ITALY 22 December 2008 Italy celebrates 150th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini birth

The Province of Lucca, the home of Giacomo Puccini, has prepared a rich calendar of events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the most performed composer in the world. The celebrations began in May and will culminate on his birthdate in December with a concert in Lucca, “Happy Birthday Maestro!” A new Great Open-Air Theatre, dedicated to Puccini opened in June at Torre del Lago.

Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca on 22 Dec 1858 to a family of composers. He lived in the historic center of the town, where he also attended the conservatory, until he left for Milan to complete his studies. La Bohème is considered one of his best works, as well as one of the most romantic operas ever composed, but Tosca and Madame Butterfly have become other two of his most successful operas.

Puccini was a musical dramatist of considerable power: he wrote twelve operas, the last, Turandot, still unfinished at the time of his death in 1924.

Between May and September there were 10 concerts in 10 municipalities near Lucca, sponsored by the Fondazione Festival Pucciniano. The most important are: “Piano production in Europe at the time of Giacomo Puccini” by the Associazione Musicale Lucchese, 2 May, San Micheletto Auditorium (Lucca); “Giacomo Puccini IV Act” (for the opening of the Open-Air Theatre) at Torre del Lago, 15 Jun, Torre del Lago (Viareggio); the Concert of the Bolshoj Theatre Orchestra, 6 Jul, Torre del Lago.

The Giglio Theatre, in Lucca, celebrated with: “La Rondine” 19-21st Sep, and “Manon Lescaut”, 21-23 Nov. “La Rondine” is an unusual title for the programs of Italian and foreign theaters -- the latest performance at Giglio Theatre dates back to 1997. “Manon Lescaut”, an opera drama in four acts, allowed Puccini to acquire a prominent position with respect to all the other young Italian composers, letting him become the direct inheritor of Giuseppe Verdi.

RELATED READING:

Official celebrations http://www.puccini2008.it/en/index.php

Biography http://www.naxos.com/composerinfo/bio20991.htm