Extraordinary Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen stars as the passionate diva in David McVicar’s thrilling production MET Opera Live: Tosca.

British-Italian tenor Freddie De Tommaso makes his eagerly anticipated company debut as Tosca’s revolutionary lover, Cavaradossi, and powerhouse American baritone Quinn Kelsey is the sadistic chief of police Scarpia.

Maestro Xian Zhang conducts the electrifying score, which features some of Puccini’s most memorable melodies.

Puccini’s MET Opera Live: Tosca about a volatile diva, a sadistic police chief, and an idealistic artist has offended and thrilled audiences for more than a century.

Critics, for their part, have often had problems with Tosca’s rather grungy subject matter, the directness and intensity of its score, and the crowd-pleasing dramatic opportunities it provides for its lead roles.

But these same aspects have made Tosca one of a handful of iconic works that seem to represent opera in the public imagination.