Tosca (1995)

The Church of Sant’ Andrea della Valle.

Angelotti, Republican consul of Rome, condemned to death by the Royalist regime, has escaped from prison and takes cover in the church where his sister, the Marchesa d’Attavanti, has left him a disguise for his escape. He is discovered by Mario Cavaradossi, a liberal sympathizer who is painting an altarpiece for the church. They are disturbed first by Floria Tosca, Cavaradossi’s lover, who recognizes the blonde, blue-eyed model for Mario’s Magdalena as none other than the Marchesa herself. Tosca jealously insists that the figure be made to look more like her dark-eyed self.

Soon after she has left, a cannon shot from the Fortress Sant’Angelo announces Angelotti’s escape and Cavaradossi hurries him away to hide in his country villa. The Sacristan tells the choir of the great victory over Napoleon at Marengo which will be celebrated with a High Mass. Their jubilation is interrupted by Scarpia and his henchmen who come to search for Angelotti, knowing that his family’s chapel is in this church. Just as Scarpia finds a fan with the Attavanti crest, part of the disguise left for Angelotti, Tosca returns to tell Mario that she must sing that night for the Queen at the victory celebration at the Palazzo Farnese. Scarpia uses her jealousy to sow seeds of doubt about a possible relationship between her lover and the Marchesa; as Iago used a handkerchief to manipulate Othello, he will trap Tosca with the Marchesa’s fan.

The Farnese Palace, Scarpia’s apartments. That evening.

Scarpia desires Tosca and hopes to use the arrest of her lover to ensnare her. While he awaits Spoletta’s return from the Cavaradossi villa he eats his supper to the music of Tosca’s voice rising from the Queen’s chambers below. Spoletta has not found Angelotti but has arrested Cavaradossi as a suspect. Tosca, too, has been to the villa and has discovered that Scarpia lying about Mario’s infidelity but her lover’s screams from the torture-chamber force her to reveal Angelotti’s hiding place.

Scarpia promises Tosca that if she will yield to him he will give them both safe-conduct from Rome, but for political reasons, there must be a simulated execution. With this arranged, he claims his price, but Tosca stabs him with a knife from the dinner table and escapes with the safe-conduct.

The battlements of the Fortress Sant’Angelo. Dawn.

Cavaradossi awaits his execution, remembering that the same stars smiled down on his first night with Tosca.

She brings the safe-conduct and explains that the execution will be only a charade. Mario is shot by the squad and Tosca discovers that even after death, Scarpia has betrayed her; but she has taken revenge in advance of the deed. Pursued by Scarpia’s minions who have discovered his corpse, she jumps off the parapet death, calling on Scarpia to stand with her before the Throne of Judgment.