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How did audiences and critics respond to Tosca at its premiere?

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Art Nouveau poster by Adolfo Hohenstein for Puccini's opera Tosca, showing a woman in a gold dress standing over a fallen figure, with dramatic red and black background and bold title text. — Tosca Poster by Adolfo Hohenstein for Giacomo Puccini's opera *Tosca*, 1906.

At its premiere on January 14, 1900, at the Costanzi Theatre in Rome, Tosca was an immediate success with the public.1

While there were fears of disruption due to the city's volatile political climate—including rumors of potential violence or bombing—the opening-night tension was ultimately misplaced. When the curtain rose to the sound of shouting, it was discovered that the audience's anger was directed solely at late arrivals rather than the performance itself.1

However, the opera did not receive the same warm reception from critics, many of whom disapproved of its extreme melodrama. Despite this critical resistance, the work proved enduring and continues to be frequently performed today.1