatally stabs him.
INTERVAL
ACT III
As dawn approaches, Cavaradossi waits for his execution at the top of the Castel Sant’Angelo. Tosca arrives and tells him what she has done. She instructs him on how to pretend to die in the mock execution. When the soldiers shoot, Tosca is impressed with her lover’s acting. But Scarpia has doublecrossed her and Cavaradossi really is dead. As Spoletta’s men arrive to arrest her for Scarpia’s murder, she leaps from the battlements to her death.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
André Callegaro is a Jette Parker Artists
THE ROYAL OPERA
Patron
Music Director
Director of Opera
Director of Casting
Administrative Director
DIGITAL CAST SHEETS
We are working hard on our commitment towards becoming more sustainable and are striving for our net zero goal of 2035. By using digital cast sheets and e-tickets, we have reduced our paper consumption by over five tonnes per year. You can view our digital cast sheets on a computer, tablet or smartphone by scanning the QR codes displayed around the building using your smartphone’s camera app. They are also displayed on screens outside the auditoria. Cast sheets are generously supported by the Royal Opera House Endowment Fund.
GUIDELINES
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Please do not place any personal belongings on the ledges in front of you.
Only bottled water and ice cream purchased from the premises can be taken into the auditorium.
If you arrive late to the auditorium or leave during a performance, you will not be allowed back to your seat until the interval or a suitable break.
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Our staff are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect and we ask that you show them and your fellow audience members respect too. We adopt a zero-tolerance approach in response to anyone who interacts with our staff or with fellow audience members in an intimidating, aggressive or threatening manner.
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