By Giacomo Puccini
A GUIDE TO THE STUDENT DRESS REHEARSAL
S YNOPSIS Act I - In the church of Sant’Andrea della Valle, 1800
the voice of Floria Tosca, Cavaradossi’s lover. Angelotti returns to his hiding spot. Tosca is furious because she heard voices and is convinced that Cavaradossi is cheating on her! Cavaradossi convinces Tosca that he was alone and promises to see her after her opera performance that evening. Tosca leaves and Angelotti comes out of his hiding place. When a cannon is fired, Angelotti and Cavaradossi realize that the police are looking for Angelotti. Cavaradossi suggests that Angelotti hide in the well on his property and the two quickly flee to Cavaradossi’s villa. Baron Scarpia enters the church in pursuit of Angelotti and deduces that Cavaradossi is Watercolor sketch of The Church of Sant'Andrea della Valle from Act I. Painted by Adolfo Hohenstein for the helping the escaped prisoner. Scarpia premiere of Tosca. finds a fan embroidered with the crest of Cesare Angelotti, an escaped political the Marchesa Attavanti. Tosca returns Characters prisoner, dashes into the Church of and Scarpia uses the fan as evidence to Floria Tosca – (soprano) Sant’Andrea della Valle to hide in the convince Tosca of Cavaradossi’s unfaithA famous Roman singer who is in Attavanti family chapel. At the sound of fulness. Tosca tearfully vows revenge and love with Mario Cavaradossi. the Angelus (a bell that signals a time exits the chapel. As the act closes, Scarpia for late-morning prayer in the Roman sings of the great pleasure he will have Mario Cavaradossi – (tenor) Catholic church), the Sacristan enters to when he destroys Cavaradossi and has A painter with revolutionary pray. He is interrupted by Mario Tosca for himself. sentiments. Cavaradossi, a painter who has been Act II – Scarpia’s apartment in the Baron Scarpia – (baritone) commissioned to paint a portrait of Palazzo Farnese The power hungry chief of police Mary Magdalene in the chapel. The who is in love with Tosca. He is portrait bears a strong resemblance to Scarpia eats dinner and waits for the spy trying to capture Cesare Angelotti. the Marchesa Attavanti, who frequently Spoletta to report back on whether or comes to the chapel to pray for her not Tosca has led them to Cavaradossi or Cesare Angelotti - (bass) brother. The Sacristan leaves and Angelotti. Scarpia muses to himself how An escaped prisoner who shares Angelotti emerges from his hiding spot he will use Tosca for his own political Cavaradossi’s revolutionary to embrace his friend, Cavaradossi. gain and then toss her aside. Spoletta sentiments. Angelotti explains that he has just enters with Cavaradossi, who has been Spoletta – (tenor) escaped from the Castel Sant’Angelo, brought in for questioning. Scarpia One of the policemen who works where he was imprisoned by orders of begins his interrogation of Cavaradossi, for Scarpia. Baron Scarpia. They are interrupted by while Tosca is heard singing in the next continued on page 2