Word: tosca
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...example, Societies of the World 32: “The Political Development of Western Europe,” which he took last fall, led him to set Puccini’s Tosca in western Italy. He directed Tosca for the Lowell House Opera in the spring...
Cavaradossi, of course, is an artist. So is Tosca: as a celebrated singer, she premieres a cantata on the same night that Scarpia arrests Cavaradossi. Subtler, though, is the way in which Cass’s Scarpia is framed as a sort of artist. Scarpia has an extensive, obsessive conception of the way he wants the world to be, and the elaborate, not entirely rational course of events he plans in order to force himself on Tosca is far more sophisticated than the artistry of either Cavaradossi or Tosca...
After initially tricking Tosca into believing that Cavaradossi has been unfaithful, Scarpia exults, “Ho accetto l’effetto!” (I’ve achieved the effect!), borrowing the language of Cavaradossi’s work to describe his plotting as a representation of some inner vision. Scarpia’s plan almost works, but, famously, it is derailed when Tosca stabs him after pretending to acquiesce to his advances. Tosca only does so, however, after forcing Scarpia to provide for Cavaradossi’s release and their escape together, planning a future where...
...plan is then undone by Scarpia’s treachery: what Scarpia had assured her would be a mock execution proves to be all too real, resulting in Cavaradossi’s death by firing squad. Officers (in this production, blackshirts) come to arrest Tosca, but she kills herself before she can be taken—dragging the Fascist banner down with...
...Puccini’s estimation, no artistic vision can ever be fully realized. A Scarpia or a Tosca can make extensive plans to persuade, trick, or force others to comply with their designs, but conflicting agendas always prevent their realization...