Opera Insights
It is not uncommon for artworks that later enjoy widespread popularity to first receive lukewarm---or downright hostile---critical reception, and Puccini's
Tosca is no exception. "Shabby little shocker" is perhaps its most famous label, and it is hardly the only negative response. Contemporary critics were shocked by its grisly plot; one London newspaper said its juxtaposition of art and brutality "creates a feeling of nausea." Others spent their ink complaining about the unorthodox harmonic progressions and a supposed lack of tunes.
But Puccini knew that the melodramatic tale of the pious yet fiery diva was a perfect for his particular talents: "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," he said in a letter to Ricordi, his publisher. His judgment has been affirmed by generations of operagoers; the "shabby little shocker" remains one of the most popular operas in the repertoire.
It took a bit longer than expected to obtain permission to set Sardou's play to music. Once Puccini had secured the rights, he proceeded with his usual attention to detail, seeking expert advice on everything from liturgical processions to Swiss army uniforms. In addition, he made a trip to Rome hear the effect of matins bells from the ramparts of Castel Sant' Angelo.
Puccini also worked closely with his librettists to shape the text. Here, as in Manon Lescaut, Madama Butterfly, and La bohème, his collaborators were Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa: the first responsible for the scenario and dialogue, and the other for the verse. Ricordi also played a part in the piece's gestation; however, Puccini objected loudly to a number of his suggested revisions, including the removal of Tosca 's scornful utterance over Scarpia's still-warm body: " E avanti lui tremava tutta Roma ." Puccini's curt response was, "I put it in, and it serves my purpose. It is accordingly better to keep it." But he was more likely to leave things out than put them in: A proposed "Latin Hymn," for Cavaradossi, a sort of farewell to art and love at the hour of his death, was vetoed. Puccini constantly found himself at odds with Giacosa and Illica in demanding a libretto free from spectacle and convention: "They are academic, academic all the time, and introduce all the usual amorous embroideries," he said in a letter to Ricordi. "I have had to contrive to get to the end without boring my audience too much and without indulging in any academics whatever."
But for all its quick, almost cinematic cuts, the piece does pause for occasional reflective moments. Tosca's Vissi d'arte (I lived for life, I lived for love) is perhaps the most famous of these. As a moment of quiet beauty after a full act of shrieking, it is a test of any soprano's stamina and artistry. Also notable is Cavaradossi's nostalgic and despairing E lucevan le stelle , which was Puccini's replacement for the suggested "Latin Hymn."
Tosca was first performed January 14, 1900 at Rome's Teatro Costanzi, and drew capacity crowds for 20 performances. It enjoyed similar success in productions in Milan, Buenos Aires, London, and New York. Its popularity continued through the twentieth century; in the 1999-2000 season alone, Tosca was produced by 23 OPERA America company members worldwide.
