Tosca, a canonical work of world opera literature, is a meticulously crafted composition with a rich musical structure comprising arias, duets, recitatives, choruses, and other elements seamlessly woven into a perfect whole. Puccini employed Wagnerian motifs to portray characters, themes, and ideas, while the power of the score and the inventive orchestration has long been recognized as the pinnacle of operatic composition. The dramatic potency of Tosca and its characters continues to captivate performers and audiences alike, and it's no wonder that it remains among the most frequently staged productions on opera stages worldwide.
Although its libretto focuses more on the relationships between the main protagonists (Tosca, Cavaradossi, Scarpia) rather than the political context vividly depicted in Victorien Sardou's drama, the opera offers staging possibilities to embody theatrical symbols and metaphors that eloquently speak about our time. It addresses the burden of the threat of totalitarianism and abuse of power, endangering genuine emotions and the right to belong in love.