Recommended for Grades 6-12
In this resource, you will:
- Learn the opera’s background and synopsis
- Meet the opera’s composer
Gianni Schicchi
by Giacomo Puccini
Gianni Schicchi
by Giacomo Puccini
A quick overview of Puccini’s 1918 comic opera inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy.
Background
Zealous painter Cavaradossi and passionate singer Tosca are deeply in love. When Cavaradossi hides escaped political prisoner Angelotti from the villainous chief of police Scarpia, a tragic conflict unfurls. Caught between loyalty to her rebel lover and Scarpia’s web of deceit, Tosca must take matters into her own hands—but no one is guaranteed to get out alive.
Playwright Victorien Sardou’s play La Tosca (1887), written for Sarah Bernhardt, provided inspiration for Puccini’s fifth opera. Almost immediately upon seeing it, Puccini became determined to set it to music. He wrote to his publisher Ricordi, “In this Tosca I see the opera that I need: one without excessive proportions or a decorative spectacle; nor is it the kind that calls for a superabundance of music.”
After nearly ten years of negotiations between Ricordi, Alberto Franchetti, and the great Verdi himself, Puccini was finally granted rights to Giacosa and Illica’s libretto in 1898. Perhaps due to its timely Roman setting, the opera was an immediate success in the Italian capital and soon gained international renown despite a largely hostile critical contingent who called it vulgar. Indeed, though it received perhaps the most violentcritical reaction of any of his operas, Puccini’s Tosca is now a standard of the operatic repertoire; and the protagonist Tosca herself has come to symbolize the ideal opera diva, an artist of the highest caliber.
Unlike in most operas, audiences can pinpoint the exact dates of the Tosca story, as the plot unfolds in the wake of the Napoleonic Battle of Marengo, fought in June, 1800. In addition, all locations mentioned in the opera are real places in the city of Rome that still exist to this day.
Curious as to what Napoleon is doing in the middle of an Italian opera? Never fear; there’s a mini history lesson coming your way. (We promise it’ll be painless.)
Though Puccini wrote Tosca in Italy at the turn of the twentieth century, the story of the opera is set almost exactly a century earlier… at a time when the country of “Italy” didn’t really exist.
At the turn of the nineteenth century, Tosca’s hometown of Rome stood within one of many separate territories, each with its own unique leader and/or political structure. Yet despite these many different forms of government, some citizens of what would one day become Italy witnessed the recent democratic uprising in France and the impressive military campaigns of France’s General Napoleon Bonaparte and were inspired to build their own democracies (this was before Napoleon made the move to full-on dictator/emperor).
As a result, amateur republics spread throughout the Italian countryside. One of the most influential of these republics was in Rome, which had been occupied by French troops who helped stave off greedy Italian monarchs.
But by 1800 (when Tosca would have been at the height of her fame), the Roman Republic had been squashed by forces that supported the powerful King Ferdinand (no, not the guy from Spain) of Naples, which launched a few French counterattacks and left the region completely unstable. Former consuls of the Roman Republic like Angelotti would have been considered enemies of the royal state, freedom-loving artists like Tosca and Cavaradossi would have felt threatened by royalist powers, and royalist policemen like Scarpia would have ruled the streets with an iron fist.
Synopsis
Act I
In the “eternal city” of Rome, one of the many Italian revolutionary republics has recently been suppressed by forces loyal to an Italian king. With the future of the Roman territories uncertain and civil unrest on the rise, the streets are now run by the brutal Baron Scarpia, chief of the royal police.
Newly escaped from prison, Cesare Angelotti—a member of the former Roman Republic—staggers into the Church of Sant’Andrea della Valle. His sister, the Marquess Attavanti, has promised to leave some clothes beneath the altar of her private family chapel so he can flee in disguise and avoid Baron Scarpia.
But Angelotti has some unexpected company.
Just as he slips behind the Attavanti chapel doors, a sacristan enters, followed by Mario Cavaradoss, a painter who’s been working on a church portrait of Mary Magdalene. Inspired by a mysterious woman, Cavaradossi has given his Magdalene blond hair and blue eyes—but in real life, he only has eyes for his own dark-eyed love, Floria Tosca, the most famous opera diva in Rome.
Angelotti recognizes Cavaradossi as a fellow democrat and approaches the painter, asking for help. With the sacristan out of sight, Cavaradossi is about to pledge his undying loyalty, but the two men are interrupted by Tosca, who’s arrived to offer flowers to the Virgin Mary (but, really, to pay her Mario a visit). Knowing Tosca is a naturally suspicious woman, Cavaradossi tells Angelotti to hide.
Turns out Cavaradossi is right to be cautious.
Convinced her painter has been meeting with another woman behind her back, Tosca quickly flies into a jealous fit, but Cavaradossi succeeds in calming her down. They then make plans to meet up later that evening, and everything is sunshine and roses…until Tosca catches sight of Cavaradossi’s painting. She instantly realizes the Magdalene portrait shares a face with none other than the Marquess Attavanti (yup, Angelotti’s sister) and accuses Cavaradossi of having an affair with the blond beauty. The painter swears up and down that the resemblance is only a coincidence, that he just happened to see Attavanti praying in church, and that Tosca is the only woman for him. Satisfied (for the moment, anyway), Tosca leaves.
Alone with Angelotti, Cavaradossi tells the escaped convict to take shelter at the artist’s private villa and offers to show him the way.
As the two rush off, the sacristan re-enters with various members of the clergy and church choir. He proudly announces the evil Napoleon Bonaparte (who’s largely responsible for the revolutionary spirit that’s been stressing out their beloved king) has lost a decisive battle.
Celebrations are cut short, however, when Baron Scarpia comes marching in with his royalist police squad on the hunt for Angelotti. Searching for clues, Scarpia uncovers a lady’s fan with the Attavanti family crest displayed on it, as well as the Magdalene portrait (in which he recognizes the marquess’s face). Scarpia discovers the portrait is the work of Mario Cavaradossi, whom the chief suspects of treasonous activity and who, more importantly for Scarpia, is known throughout Rome as Tosca’s lover.
Certain the two revolutionaries have hatched a rebellious plot of some sort, Scarpia devises a plan to use Tosca’s infamous jealous streak against her. At this precise moment (what are the odds?), Tosca comes sweeping back into the church, hoping to reschedule her meeting with Cavaradossi (as she’s now been asked to sing a special concert to commemorate the king’s victory).
Seizing his opportunity, Scarpia shows Tosca the Attavanti fan and strongly insinuates the accessory was left behind by the painter’s secret mistress. Tosca lets her jealous fears get the better of her, and, heartbroken, runs off to confront Cavaradossi.
His trap set, Scarpia gives the order to have Tosca followed.
Act II
Later that evening at the royal Farnese Palace, Scarpia—who’s asked that Tosca be brought to him—awaits news of Cavaradossi and Angelotti’s capture. But when news finally does arrive, it isn’t great: Following Tosca’s trail, Scarpia’s minions have arrested Cavaradossi, but Angelotti remains on the run.
Furious, Scarpia questions Cavaradossi. The painter vehemently denies having anything to do with Angelotti’s escape, but Scarpia isn’t convinced.
Her performance now over, Tosca arrives. Cavaradossi whispers for her to keep quiet just as Scarpia has his officers take the painter into a back room for further “interrogations” (if you’re thinking this means “torture,” you’re absolutely correct). The chief then turns his attention to Tosca, who claims she knows nothing about Cavaradossi or Angelotti’s revolutionary dealings.
But Tosca can only hold out so long.
Hearing Cavaradossi screaming in pain, she finally reveals that Angelotti is hiding in Cavaradossi’s garden. Cavaradossi is temporarily released, and a messenger arrives to deliver a startling twist: News of Bonaparte’s defeat was premature—the revolutionary has actually won the battle.
Ecstatic, Cavaradossi taunts Scarpia. Scarpia, not about to take this lying down, instantly sentences Cavaradossi to death by hanging.
Horrified, Tosca pleads with Scarpia to save Cavaradossi—which is just the scenario Scarpia was hoping for. He’s willing to be merciful, he says, but only if Tosca will spend the night with him… alone.
Backed into a hopeless corner, Tosca agrees.
Scarpia, insisting he keep up appearances so as not to look weak, makes arrangements for Cavaradossi’s mock execution. The painter will be put before a firing squad, but the bullets will be blanks. And, at Tosca’s insistence, the chief also signs papers that will grant the lovers safe passage across the Roman border.
But while Scarpia’s back is turned, a panicked Tosca resolves to defend herself rather than succumb to the baron’s violent advances. She finds a knife on Scarpia’s dinner table and—just as Scarpia lunges at her to claim his “prize”—stabs him in the heart, shouting, “This is a kiss from Tosca!” (…ouch).
Act III
With Scarpia dead and his body as yet undiscovered, Tosca hurries to the prison at Castel Sant’Angelo to inform Cavaradossi of the fake execution plan. She’s certain the papers she’s secured will allow her and Cavaradossi to begin a new life together…but is she right? Can Scarpia’s false execution orders be trusted? And will Tosca ever have to answer for Scarpia’s murder…or will she get her own version of an operatic happy ending?
Meet the Artists
Listen to the Story
Leopoldo Metlicovitz (1868-1944), poster advertising Gianni Schicchi, published by G. Ricordi, Milan, 1918 [].
Presented by Washington National Opera, host Saul Lilienstein takes you through the musical world of Puccini’s 1918 opera inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, Gianni Schicchi.
Watch an Excerpt
Kathleen Battle sings “O mio babbino caro” from Gianni Schicchi.
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