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Arts & Culture

GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET: Tosca

Vittorio Grigolo as Cavaradossi and Sonya Yoncheva as Tosca in rehearsal for David McVicar's new production of "Tosca."
Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera
Vittorio Grigolo as Cavaradossi and Sonya Yoncheva as Tosca in rehearsal for David McVicar's new production of "Tosca."

Airs Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021 at 2 p.m. on KPBS 2

No longer available to stream on demand

Watch Puccini’s thrilling classic, starring Sonya Yoncheva, Vittorio Grigolo and Željko Lučić.

Season 12 of GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET continues with a primetime broadcast of a new production of Puccini’s classic “Tosca,” starring Sonya Yoncheva as the title prima donna alongside Vittorio Grigolo as her revolutionary artist lover Cavaradossi and Željko Lučić as chief of police Scarpia.

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Sir David McVicar’s ravishing production is set in 1800 Rome, where painter Cavaradossi helps the escaped political prisoner Angelotti hide from the police while his jealous lover, opera diva Floria Tosca, suspects him of being unfaithful.

The sadistic chief of police Baron Scarpia, who is hunting the fugitive, longs for Tosca and vows to bend the singer to his will after arousing her jealousy.

Željko Lučić as Scarpia in an Act II rehearsal for David McVicar's new production of Puccini's "Tosca."
Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera
Željko Lučić as Scarpia in an Act II rehearsal for David McVicar's new production of Puccini's "Tosca."

Scarpia suspects Cavaradossi of aiding the fugitive and has the artist arrested and tortured.

A frightened Tosca reveals the political prisoner’s whereabouts, but when Cavaradossi cries out in defiance of tyranny, he is carried away to be executed.

In exchange for her lover’s freedom, Tosca promises her devotion to Scarpia, then kills him.

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Sonya Yoncheva as Tosca and Željko Lučić as Scarpia in an Act II rehearsal for David McVicar's new production of "Tosca."
Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera
Sonya Yoncheva as Tosca and Željko Lučić as Scarpia in an Act II rehearsal for David McVicar's new production of "Tosca."

Tosca informs Cavaradossi that he is free now, but before departing the city he must go through a mock execution, which ends tragically.

Emmanuel Villaume conducts. Isabel Leonard hosts.

Sonya Yoncheva as Tosca, Vittorio Grigolo as Cavaradossi, and Željko Lučić as Scarpia in David McVicar's new production of Puccini's "Tosca."
Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera
Sonya Yoncheva as Tosca, Vittorio Grigolo as Cavaradossi, and Željko Lučić as Scarpia in David McVicar's new production of Puccini's "Tosca."

No longer available to stream on demand.

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Credits:

Production: Sir David McVicar. Set and Costume Designer: John Macfarlane. Lighting Designer: David Finn. Movement Director: Leah Hausman. For the Met, Gary Halvorson directs the telecast. David Frost is music producer. Mia Bongiovanni and Elena Park are supervising producers, and Louisa Briccetti and Victoria Warivonchik are producers. Peter Gelb is executive producer. For GREAT PERFORMANCES, Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer. THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET.