Why did Puccini consult a Roman priest while composing the Te Deum in Tosca?

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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.

Puccini consulted a Roman priest while composing the "Te Deum" for his opera Tosca to ensure musical accuracy. Because he wanted the work to be firmly grounded in realism, he sought the correct version of the plainchant melody, knowing that these liturgical chants varied significantly from region to region.1