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Why did Puccini want Tosca to premiere in Rome?

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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’s decision to premiere his opera Tosca in Rome was primarily driven by the work's setting. Because the opera's action takes place against specific, real-world locations within the city, Puccini felt that a Roman premiere was the most logical choice to ground the production in realism.1

To ensure this authenticity, Puccini went to great lengths to incorporate accurate local details into his music. For example, he consulted a local priest to obtain the correct version of the plainchant melody for the "Te Deum" in Act I, as these melodies varied by region. He also worked with an expert in church bells to identify the specific bells rung for early services and the precise pitch of the largest bell at St. Peter’s Basilica, and he sourced an authentic folk song for a shepherd’s melody in Act III.1