Rome 1800. After the French Revolution, Napoleon’s army invades Italy, the church offers tough resistance. The painter Cavaradossi receives a commission to paint a picture depicting Mary Magdalene for a church chapel. When his lover Floria Tosca notices that the figure in the picture resembles a woman who has been praying in the church, she explodes in jealousy. To boot, the revolutionary Angelotti, who has escaped from the state penitentiary and is hiding in the same church, seeks asylum with the help of his old friend Cavaradossi.

The police chief Baron Scarpia is out to catch and persecute Angelotti. He takes advantage of Tosca’s jealousy and tries to worm out of her more information – especially because he lusts after her. Cavaradossi is arrested and interrogated by Scarpia. Tosca is left alone with Cavaradossi, and he bids her not to betray him. He is then taken to a neighboring room and tortured until finally Tosca gives away Angelotti’s whereabouts.

After his torture, Cavaradossi admits to siding with the revolutionaries and is condemned to die. Tosca assumes responsibility for saving him and makes a deal with Scarpia…

The Theater Bonn is presenting Giacomo Puccini’s masterpiece TOSCA on the occasion of the Puccini year 2024, the 100 year anniversary of the composer’s death. In a traditional opulent set, the opera, which comes to Bonn from the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, will be performed 14 times with some of the most outstanding singers of the international opera scene appearing.