Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Puccini, a leading figure in Italian opera after Verdi, embraced the verismo style, depicting everyday life with rich melodies and orchestration. His peak came with operatic classics like La Bohème, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly. Puccini's musical journey began with organ lessons as a child, leading to studies in composition and the premiere of his first opera, Le villi, in 1884. Despite personal challenges, including a scandalous affair and accusations that hindered his creativity, he continued to produce renowned works like Manon Lescaut, La Bohème, and Tosca. His later years saw mixed success with operas like La rondine and the one-act trilogy Il trittico. Puccini's final masterpiece, Turandot, was left incomplete due to his death from throat cancer in 1924.