Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Ilica

Based on Victorien Sardu's play "Tosca"

First performance - 14 January 1900, Teatro Constanzi, Rome.

First performance in Bulgaria - 10 June 1925 at the Sofia Opera, conducted by Yuri Pomerantsev and directed by Hristo Popov.

First performance in Ruse - 15 October 1952. Conductor - Mikhail Lefterov, director - Mikhail Hadjimishev, artist - Ani Hadjimisheva, choirmaster - Nikolai Nikolaev.

Short synopsis:

First act

The church of Sant'Andrea della Valle in Rome. Cesare Angelotti has escaped from prison. In the free Roman Republic he was consul, but was imprisoned by the current dictator of Rome, Baron Scarpia.

The exhausted revolutionary enters the empty church and hides in the family chapel. There, his sister Marquise Atavanti has hidden her own clothes so that the fugitive can disguise himself and easily hide from his pursuers. At that moment the old cleric enters the church. He has heard a noise and thinks the painter Mario Cavaradossi is there. He looks everywhere but does not find him. A bell ringing interrupts the cleric's work for prayer.

Cavaradossi arrives to continue his work, a portrait of Mary Magdalene. The cleric notices that she looks very much like a beautiful lady who has been coming to church a lot lately. The artist admits that not only his beloved Tosca served as his model, but also this beautiful stranger. The clergyman resents Cavaradossi's use of living people as models for his portraits of saints. She shows him the basket of food for his lunch and leaves.

The artist continues his work, and Angelotti comes out of his hiding place. The two are like-minded and friends, and now again Cavaradossi readily pledges his support to Angelotti. Tosca's voice is heard. Cavaradossi gives Angelotti the basket of food and makes him hide again.

Jealousy and doubt fill Tosca - she overheard Mario talking just now, where did this woman go? Her jealousy is further heightened when she sees the portrait of Mary Magdalene, who looks very much like the Marquise Atavanti. Tosca wishes the artist would make the portrait's eyes black, as hers are. Cavaradossi manages to calm her down. Soon she leaves.

Angelotti comes out of hiding. A gunshot is heard, announcing his escape. Cavaradossi offers to hide him in his villa and the two leave the church.

The Cloister comes back and he is very happy because he has heard the news that Napoleon has been defeated. The children of the church choir enter the church, making noise and rejoicing, while the Cloister attempts to tell them about Napoleon's defeat and how the cantata will be performed in the evening, in which the famous singer Floria Tosca will take part. The children play and dance around the Cleric.

Suddenly, Baron Scarpia, the dictator of Rome, invades the church, accompanied by his trusted agent Spoleto. Scarpia is angry about Angelotti's escape. The trail has led him to the church. The children fearfully flee, and Scarpia orders the Clysar to stay and show him where the Marquis Atavanti's chapel is. He is astonished to see that its door is open. Inside, Scarpia finds the Marquise's fan. There is also the basket that the Cæsar left for Cavaradossi, but it is empty. Scarpia sees the unfinished painting and realizes that the artist Cavaradossi was in the church while the fugitive was hiding. She decides to accuse him of complicity and have him arrested, thus distancing him from Tosca. Scarpia has long had a crush on her.

Here comes Tosca. She wants to tell Cavarados that she will not be able to go to their arranged meeting that evening, as she will be performing the solo in the cantata celebrating the defeat of Napoleon. Instead, however, she finds Scarpia in the church. He tries to inflame her jealousy by showing her the resemblance of the portrait to the Marquise Atavanti, as well as her fan. Seized with jealousy, Tosca sets off for Cavaradossi to surprise him and catch him in infidelity, and Scarpia orders her to be followed. People begin to gather in the church for the celebratory Te Deum.

Second act

Scarpia's office. Sharone opens the windows and the magical sounds of the cantata and Tosca's voice float in from outside. Scarpia gives Sharone a letter to give to the singer, telling her that he will be waiting for her after the concert.

After a while, Sharone returns and announces that Spoletta has arrived. Spoletta enters and reports that they have been unable to find Angelotti anywhere, but have arrested Cavaradossi. His demeanor betrays unequivocally that he knows where the fugitive is hidden. Scarpia orders the artist to be brought in. She accuses him of hiding Angelotti and giving him food, but Cavaradossi flatly denies them. Outside, the cantata is heard louder and louder. This makes Scarpia nervous and he closes the windows. Once again he asks where Angelotti is, but Cavaradossi again says he doesn't know.

At that moment Tosca arrives. She throws herself into Cavaradossi's arms, but Scarpia orders that he be taken away for interrogation and tortured until he reveals the fugitive's whereabouts. Soon Tosca hears his cries. His salvation is in her hands - she must betray Angelotti's hiding place. Tosca flatly refuses, but after another painful cry from Cavaradossi, she confesses - Angelotti is hidden in the well in the garden. The torture ceases and the half-dead Cavaradossi is brought into the hall. Tosca assures him that she has betrayed nothing, but at that moment Scarpia sends Spoleto to the well in the garden. Realizing that Tosca has spoken, Cavaradossi curses her betrayal.

At that moment, a hurried Sharone enters, who announces disturbing news - the news of Napoleon's defeat has turned out to be wrong. At Marengo he had won the battle. The dictator Scarpia is greatly disturbed by this fact. This empowers Cavaradossi, and he makes bold threats against Scarpia, for which he is again banished.

Now Scarpia has a new proposition for Tosca - only she can save her beloved. But the price he wants isn't measured in money - he wants her love. She is disgusted by the offer.

Spoletta arrives and tells him that he committed suicide when Angelotti was arrested. Scarpia is even angrier and declares that there can be no other fate for Cavaradossi than to be killed. The only way out for Tosca is to agree to Scarpia's proposal. Delighted, he assures her that he will keep his word and save Cavaradossi, even though he can no longer overturn the death sentence. He will order him to be shot with blank cartridges, as was done to Palmieri before. Scarpia also writes a permit giving her the right to leave Rome with whoever accompanies her. He signs the permit and descends to Tosca - at last she is his! But at that moment Tosca surprisingly plunges a knife into the dictator's chest. He cries out in vain for help and soon drops dead.

Third act

Early morning on the terrace of Fort Sant'Angelo. The enchanting song of a shepherd comes.

A group of soldiers brings in Kawaradossi for a shootout. His last wish is to write a farewell letter to Tosca. He writes and recalls the best moments of the life he loves so much but will have to part with.

Most unexpectedly, Tosca arrives bearing the permit stamped by Scarpia. Cavaradossi is filled with doubts, for this is the first mercy he has ever shown. Tosca tells him that this is also his last mercy. After she tells him everything, she warns him - after the shooting, not to get up immediately, but to wait for the soldiers to move away. It is time for the shooting. The soldiers arrive, point their rifles and fire, and Kawaradossi falls as artistically as if he had been killed for real.

The moment comes for the two lovers to leave, leaving Rome with the help of the permit and living a new and happy life. Tosca tells Mario that they can now get up and walk quickly. He doesn't respond. She approaches him and realizes with horror that he is really dead.

At that moment, the cries of Spoletta and Sharone, who have discovered Scarpia's murder and are coming to capture Tosca, are heard. She does not wish to fall into their hands. The edge of the castle wall is near. Before they can capture her, Tosca throws herself into the abyss from the high fortress.