Tosca: Act III, Aria: E lucevan le stelle (tenor) (excerpt)

Tosca is a melodramatic opera in three acts set in Rome in June, 1800, with the Kingdom of Naple’s control of Rome threatened by Napoleon’s invasion of Italy. It contains depictions of torture, murder and suicide, as well as some of Puccini’s best-known lyrical arias. With a libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on a play by French playwright Victorien Sardou. The opera was an immediate success with the public upon its premiere in 1900, and its characters continue to fascinate both performers and audiences as the work remains one of the most frequently performed operas. The tenor aria E lucevan le stelle takes place during the 3rd act by Mario Cavaradossi, as he waits for his execution. It is among the most famous of opera arias, and is commonly included on recitals and encores. Instrumentation: 3.2+EH.2+BCl.2+CBsn: 4.0.3.0: Timp.Perc(1): Hp: Str (4-4-3-3-3 in set): Solo Tenor.