The sounds produced by the hands of the audience members conglomerated into one outburst of admiration as Floria Tosca  waited to continue. The audience cheered louder and longer than they had at any other time at the end of this particular song. But, why? I believe the audience cheered so vigorously in response to its relatability. Most members of the audience have (thankfully) never been almost raped, had their husbands arrested, or hidden an escaped prisoner. However, each and every one of us has wondered why bad things happen to good people. It seemed as though the actress who played Tosca also connected most strongly with this song. Tosca says that she has prayed fervently, brought the Madonna flowers, and tried her best to always help those in need. And, now she find herself in this terrible situation. She can either let her lover die, allow herself to be raped by Scarpia, or kill Scarpia. All of which are immoral. This song also encourages the audience to recognize the complexities of life. In some cases, there is not distinct right or wrong answer. Life is full of grey areas like this one. Ultimately, when Tosca decides to stab Scarpia in the heart, Mario reacts in shock. He asks how beautiful, delicate hands like hers that have loved him so tenderly could do something so horrible. This song brought to mind a theme we have previously discussed in seminar-how can people do both beautiful and appalling things? Overall, I enjoyed the opera (besides feeling as out of place as Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman). Being Italian and Catholic, I enjoyed the beautiful language and Christian imagery.