Tosca

Giacomo Puccini

21 January – 1 April 2023

This event has passed.

Secrets. Lies. A lethal ultimatum.

The heroine is a renowned prima donna, her hero a charismatic artist, and the villain the corrupt head of the secret police. From love to blackmail, and revenge to murder… Tosca will leave you questioning just how far you would go to save the ones you love.

Sublime one moment and gut wrenching the next, Puccini‘s music overflows with emotion and iconic tunes including: ‘Vissi d’arte’ and the powerful ‘Te deum’. Written over 120 years ago, Tosca still thrills with the perfect pulse of a taut crime drama, portraying humanity at its best and very worst. Edward Dick returns to direct this five-star production.

“A corker of a show… staged imaginatively and cogently”
★★★★★ — The Times

“Ingenious… surprises, horrifies and thrills in equal measure”
★★★★ — The Stage

Original production (2018) supported by the Friends of Opera North.

Price
From £15*

Running time
Approximately 2 hours 40 minutes (including two intervals)

Language
Sung in Italian with English titles

Age guidance
12+Includes depictions of violence including violence against women, murder and suicide

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Story

Rome is ruled by an authoritarian government. Its chief of police Baron Scarpia suppresses all dissent. When Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, seeks refuge in a church, he meets the artist Mario Cavaradossi, who agrees to help him.

Cavaradossi’s lover is Floria Tosca, one of Rome’s most adored singers. Baron Scarpia has long obsessed over her. Suspecting that Cavaradossi is linked to the escape of Angelotti, he sees an opportunity to pursue his desires for Tosca.

Cavaradossi is arrested. Tosca seeks out Baron Scarpia and begs him to let her lover go. In her desperation she reveals Angelotti’s whereabouts, but this implicates her lover in a capital crime.

Scarpia offers Tosca an ultimatum. He will spare her lover, but she must give herself to him. Tosca, seeing no other solution, agrees and the Baron sends a command to the firing squad to load their rifles with blanks. He then goes to embrace Tosca, but she grabs a knife and stabs him to death.

Tosca goes to Cavaradossi in his cell and tells him that he must play along with a mock-execution, after which they will be allowed to flee Rome. Cavaradossi is led away, the firing squad load their rifles, aim and fire. Cavaradossi’s body falls. 

Tosca realises that Scarpia has betrayed her. Suddenly Scarpia’s men arrive, having discovered the Baron’s body. They rush to arrest Tosca, but she flees their grasp and leaps from a parapet to her death. 

Access

Audio introduction

This audio introduction gives detailed information about the story, the sets and costumes, the cast list, and the dates and venues of the performances.

It is to aid customers who are blind or partially sighted. Please note, the story and the details of the sets and costumes contain spoilers, so avoid them if you would prefer not to know what happens!

A large print transcript of the audio introduction is available to download.

Audio access flyer

Cast & creative

Giselle Allen

Floria Tosca (exc. 11, 16, 18, 23, 25 Mar)

A woman with long wavy hair.
Magdalena Molendowska

Floria Tosca (11, 16, 18, 23, 25 Mar)

A man in a white shirt smiling.
Mykhailo Malafii

Mario Cavaradossi (exc. 16, 18, 23, 25 Mar)

A man in a hoodie looking up while leaning against a wall.
Andrés Presno

Mario Cavaradossi (16, 18, 23, 25 Mar)

Robert Hayward

Baron Scarpia

Callum Thorpe

Cesare Angelotti

Matthew Stiff

Sacristan

A man with short curly hair and a beard.
Alex Banfield

Spoletta

Richard Mosley Evans
Richard Mosley-Evans

Sciarrone

Ross McInroy
Ross McInroy

Gaoler

Image of conductor Garry Walker
Garry Walker

Conductor (EXC. 2, 16, 18 Mar)

A man with short hair wearing a blazer.
Adam Hickox

Conductor (2, 16, 18 Mar)

Edward Dick

Director

Tom Scutt

Set Designer

A women with should length dark hair.
Fotini Dimou

Costume Designer

Lee Curran

Lighting Designer

Maxine Braham

Choreographer

Tosca
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