Stories Told Through Singing

TOSCA : Stories Told Through Singing

At Palm Beach Opera, we believe that opera tells stories to which we can all relate, and that is why the operatic art form has thrived for centuries. The education programs at Palm Beach Opera plug the community directly into those stories, revealing timeless tales of love, passion, and joy. We challenge each person to find their own connection to opera’s stories, inspiring learners of all ages to explore the world of opera. At Palm Beach Opera there is something for everyone! #PBOperaForAll

1 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 Giacomo Puccini

The Masterminds pg 3 Who's Who pg 7 Understanding the Action pg 9 Engage Your Mind pg 13

PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 2 The Masterminds

3 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 Giacomo Puccini Composer Giacomo Puccini (December 22, 1858 – November 29, 1924) was born into a musical family. He studied composition at the Conservatory, writing his first opera in 1884 at the age of 26. A prolific composer, Puccini wrote many including several that are still in performance today: , Tosca, , , La rondine, Suor Angelica, , , and La bohème.

Although the designation of Puccini as a composer is debated, many of his works can fit in this category. Verismo is derived from the Italian word ‘vero’ meaning'true;' the style is distinguished by realistic lines and genuine characters.

Fun Factoid: Puccini's full name was Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini. WOW! Try saying that five times fast!

In 1903, Puccini and his family were in a serious car accident. Although his wife Elvira and son Antonio suffered only minor injuries, the car pinned Puccini to the ground causing significant damage. He used a cane for the remainder of his life.

As was common at the time, Puccini was an avid smoker. After suffering from continuous pain in his throat, Puccini’s doctors diagnosed him with cancer in 1923. Puccini passed away on November 29th, 1924 from complications of the

PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 4 cancer treatment before he could complete his last opera Turandot. The opera was completed by from Puccini’s sketches of the work. When performed at La Scala in 1926, famous conductor paid homage to Puccini by ending Turandot at the point Puccini had reached before succumbing to cancer.

Luigi Illica Italian librettist (May 9th, 1857 - December 16, 1919) was a popular wordsmith in his day. In addition to co- writing the for Tosca, Illica helped pen the first libretto draft of La bohème and wrote the text for Manon Lescaut and Madama Butterfly alongside creative partner .

Described by a friend as "half Bohemian and half scatterbrain",1 Illica lived an exciting life. He ran away at age sixteen and became a deckhand on a ship. His sea travels brought him to the Siege of Pleven (1877) where he fought with the Bulgarians against the Ottoman Empire. A short time after surviving the battle, he lost a good portion of his right ear in a Luigi Illica (left) with Giacomo Puccini. duel over a woman.

Despite his reputation for being a hothead, Illica was in high demand as a librettist in . He completed the texts for thirty stage works in his sixty-two years.

1 Mallach, Alan. The Autumn of Italian Opera: From Verismo to Modernism, 1890-1915. Northeastern University Press. Boston, MA: 2007. p. 203.

5 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 Giuseppe Giacosa Italian playwright and librettist Giuseppe Giacosa was born Oct. 21, 1847 near , Italy. The son of a lawyer, Giacosa intended to practice law; he studied at the and worked with his father post graduation. The pull of the theatre was too strong and Giacosa abandoned his law pursuits to write plays. His first major achievement was the comedy Una partita a scacchi (A Game of Chess, 1873), the success of which motivated Giacosa to devote more energy to a literary career. Giacosa served as the chair of Literature and Dramatic Art at Milan Conservatory from 1888 to 1894. Giacosa enjoyed a successful career as a playwright before moving into the world of opera.

In 1893, Giacosa began collaborating with Giacomo Puccini and Luigi Illica at the suggestion of Giulio Ricordi, the most influential music publisher in Italy. The trio worked together on La bohème (1896), Tosca (1900), and Madama Butterfly (1904). The structure of their collaboration was clearly defined; Illica developed the opera's structure (i.e. division of Giusppe Giacosa scenes and overall layout) and dialogue, Giacosa converted Illica's dialogue into verse, and Puccini set the verse to music. The incredibly successful collaboration ended when Giacosa died on September 1, 1906.

Giuseppe Giacosa. (2016). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/ biography/Giuseppe-Giacosa

Learn About Opera: Giuseppe Giacosa 1847-1906. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.manitobaopera.mb.ca/ learn/libresttists_illica.html

PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 6 Who's Who

7 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 TOSCA The Characters

Floria Tosca, a famous opera singer soprano Mario Cavaradossi, a painter tenor Baron Scarpia, chief of Roman police Cesare Angelotti, an escaped prisoner bass The Sacristan bass Spoletta, Scarpia's detective tenor Sciarrone, a police sergeant baritone A jailer, bass bass A Shepherd boy soprano Soldiers, Police Agents, Ladies, Nobles, Altar Boys, Priests

PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 8 Understanding the Action

9 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 TOSCA Setting Rome, Italy, June 1800 The short of it The singer Floria Tosca and her artist lover Cavaradossi attempt to conquer the malicious forces determined to wedge them apart, but Cavaradossi is executed and Tosca can't bear to live without him. The long of it ACT I Cesare Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, runs into the church of Sant’Andrea della Valle to hide in the family chapel. The Sacristan enters to pray and is interrupted by the painter Mario Cavaradossi, who has come to work on his portrait of Mary Magdalene — inspired by the Marchesa Attavanti, Angelotti’s sister. Cavaradossi contrasts the beauty of the blond marchesa with that of his lover, the raven-haired singer Floria Tosca.

When the Sacristan leaves, Angelotti ventures out and is recognized by the painter, who gives him food and hurries him back into the chapel as Tosca is heard outside. She jealously questions Cavaradossi, then prays and reminds him of their rendezvous that evening. When she recognizes the marchesa’s likeness, her suspicions are renewed, but he reassures her.

When she has left, Cavaradossi summons Angelotti as a cannon signals that the police have discovered the escape; the two flee to Cavaradossi’s villa. The Sacristan returns with choirboys who are about to sing a Te Deum. Their excitement is silenced by the entrance of Baron Scarpia, chief of the secret police, in search of Angelotti. When Tosca returns looking for her lover, Scarpia shows her the Attavanti crest on a fan he has found. Thinking Cavaradossi faithless, Tosca tearfully vows vengeance and leaves, as the church resounds with the Te Deum. Scarpia has the diva trailed, scheming to get her in his power. PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 10 ACT II In the Farnese Palace, Scarpia anticipates the pleasure of bending Tosca to his will. The spy Spoletta arrives; having failed to find Angelotti, he placates the baron by bringing in Cavaradossi, who is interrogated while Tosca is heard singing at a royal gala downstairs. She enters as her lover is led away to be tortured. Unnerved by his screams, she reveals Angelotti’s hiding place.

Cavaradossi is carried in; realizing what has happened, he rages at Tosca. When the gendarme Sciarrone rushes in to announce that Napoleon has won the Battle of Marengo, a defeat for Scarpia’s side, Cavaradossi shouts his defiance and is dragged to prison. Scarpia suggests Tosca yield to him in exchange for her lover’s life.

Fighting him off, she protests her fate to God, saying she has dedicated her life to art and love. Spoletta interrupts: faced with capture, Angelotti has killed himself. Tosca accepts Scarpia’s proposition. The baron orders a mock execution, and Spoletta leaves. Scarpia prepares a document of safe-conduct for the lovers. When he embraces her, Tosca stabs him with a knife from the table and slips out.

ACT III A Shepherd is heard singing as church bells toll the dawn. Cavaradossi is led to the roof of Castel Sant’Angelo to await execution; he bribes the jailer to convey a farewell note to Tosca. Writing it, overcome with memories of love, he gives way to despair. Suddenly Tosca runs in with the story of her encounter with Scarpia. Cavaradossi caresses the hands that committed murder for his sake, and the two hail the future. As the firing squad appears, the diva coaches her lover on how to fake his death convincingly; the soldiers fire and depart. Tosca urges Cavaradossi to hurry, but when he doesn’t respond, she discovers Scarpia’s treachery: the bullets were real. Spoletta rushes in to arrest Tosca. She climbs the battlements and, crying that she will meet Scarpia before God, leaps to her death.

11 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 TOSCA Looking beyond the surface... Puccini's Tosca was based on the play by Victorien Sardou. After seeing the play in 1889, Puccini declared, "In this Tosca I see the opera that I need…”, however, Puccini’s publisher, Giulio Ricordi, had already secured the rights for another Italian composer, . Rumor has it that Puccini eventually convinced Franchetti that this violent story of rape and murder would not bode well with Roman audiences. Franchetti signed the rights over to Puccini and Tosca premiered in Rome at the Teatro Costanzi in 1900.

At the time of the premiere, Rome was experiencing intense political unrest and there were threats of violence and even a bombing on opening night. Critics initially gave Tosca a sub-par review for its violent themes, however audiences loved it. Tosca was deemed an immediate success and it is one of Puccini's most-loved operas today. The work is consistently performed in opera houses across the globe.

Puccini desired Tosca to be rooted in realism. For the “Te Deum” in Act I, in which Scarpia launches into a passionate and vengeful monologue while a religious procession passes in the background, Puccini wrote to a priest he knew in Rome to obtain the correct version of the plainchant melody, which he knew varied from region to region. He also tracked down an expert in church bells to identify which bells were rung for early services and what the pitch of the largest bell at St. Peter’s Basilica was." 1

Tosca brings the singer and the audience to the musical brink with the arias "Vissi d'arte" (I lived for art) and "" (And the stars were shining), shows us the power of love in"Liberi," and presents a glimpse into the darkest parts of humanity in the Torture Duet, "Ed or fra noi parliam". Puccini's masterful use of sweeping melodic lines combined with lush, colorful orchestration perpetuates the heart-wrenching story. Bring your tissues.

1 https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tosca

PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 12 Engage Your Mind

13 PBOPERA.ORG // 561.833.7888 TOSCA Curriculum for further study

The following pages contain Lesson Plan and accompanying materials for grades 6-12. Lesson Plans were crafted according to curriculum standards as set forth and approved by the state of Florida. Palm Beach Opera's curriculum is approved by The School District of Palm Beach County.

For questions about the Lesson Plans, email [email protected].

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Created by Jourdan Laine Howell and Abbey Ward for Palm Beach Opera Copyright Palm Beach Opera, Inc 2017