Contemporary Rome is the setting for this unique and highly innovative version of Puccini's Tosca, performed in the Roman locations - and at the times of day - as Puccini had written into his score. Thus the action opens in the beautiful 16th-century church of Sant'Andrea della Valle at noon, where Cavaradossi (Placido Domingo) is painting a portrait, moves to the Farnese Palace that evening where Tosca (Catherine Malfitano) dramatically stabs the lustful Scarpia (Ruggero Raimondi), and finally to the battlements of the Castel Sant'Angelo at dawn the following day where the final drama is played out.