Filmed on March 20 and 27, 1985
Release date on February 23, 1999
Remastered Release date on September 12, 2006
Also known as The Metropolitan Opera Presents Season 9 Episode 3
Episode aired Mar 27, 1985
An opera in three acts about an escaped political prisoner, a prima donna, and the brutal chief of the secret police.
Well executed (1985 TV recording) and worth rewatching. This play has the music that Puccini is noted for. Although Hildegard Behrens is no Callas and takes a lot of deep breaths she still makes an excellent Floria Tosca. While we are discussing differences Plácido Domingo is no Luciano Pavarotti. Great scenery and unforgettable singing.
An opera in three acts: The basic story takes place in Napoleonic-era Rome where a very jealous woman Floria Tosca is involved with an artist Mario Cavaradossi (Plácido Domingo) that is harboring an escaped rebel. A sadist authority Baron Scarpia (Cornell MacNeil) invites Tosca to avail herself to him in return for the freedom of her artist's love. Will she or won't she?
This was recorded before DVD's so it goes trait into the production and has permanent English subtitles.
See Hildegard Behrens again in Elektra (1994).