Born in Lucca in Italy in 1858, Giacomo Puccini was descended from a long line of composers and into an established musical family, who had held the title of maestro di cappella at Cattedrale di San Martino in Lucca for 124 years.

Rather than take on this title, Puccini continued his musical education and wrote his first orchestral piece at the age of 21 while at the Milan Conservatory, initiating his reputation as an up and coming composer.

His first opera, Le Villi with libretto by Ferdinando Fontana, premiered at Teatro Dal Verme, Milan in 1884. Impressed by Puccini’s work, the score was purchased by music publisher Guilio Ricordi, who then commissioned a second opera, Edgar. This opera didn’t achieve the popularity that Ricordi and Puccini had hoped, despite multiple revisions over the years. Ricordi continued to support Puccini, in spite of the lack of success of Edgar, and Puccini’s lifestyle choices – he had eloped with his married piano student Elvira Gemignani, with whom he had a son, Antonio.

The first of Puccini’s operas to receive critical acclaim and fully establish his reputation was Manon Lescaut, which premiered at Teatro Regio in Turin on 2 February 1893. It was on this project that he teamed up with librettists Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Together they went on to create probably his greatest successes: La Boheme (1896), Tosca (1900) & Madama Butterfly (1904).

Puccini’s compositions became less frequent after 1904. He suffered a near-death car accident which impacted his health for the rest of his life. In addition, the deaths of Giacosa in 1906 and Guilio Ricordi in 1912, and the scandal surrounding his personal life all contributed to the end of his most productive period.

La fanciulla del West premiered in 1910 in New York and La rondine was complete in 1916 and premiered in neutral Monaco in 1917. Il trittico: Il tabarro, Suor Angelica, & Gianni Schicchi also premiered in New York in 1918.

His final opera, Turandot, completed by Franco Alfano after Puccini’s death in 1924, features a number of stand-out arias, including the legendary Nessun dorma.

Opus Arte are very pleased to be able to mark this centenary with the release of Royal Ballet & Opera’s 2024 production of Madama Butterfly, featuring Asmik Grigorian in the title role.

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Praise for Madama Butterfly

“When young Japanese geisha Cio-Cio-San marries American naval officer Pinkerton, she believes she is entering a marriage for life. Forsaking her religion and community, she dreams of a future with her new husband, only to learn that for Pinkerton, their marriage is merely an illusion — one with tragic consequences.

With its exquisite score, Giacomo Puccini’s poignant 1904 opera is as beautiful as it is shattering. Drawing inspiration from 19th-century European images of Japan, Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s production stars Asmik Grigorian with Kevin John Edusei conducting.”

"Grigorian inhabits the part to a degree one does not often experience." (The Guardian ★★★★)

"A delightfully simple balance between Japanese culture and the west." (The Daily Express ★★★★)

"A blisteringly poignant revival of Puccini’s tragic drama." (The Independent ★★★★)