Giacomo Puccini 1858-1924
Developments in Opera
Surely the most popular opera composer of all time, Puccini breaks our hearts
with his passionate, poetic, and evocative masterpieces about suffering women.
Rivaling Andrew Lloyd Webber’s popularity, Puccini offers opera’s most accessible,
frequently performed and tuneful masterpieces.
His operas tell simple, realistic stories about down-to-earth characters in love.
And most importantly, when you come to a Puccini opera, be prepared to shed a tear.
The Masterworks
La boheme:
A moving, high-spirited story of four young artists and a love affair
ending in poignant death. Some of the most beautiful love music ever written.
Tosca:
An evil police chief destroys the lives of a famous soprano and her painter
boyfriend. A spine-tingling thriller set to a perfectly exciting score.
Madama Butterfly:
The tragic tale of a Japanese girl who commits suicide after being
seduced and abandoned by an American sailor. Sad, noble, and beautiful all at once.