Post Cards from the Edge Puccini’s Tosca - Thursday, October 23, 2014 - War Memorial, San Francisco, 7:30 pm | Welcome to Fred’s Home Page

Puccini’s Tosca - Thursday, October 23, 2014 - War Memorial, San Francisco, 7:30 pm 


Even though this is my opera companion’s favorite opera, I had never seen Tosca.  I have a CD of the opera and enjoyed listening to it, so I knew the story line, the music and the the characters.  According to my companion, this is the epitome of what opera is about and after seeing Tosca, I have to admit it’s true.  Florio Tosca is willing to do anything to save her boyfriend Mario, including sleeping with Scarpia.  In the end, even that is too much so she kills Scarpia in a great death scene.  

Before killing him, she elicits a promise from Scarpia to stage a fake execution of Mario.  Unbeknownst to her, Scarpia uses coded phrases to indicate to his lieutenants that Mario is indeed to be killed.  

One the “fake” execution takes place, Florio rushes to Mario to make their escape only to discover the truth.  Scarpia’s death is discovered and instead of surrendering to the authorities, she leaps to her death from the castle walls.  Add to this this historical setting of Napoleon’s invasion of Italy and attack on Rome and you have a masterpiece.

Image from San Francisco Opera website.

© Fred Searcy 2017