Premieres Sunday, August 2 at 12 p.m. on PBS (check local listings)
Synopsis:
Season 12 of Great Performances at the Met continues with a primetime broadcast of a new production of Puccini’s classic Tosca, starring Sonya Yoncheva as the title prima donna alongside Vittorio Grigolo as her revolutionary artist lover Cavaradossi and Željko Lučić as chief of police Scarpia.
Sir David McVicar’s ravishing production is set in 1800 Rome, where painter Cavaradossi helps the escaped political prisoner Angelotti hide from the police while his jealous lover, opera diva Floria Tosca, suspects him of being unfaithful. The sadistic chief of police Baron Scarpia, who is hunting the fugitive, longs for Tosca and vows to bend the singer to his will after arousing her jealousy. Scarpia suspects Cavaradossi of aiding the fugitive and has the artist arrested and tortured. A frightened Tosca reveals the political prisoner’s whereabouts, but when Cavaradossi cries out in defiance of tyranny, he is carried away to be executed. In exchange for her lover’s freedom, Tosca promises her devotion to Scarpia, then kills him. Tosca informs Cavaradossi that he is free now, but before departing the city he must go through a mock execution, which ends tragically. Emmanuel Villaume conducts. Isabel Leonard hosts.
Notable Talent:
- Sonya Yoncheva – Tosca
- Vittorio Grigolo – Cavaradossi
- Željko Lučić – Scarpia
- Patrick Carfizzi – A Sacristan
- Christian Zaremba – Angelotti
Run time: 2.5 hours
Production Credits:
- Sir David McVicar – Production
- John Macfarlane – Set and Costume Designer
- David Finn – Lighting Designer
- Leah Hausman – Movement Director
For the Met, Gary Halvorson directs the telecast. David Frost is music producer. Mia Bongiovanni and Elena Park are supervising producers, and Louisa Briccetti and Victoria Warivonchik are producers. Peter Gelb is executive producer. For Great Performances, Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer.
Underwriters:
Corporate support for Great Performances at the Met is provided by Toll Brothers, America’s luxury home builder®. Major funding for the Met Opera presentation is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. This Great Performances presentation is funded by the Irene Diamond Fund, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, The Agnes Varis Trust, The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, Ellen and James S. Marcus and public television viewers.
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