Religious. Revolutionary. Jealous. Naive. A victim of her circumstances. A brutal murderer. Who is Floria Tosca? To mark the opera’s 125th anniversary, director José Cortés delves into all the facets of his title character and seeks her true essence amid the interplay of projection and inner conflict. For the Puerto Rican director, a central question at the heart of the work is: Can there even be a way out for those who dare to stand up against a system?

The opera classic becomes a gripping thriller: mercilessly put to the test, Tosca must decide what she still believes in. The title role is played by Irish singer Sinéad Campbell Wallace, who has conquered major stages worldwide—not only as Tosca—from Paris to Toronto. The International May Festival will also feature the acclaimed Italian tenor Stefano La Colla as Cavaradossi, as well as the Italian baritone Lucio Gallo—in high demand at renowned opera houses worldwide—as Scarpia in Wiesbaden.