0:00:20 > 0:00:21Welcome to the Royal Opera House,
0:00:21 > 0:00:23where the stage is almost set
0:00:23 > 0:00:25for one of opera's most popular
0:00:25 > 0:00:29and certainly most chilling masterpieces,
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Tosca by Giacomo Puccini.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Tosca is pure melodrama, a thriller.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40It has it all, religion,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43politics, betrayal,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46murder, execution, suicide.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51For this performance,
0:00:51 > 0:00:52we've assembled a dream cast.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57The rehearsals have been very intense, but also a lot of fun,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59and we're so much looking forward to this.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06The opera is named after the diva Floria Tosca,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09in our production performed by the Romanian soprano
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Angela Gheorghiu.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Tosca is one of my favourite roles,
0:01:18 > 0:01:20because I am playing myself.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29Even if you only hear the music, it's like a soundtrack of a movie.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Puccini, with Tosca,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33he did a masterpiece.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Tosca is in love with the painter
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Mario Cavaradossi,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43one of Puccini's great tenor roles,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45sung by Jonas Kaufmann.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Even though the opera is called Tosca,
0:01:49 > 0:01:53the things I have to sing there,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55the two arias, the two duets,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59are just so beautifully written,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03you just don't fake the emotions, but you really feel it.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10The third side of the triangle
0:02:10 > 0:02:13is one of opera's genuinely evil characters,
0:02:13 > 0:02:17the Chief of Police Baron Scarpia,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20played by the Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27The role of Scarpia for me has that twinge of danger.
0:02:27 > 0:02:28What do I do?
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Do I stride in purposefully?
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Do I have a mean, horrible face?
0:02:35 > 0:02:37No, it's all in the music.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55The other star of the opera is Rome,
0:02:55 > 0:02:56the Eternal City.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Each of Tosca's three Acts
0:02:58 > 0:03:01is set in an iconic Roman landmark.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06The action takes place in less than 24 hours,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09mid morning to dawn on a real day in history,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11the 17th of June, 1800,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13when news reached Rome
0:03:13 > 0:03:16of the defeat of Napoleon's forces
0:03:16 > 0:03:18at the battle of Marengo.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21The opera opens in the magnificent
0:03:21 > 0:03:2416th century church of Sant'Andrea della Valle,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27where Tosca and Cavaradossi meet
0:03:27 > 0:03:29and a chain of events unfolds
0:03:29 > 0:03:31which ultimately leads to tragedy.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36So this is it,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38the beginning of Tosca.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40One of the great openings
0:03:40 > 0:03:43in all music, actually.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Three very, very simple
0:03:46 > 0:03:49but iconic chords
0:03:49 > 0:03:52that speak of Rome,
0:03:52 > 0:03:54speak of oppression,
0:03:54 > 0:03:58power, lust, everything.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15APPLAUSE
0:08:19 > 0:08:23DISTANT BELL TOLLS
0:13:07 > 0:13:13APPLAUSE
0:15:42 > 0:15:43TOSCA FROM OFFSTAGE
0:32:52 > 0:32:54DISTANT BLAST
0:51:04 > 0:51:09APPLAUSE
0:52:26 > 0:52:28HE RINGS BELL
0:57:23 > 0:57:26TOSCA SINGS CANTATA OFFSTAGE
1:05:57 > 1:06:00DISTANT GROAN
1:10:27 > 1:10:31MAN WAILS
1:23:44 > 1:23:47APPLAUSE
1:25:42 > 1:25:43KNOCKING
1:35:38 > 1:35:44APPLAUSE
2:04:41 > 2:04:47APPLAUSE
2:06:20 > 2:06:22This is exciting stuff.
2:06:22 > 2:06:27Really...intense show.
2:06:27 > 2:06:31An amazing, amazing intensity
2:06:31 > 2:06:34from everyone, actually. To the very, very end.
2:06:36 > 2:06:38And they all died.
2:06:38 > 2:06:40Successfully.
2:07:43 > 2:07:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
2:07:45 > 2:07:47E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk