The Puccini Festival returns. As always held in the Teatro dei Quattromila in Torre del Lago, this annual summer opera festival celebrating the great composer Giacomo Puccini, is now at its 64th edition.
The opening concert will be held on July 6th. It is to be his 1880 mass, Messa di Gloria, Performing it will be Tuscan tenor Andrea Bocelli, baritone Alberto Gazale, sopranos Martina Serafin and Ivana Canovic and bass Alessandro Guerzoni. Conducting will be Carlo Bernini.
Puccini’s unfinished Turandot will be on stage on July 14th, 21st and 28th and again on August 17th. The opera was completed by Franco Alfano based on the composer’s sketches. Director will be Alfonso Signorini and conductor Alberto Veronesi. Martina Serafin will be performing in the role of Princess Turandot, while Calaf will be played by Amadi Lagha.
Tosca, one of Puccini’s indisputable masterpieces, will be performed on on July 15th and August 4th and 12th. Director Giancarlo Del Monaco, conductor Pedro Halffter. The Chinese operatic lirico-spinto soprano He Hui will be playing the part of Floria Tosca.
His other masterpiece, Madama Butterfly,will be on stage on July 20th and August 10th and 18th. Director Vivien Hewitt, costumes Regina Schrecker, director Hirofumi Yoshida. Manon Lescaut, one of Puccini’s first successes, will be performed on July 26th. Cio Cio San will be played by Hiromi Omura while F.B. Pinkerton by Hector Mendoza Lopez.
The four-act opera La Bohème goes on stage on July 27th and August 3rd. Director Alfonso Signorini, sceneries and costumes by Leila Fteita, conductor Alberto Veronesi.
Il Trittico will be performed on August 11th and 25th. This work is composed of three one-act operas: Il Tabarro, a horrific episode, Suor Angelica, a sentimental tragedy and Gianni Schicchi, a comedy. This year celebrates the centenary of Il Tabarro, which was performed the first time at the Metropolitan Opera in New York on December 14th, 1918. Conducting on August 11th will be Jacopo Sipari whilst the director will be Ferenc Anger from the Opera House of Budapest.
If you’re interested in purchasing a ticket, take a look here.
