Tosca (1978)

A stellar cast brings Puccinis spellbinding opera to life seizing every opportunity to thrill the audience Luciano Pavarotti is Cavaradossi the painter and political revolutionary in love with the beautiful and famous singer Tosca the riveting Shirley Verrett Romes diabolical chief of police Baron Scarpia Cornell MacNeil wants Tosca for himselfbut he underestimates the fury of a woman in love With torture murder and a suicide in its final moments Tosca packs more dramatic punches than most other operasand this classic telecast captures them all James Conlon conducts in a production by the incomparable Tito Gobbi one of the great Scarpias of the 20th century