Tosca

Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Victorien Sardou's drama, La Tosca. First performance: Rome, 1900.

History

The original play by Sardou had been produced in Paris in 1887 and seen by Puccini in Milan, in 1887, with Sarah Bernhardt as Tosca. Puccini immediately asked his editor Giulio Ricordi to buy Sardou's rights, but these were finally bought only in 1893 to be given to Alberto Franchetti, another composer. Illica wrote his libretto, and in October 1894, Franchetti, Ricordi, Illica and Giuseppe Verdi met Sardou to present him the libretto. Verdi was particularly fascinated by this tragedy, but he never would have composed music for it unless it had another ending.

Related Topics:
1887 - Milan - Sarah Bernhardt - Giulio Ricordi - 1893 - Alberto Franchetti - Giuseppe Verdi

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After a few months Franchetti finally admitted he was not able to compose music for the work, so Giulio Ricordi asked Puccini to do it. Puccini was still offended and only Verdi's intercession convinced him to accept. He started working on it in 1896, after the completion of La bohème; Ricordi set Giuseppe Giacosa to work with Luigi Illica for the libretto, but Giacosa did not perform up to his own standards, and had several personal disputes with Sardou. Puccini too had disputes with Illica, Giacosa and Ricordi put together, in order to suppress a triumphal "Latin hymn" they had proposed for Act III, reducing it to only the eighteen measures of Trionfal... di nuova speme.

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In October 1899, after three years of difficult cooperation, the opera was ready. Being a Roman story, it was decided that the prima would be in the eternal city, at Teatro Costanzi. A notable curiosity had surrounded the work, whose preparation had been so long and troubled. Soprano Hariclea Darclee was Tosca, tenor Emilio De Marchi was Cavaradossi, baritone Eugenio Giraldoni was Scarpia. Leopoldo Mugnone served as Director. Queen Margherita, prime minister Pelloux and many composers, among them Pietro Mascagni, Francesco Cilea, Franchetti and Sgambati, were among the public.

Related Topics:
1899 - Soprano - Hariclea Darclee - Tenor - Emilio De Marchi - Baritone - Leopoldo Mugnone - Director - Pelloux - Pietro Mascagni - Francesco Cilea

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The success was complete, even if the difference between Tosca's and Bohème's atmospheres was quite surprising.

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