Act 3 Tosca

the castel sant angelo, (right), scene of tosca denouement, painted in 18th century

a shepherd boy sings (in romanesco dialect) io de sospiri ( give sighs ) church bells sound matins. cavaradossi led in guards , informed has 1 hour live. refuses see priest, asks permission write letter tosca. begins write, overwhelmed memories: e lucevan le stelle ( , stars shone ).

tosca enters , shows him safe-conduct. tells him has killed scarpia , imminent execution sham: cavaradossi must feign death, afterwards can leave rome together, before scarpia s body discovered. cavaradossi amazed @ courage shown 1 gentle , tender: o dolci mani ( oh sweet hands ). pair ecstatically plan life live away rome. tosca anxiously instructs cavaradossi on how play part in mock execution convincingly. tells him shot blanks firing squad , instructs him fall down if dead. agrees act tosca in theatre .

cavaradossi led away, , tosca watches increasing impatience execution prepared. men fire, cavaradossi falls, , tosca exclaims ecco un artista! ( actor! ). when soldiers have left, hurries towards cavaradossi, find dead; scarpia has betrayed her. heartbroken, clasps lifeless body , weeps.

the voices of spoletta, sciarrone , soldiers heard, indicating scarpia s body has been found, , tosca known have killed him. spoletta, sciarrone , soldiers rush in, tosca rises, evades clutches, , runs parapet. crying o scarpia, avanti dio! ( o scarpia, meet before god! ), hurls herself on edge death.