Tosca: The Queen of Big Feelings

The beautiful soprano at the center of Puccini’s work is the famous opera singer (and drama queen!) Floria Tosca. A true diva, the tempestuous Tosca has some big feelings, which sometimes cause her to lose control of herself. Consider some of the more complicated feelings Tosca struggles with during the opera:

• Jealousy
• Rage
• Fear
• Self-Pity

We can only imagine how differently Tosca’s life might have gone if she had a set of tools to help shrink some of her big emotions. One way to do so is to describe exactly how that emotion feels in your body. Ask students to turn to a neighbor and discuss each of Tosca’s big feelings and how those same emotions have felt to them personally using the phrase, “This emotion makes my body feel….” Have them share with the class and look to find commonalities in the way other students feel big emotions in their bodies. Use this discussion to help students develop awareness of their own bodies so that the next time they experience a big feeling, they will be better equipped to respond to it.