G. Ricordi & Co. published its opera libretto of Puccini's Tosca in 1899, ahead of the premier. The rose-theme on the front cover, by the artist Alfredo Montalti, was also used for several instrumental renditions of Tosca published by Ricordi. See https://abcmusicmuseum.blogspot.com/2011/09/tosca.html
Giacomo Puccini's Tosca libretto, Edizioni Ricordi, 1899. Artist Alfredo Montalti. ABC coll. Sk 20.
Only three years after its premier, it was first performed in Malta, in March 1903.
That same year a Maltese version of Sardou's work by Guglielmo ARENA was published by Ganni Muscat (48 Strada Mercanti, Valletta) and was dedicated to the Theatre Impresario, Michel Ang Borg. This made the story of Tosca available to the general Maltese public that could not read Italian or French. The stories of operatic works were therefore filtering down to those who would not normally be financially able to attend the theatre. Some of these, such as Lucia di Lammermoor and Pia de Tolomei were then also created in sung folk versions, in what is known as ghana tal-fatt.
Tosca, Raccont zghir mehud mil fatt tal opra minn G. Arena, Giovanni Muscat, 1903, ABC coll.
