Editing La Tosca (section)

==Synopsis==
[[File:La Tosca Act 1 1887.jpg|thumb|190 px|Tosca and Cavaradossi in Act 1 of ''La Tosca'' (''Le Théâtre illustrée'', 1887)]]

===Historical context===
''La Tosca'' is set against the background of the [[French Revolutionary Wars]], the establishment of the [[Roman Republic (18th century)|Roman Republic]], and its subsequent fall in 1799 when the French withdrew from Rome. Following the French withdrawal, Rome was controlled by the [[Kingdom of Naples]], supported by the British and Austrians. However, the fighting continued elsewhere in Italy. The French troops had been defeated by the Austrians at the [[Siege of Genoa (1800)|Siege of Genoa]] on 4 June 1800. Then on 14 June 1800, three days before the play begins, [[Napoleon]]'s troops fought the Austrian forces at the [[Battle of Marengo]]. Although out-numbered, the French were ultimately victorious, despite early reports to the contrary. News of the surprise victory reached Rome on 17 June, the time setting for the play.<ref>Nicassio (1999) pp. 2–6 and 169. The synopsis is based on Sardou (1887) in the 2004 English translation by Deborah Burton. All quotes in the synopsis are from the Burton translation.</ref>

===Act 1===
''The church of [[Sant'Andrea al Quirinale]] in Rome on the afternoon of 17 June 1800''

Gennarino (Cavaradossi's manservant) and Eusèbe (the [[sacristan]]) discuss Cavaradossi's relationship with Tosca, his Republican and Bonapartist sympathies, and the apparent defeat of the French army at Marengo. Cavaradossi arrives to work on his painting of [[Mary Magdalen]]. When Gennarino and Eusèbe leave, Angelotti, a Republican fugitive who has escaped from the [[Castel Sant'Angelo]] emerges from his hiding place in his family's chapel. His sister, the Marquise Attavanti, had visited the day before to leave him supplies and women's clothes to disguise himself, including a fan to hide his face. Cavaradossi recalls seeing a beautiful blond woman in the church the previous day and tells how she inspired his painting. Tosca arrives and Angelotti quickly returns to his hiding place. Tosca, who is dark-haired, becomes jealous when she sees Cavaradossi's painting of a blonde woman, but he reassures her of his love. After she departs, Cavaradossi and Angelotti quickly leave for Cavaradossi's country villa. Baron Scarpia and his police enter the church searching for Angelotti. Scarpia finds the fan left by the Marquise Attavanti and keeps it. Worshippers arrive for the ''[[Te Deum]]'' which has been ordered to give thanks for the French defeat.

===Act 2===
''A large chamber in the [[Farnese Palace]] on the evening of 17 June 1800''

At the gambling tables, Vicomte de Trévilhac, Capréola, Trevulce and the Marquis Attavanti (all supporters of the Kingdom of Naples), discuss the French defeat at [[Siege of Genoa (1800)|Genoa]] earlier that month, their apparent defeat at Marengo, and the disappearance of Angelotti and Cavaradossi. Princesse Orlonia and other ladies of the court join them. All discuss the [[cantata]] by [[Giovanni Paisiello|Paisiello]] which Tosca will sing later that evening as part of the victory celebrations. Baron Scarpia arrives and there is further discussion of Angelotti's escape, cut short by the arrival of Tosca. Queen Marie Caroline enters for the performance of the cantata accompanied by Paisiello, Prince Diego Naselli, courtiers, musicians, Austrian army officers, and [[monsignor]]s. She reiterates her demand that Scarpia capture Angelotti and have him hanged. Scarpia must now find the fugitive's hiding place as quickly as possible. Hoping to provoke Tosca into leading him to Cavaradossi and Angelotti, he takes her aside and shows her the Marquise Attavanti's fan, intimating that she and Cavaradossi are lovers. Tosca is overcome with jealousy. As the cantata performance is about to begin, couriers arrive with a letter announcing that the French had been victorious at the Battle of Marengo after all. The Queen faints. Tosca throws the pages of her score into the air and rushes out with her maid. Scarpia orders his men to follow her carriage.
[[File:La Tosca Act 4 1887.jpg|thumb|200 px|Tosca places candles by Scarpia's body in Act 4 of ''La Tosca'' (''Le Théâtre illustrée'', 1887)]]

===Act 3===

''Cavaradossi's country villa on the night of 17 June 1800''

Cavaradossi tells Angelotti of a chamber in an ancient Roman well on the property where he can hide until he makes his escape. It had been used by one of Cavaradossi's ancestors when he fled Rome after stabbing a [[Medici]]. Tosca arrives to confront her lover about the fan Scarpia had shown her. Cavaradossi and Angelotti explain everything and she realizes with horror that she has been duped into leading Scarpia to them. On hearing the arrival of Scarpia and his men, Angelotti seeks refuge in the well. Scarpia demands to know where Angelotti is hidden. When Tosca and Cavaradossi refuse to tell, Cavaradossi is taken off to be interrogated by the Procureur and tortured by Scarpia's assistant if he refuses to answer. Scarpia describes the torture device in great detail to Tosca, who is then made to listen to her lover's screams. Unable to bear it any longer, she reveals the hiding place, much to Cavaradossi's fury. Rather than be captured, Angelotti takes poison [[poison ring|concealed in his ring]]. Scarpia orders his men to take Cavaradossi to the Castel Sant'Angelo for execution and orders Tosca to be brought there as well.

===Act 4===
''Scarpia's apartments in the [[Castel Sant'Angelo]] in the hours of darkness before the dawn of 18 June 1800''

Scarpia is eating supper in a room lit only by two candles and a candelabrum on his table. There is a prayer stool and a crucifix in an alcove near his bed. He orders Tosca, who has been locked in another room of the castle, to be brought to him. When she arrives, he tells her that Cavaradossi is to be hanged at dawn. He also tells her of his intense attraction to her and offers to spare Cavaradossi if she agrees to sleep with him. Tosca calls him a wild animal and repels his advances in disgust, which only serves to increase his desire. Scarpia then takes her to the window and shows her the [[gallows|scaffold]] awaiting her lover. Tosca finally says that she will agree to his terms, but only after she has proof that Cavaradossi will be spared. Scarpia calls in Spoletta and in front of Tosca instructs him to stage a mock execution by firing squad with blanks in the riflemen's guns. After Spoletta leaves, Tosca demands that Scarpia also give her a document granting [[safe conduct]] out of the Roman States. As soon as he signs the document and starts to kiss her, she grabs a knife from the supper table and stabs Scarpia to death. Tosca removes the safe conduct from his hand and starts to leave, but then turns back. She places the two lighted candles on each side of Scarpia's body and puts the crucifix on his chest before quietly slipping out of the room. [[File:Castel Sant'Angelo by Schedrin - Detail.jpg|thumb|200 px|The Castel Sant'Angelo depicted in the early 1800s by [[Sylvester Shchedrin]]]]

===Act 5===
''The chapel at the Castel Sant'Angelo and a platform on the roof of the castle at dawn on 18 June 1800''

Spoletta and his men awaken Cavaradossi in the chapel where he is being held to tell him that he has a visitor. Tosca arrives and rushes into her lover's arms. She begs his forgiveness for having revealed Angelotti's hiding place, and he in turn asks forgiveness for his anger at the time. She explains that the execution will only be a mock one and they will be able to escape from Rome. Spoletta confirms this and leaves to prepare the firing squad. Alone with Cavaradossi, Tosca tells him that she has killed Scarpia. Spoletta returns to take Cavaradossi to the platform where the firing squad awaits and tells Tosca to remain behind. After a few minutes, Tosca goes out onto the platform and sees Cavaradossi lying on the ground. She turns him over and discovers that he is dead. The bullets were real. Spoletta reveals that he was in fact following Scarpia's orders which contained the coded message to shoot him "like we shot Count Palmieri". Distraught at Scarpia's betrayal, Tosca screams "And I cannot even kill him again!" At first Spoletta and Schiarrone think she has gone mad, but an officer arrives and confirms that Scarpia has been murdered. As Spoletta lunges towards her, Tosca climbs onto the castle parapets and throws herself off.<ref>Some plot descriptions and early reviews say that Tosca throws herself from the Castel Sant'Angelo into the river [[Tiber]]. However, this is physically impossible given the castle's location. Sardou's stage directions simply say: {{lang|fr|"Elle se lance dans le Vide"}} ("She throws herself into the emptiness")</ref>