♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Hello.

I'm Ailyn Pérez, and I'm delighted to be your host for this performance of "Tosca."

"Tosca" was Puccini's first verismo opera, where his great sense of melody was galvanized by gritty realism.

And what a timeless story, pitting the forces of early 19th century revolution against those of oppression.

Today, the Met has assembled a cast for the ages.

Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen, so famous for her interpretations of Wagner, Strauss, and Verdi, shows off a different side of her artistry as Puccini's ultimate diva, Floria Tosca.

British Italian tenor Freddie de Tommaso, making a notable Met debut, is Tosca's lover, the idealistic artist Mario Cavaradossi.

Hawaiian baritone Quinn Kelsey sings the role of Scarpia, the corrupt chief of police who is obsessed with power and his lust for Tosca.

Met music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will preside over Puccini's thrilling score.

He's ready to sweep us away to Rome in the year 1800.

Here is "Tosca."

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Shouting indistinctly ] Aah!

Oh!

Aah!

♪♪ ♪♪ Oh!

Ha!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Groans ] [ Bell tolling ] [ Praying in Latin ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Huh!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Sniffs ] Ahh!

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Door closes ] ♪♪ [ Applause ] -Ah!

♪ No, Mario, mio ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Scarpia ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Explosion ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Mario ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bell tolling ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -At the end of the previous act, Scarpia tricked Tosca into believing that Cavaradossi has betrayed her, all part of his plan to quell the rebellion and bend Tosca to his will.

Here is Act Two.

[ Applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bell rings ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Choir singing in distance ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Singing continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Mario singing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Laughs ] ♪♪ [ Mario screams ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Drums playing in distance ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] ♪♪ [ Knock on door ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Exhales deeply ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] -With Scarpia dead, Tosca hopes for Cavaradossi's freedom and their escape together.

But Puccini left no room for a fairy-tale ending in his verismo masterpiece.

Here is the dramatic conclusion of "Tosca."

[ Applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bell tolling ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Indistinct shouting ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ]