The opera starts with Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner who seeks refuge in a church where he is protected by Cavaradossi, a local artist who is also the lover of the famous singer, Floria Tosca. The young painter acts suspiciously while protecting his friend and Tosca thinks he is unfaithful. The chief of police, Baron Scarpia, plays upon her jealousy to locate the two men, who are soon captured. Angelotti takes his own life rather then be held prisoner and Tosca desperately begs Scarpia to spare Cavaradossi, offering her affections in exchange for his life. After securing a note saving her lover from his death sentence, she kills Scarpia and hurries off to be with Cavaradossi. Will these two lovers be together in the end? see more

The figure of the Thracian gladiator Spartacus, leader of the slave revolt in the Roman Republic, has inspired numerous works of art and can be found in nearly all artistic genres and representations that have survived over time. Visual arts, theater, literature, ballet, and film have evoked this heroic character perhaps more than art has for any other figure in the universal pantheon. Spartacus symbolizes rebellion, but also the grandeur of freedom. The ballet "Spartacus," composed by the Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian, stands out for its unique musicality—a classical ballet, created in a modern style, capturing the mood, tragedy, and lyrical atmosphere of that era marked by the fall of Rome. Beyond the historical context in which the ballet's action takes place, "Spartacus" remains a timeless work that emphasizes values beyond time: courage, dignity, and freedom. see more