"Tosca" was first performed on January 14, 1900 at the Teatro Costanzi, now the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, symbolically on the spot. The evening was a major social event, and in addition to the Prime Minister and the Queen, the composers Pietro Mascagni and Francesco Cilea were also present. With his "Tosca" Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) entered a new century and, with his highly theatrical and effective scenes, he committed himself to Verist opera on the one hand and to the tragic-heroic grand opera on the other.After seeing the drama of the same name by Victorien Sardous, which was a huge international success with Sarah Bernhardt in the leading role, the composer successfully applied to Sardou for the rights to create a libretto. The wealth of musical ideas (more than 60 themes appear as leitmotifs) and the breathless sequence of events are largely responsible for the immense tension and drama of the opera. By focusing on the main character, the work is considered a "prima donna opera" par excellence. Although it has always been suspected that a historical figure is behind Tosca, the characters and plot are freely invented.However, the background against which the plot unfolds is historically determined by the Second Coalition War and the Battle of Marengo in 1800 between French and Austrian troops. Napoleon’s supposed defeat and his final victory over the coalition troops are reported in the first and second act of the opera.Today "Tosca" is one of the most popular and most performed operas of all.

Gaetano Donizetti is said to have written his Love Potion in a record 14 days in 1832 - a commissioned work for the Teatro alla Cannobiana in Milan, regularly performed at all the major houses and considered the prototype par excellence for the opera buffa genre. Pleasing motifs, singable melodies and Donizetti’s unmistakable humor, which repeatedly flashes from the score, are responsible for the tremendous and lasting success of this opera. The Italian masterpiece is also ideally suited for children, young people or opera beginners, since lightness, playfulness and the entertaining libretto drive the colorful hustle and bustle on stage in an entertaining and cheerful manner.The action takes place in the countryside: Nemorino loves Adina, who in turn is flirting with the sergeant Belcore. To win Adina over, Nemorino seeks help from the quack Dulcamara. With Dulcamara’s love potion, Adina is supposed to fall in love with Nemorino... after numerous complications, charlatanry and winking ideas, there is a happy ending for the two young lovers. And every opera lover has one of the most romantic and beautiful tenor arias in his ear: Una furtiva lagrima.