Tosca Research Paper

2260 Words5 Pages

TOSCA TRANSCRIPT
Joseph Noonan, Tessa Robinson & Christiana Garvie

Tosca was written by Giacomo Puccini in the late 1800s, and premiered in the year 1900. It is set in the City of Rome in 1800 during the days of the Napoleonic invasions, and therefore it was a period of great unrest in Europe.

To give some historical context, we’ll start a couple of years before the events of Tosca. ‘Italy’ as a country doesn’t exist yet, instead it’s divided into small states controlled by various ruling families. The ‘Papal States’, where Rome is found, are ruled by the Pope and his people. The French Revolution is ending and France has declared itself a republic, making itself an enemy of most of the surrounding states which are still Monarchies. France …show more content…

The construction of the church began in 1590 and completed 60 years later in 1650. The most striking design feature of the basilica is the dome which was the largest commission of its time hiring two architects to work together to create it. The floor plan of the church was based on a Latin cross with chapels on either side of the hall and the dome at the end.

The second act was set within the Palazzo Farnese, which has an important place in Rome's history. It was first designed in 1517 and then passed hands into Pope Paul III in 1534 where he expanded it extensively and was partly architecturally designed by Michelangelo. The painting inside the Palazzo ‘The Love of the Gods” is sited as being the initiator of both the Baroque and Classicism painting movements.

The final act takes place in Castel Sant’Angelo which was built between 123 and 139 AD during the Roman Empire. It was initially built as a Mausoleum. During the 400’s it was used as a military fortress and as such a lot of the original façade and decorations have been destroyed. During the 1800’s it was used as a prison and today it is used as a museum. In his research for Tosca, Giacomo Puccini actually slept outside this fortress in order to experience what it was like to wake up to the sound of the bells

Open Document