Events

The Torre del Lago Fondazione Festival Pucciniano (accredited by the Region of Tuscany as a training company by decree No. 32 of 3/1/2019), working with the “Amici della Cina” (Friends of China) Association and the Italian Consulate of the People’s Republic of China, organised a course dedicated to vocal technique, focusing on Puccini’s repertoire for Chinese opera singers resident in Italy. The course was held in the Auditorium Caruso at the open-air Gran Teatro in Torre del Lago. The masterclass was led by Maestro Massimo Iannone, vocal coach at the Puccini Academy in Torre del Lago, from 15–19 December, and by Maestro Giuseppe Sabbatini, internationally renowned tenor and teacher, from 20–21 December. The accompanist was Elisa Montipò. On 19 December, the artists performed works by Mozart, Bellini, Verdi and Puccini, as well as some traditional Chinese songs, in a concert at La Spezia – supported by the comune of La Spezia and the Conservatorio G. Puccini. The piano was played by Elisa Montipò. At the end of the course, the Fondazione Festival Pucciniano and the “Amici della Cina” Association issued Attendance Certificates to the course participants. In 2023, the Masterclass for Chinese opera singers will be led by Maestro Massimo Iannone, vocal coach at the Puccini Academy in Torre del Lago, and Maestro Giuseppe Sabbatini

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The “Puccini, Tosca Butterfly” Masterclass for Orchestra Conductors, organised by the Associazione Orchestra Sinfonica della Calabria, was led by Maestro Maurizio Barbacini on 12–24 November. Participants included Gloria Iannello (pianist and conductor), Nicola Iannello (conductor), Pasquale Esposito (conductor), Maria Chiara Smerzi (conductor), Veronica Pugliese (pianist), Alessandro Carfi (conductor), Giulio Arnofi (conductor and bursary recipient) and Stefano Teani (conductor and bursary recipient). The bursary recipients were given the opportunity to conduct recitals and concerts at Vibo Valentia, Ciro Marina and Crotone on 19, 20 and 21 November, and at Girifalco, Monterosso and Vibo Marina on 22, 23 and 24 November, featuring the singers and teachers Sciarpelletti, Nachkebya, Bologna and Nardinocchi.

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In collaboration with Lucca’s Teatro del Giglio, the Fondazione Giacomo Puccini, the Fondazione Simonetta Puccini per Giacomo Puccini, the Associazione Lucchesi nel Mondo and the Centro Studi Giacomo Puccini, arranged by the comunes of Lucca, Pescaglia and Viareggio. All events were free of charge.
Programme:

• 29 November 3:30 pm, Piazzale Belvedere – 98th Anniversary of Giacomo Puccini’s death, Memorial Ceremony, prayers, laurel wreath and graveside tributes.
• 29 November 6 pm, Chiesa di San Paolino Viareggio – Concert of sacred music.
• 2 December 12 pm, GAMC Viareggio – Best Liberty City Prize, organised by the Associazione Italia Liberty marking 150 years since the birth of the prominent Art Nouveau artist, Galileo Chini.
• 2 December 5 pm – Galileo Chini and Giacomo Puccini Symposium.
• 3 December, Chiesa di San Antonio Viareggio – Organ recital performed by Claudiano Pallottini, featuring music by Domenico and Giacomo Puccini.
• 4 December 11:30 am, GAMC Viareggio – Duo: Trebeschi and Vasile.
• 8 December, Chiesa Santissima Annunziata – Concert dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
• 11 December 12 pm, GAMC Viareggio – Bazzini string quartet.
• 17 December 5 pm, Auditorium Caruso, Torre del Lago – Rossana Casale Joni: Joni Mitchell tribute concert.
• 18 December 12 pm, GAMC Viareggio – “Silenzio ho finito la bohème” (“Quiet, I have finished La Bohème”) reading of the writings of Lorenzo Viani, marking 140 years since his birth, with piano accompaniment.ita.
• 22 December 6 pm, Auditorium Caruso, Puccini Day – Awards Ceremony for the 53rd Puccini Prize with concert by the Orchestra Festival Puccini, conducted by Enrico Calesso.

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Programme of concerts for the Lucca and Celle Pescaglia Puccini Days:

• 12 November 6 pm – “Parenti serpenti” (“Poisonous Relations”), Teatro del Giglio, talk from the Centro Studi Puccini.
• 16 November 6 pm – “Madama Butterfly: prospettive giapponesi e occidentali” (“Madame Butterfly: Japanese and Western perspectives”) talk from the Centro Studi Puccini.
• 16 November 9 pm – “Connecting Lucca and Nagasaki”, Teatro del Giglio.
• 20 November 3:30 pm – “Madama Butterfly la farfalla del Giappone” (“Madame Butterfly: A Japanese Butterfly”), Puccini Museum, workshop for children.
• 20 November 5 pm, Chiesa di San Salvatore – Organ recital performed by Claudiano Pallottini, featuring music by Domenico and Giacomo Puccini.
• 27 November 5 pm, Chiesa di San Francesco Borgo in Mozzano – Organ recital performed by Claudiano Pallottini (repeat performance).
• 10 December Chiesa di Capezzano Pianore – Organ recital performed by Claudiano Pallottini (repeat performance).
• 28 November 9 pm, Teatro del Giglio – Concert featuring Igudesman & Joo.
• 1 December 9 pm, Teatro del Giglio, Accademia – Historical concert replicating practices in Mozart’s time.
• 3 December 9 pm Teatro del Giglio (small performance space) – “Rūtsu” Double bass: Valentina Ciardelli, Harp: Anna Astesano.
• 3 December 11:30 am and 4 pm, Museo Celle dei Puccini – Free concert and guided tours.
• 4 December 4 pm, Teatro San Girolamo – Nuove Voci Pucciniane (Puccini’s New Voices).
• final concert of the Masterclass with Dano Raffanti.
• 7 December 5 pm, Teatro del Giglio – “Il giardino giapponese” (“The Japanese Garden”), theatre and dance performance for young people by TPO.
• 8 December 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm, Puccini Museum – Duo: Trebeschi and Vasile.
• 11 December 4 pm, Puccini Museum – Bazzini string quartet.
• 14 December 9 pm, Teatro San Girolamo – Italian Harmonists, “37573 Enrico Caruso”.
• 15 December 9 pm, Teatro San Girolamo – Japanese 20th Century Chamber Songs.
• 17 December 4 pm, Throne Room of the Palazzo Ducale, Lucca – Puccini’s Letters 1901–1904, Centro Studi Puccini, Roccatagliati, Papi, Bolpagni.
• 18 December 3:30 pm – “Ecco i giocattoli di Parpignol” (“Discovering Parpignol’s toys”) workshop for children.
• 18 December 7 pm, Teatro del Giglio – “Raccontare Puccini” (“Recounting Puccini”), final writing and story-telling workshop run by Francesco Niccolini.
• 23 December 8:30 pm, Teatro del Giglio – “Japonisme, il fascino del Giappone nell’opera europea” (Japonism: The fascination for Japan in European opera”), Orchestra Filarmonica Toscanini, conductor Jonathan Brandani.
• 29 December 9 pm, Teatro del Giglio – Recital by Angela Gheorghiu (cancelled due to illness).

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A staged recital of Madama Butterfly was performed on 22 December at Odesa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, featuring an orchestra, chorus and soloists from Odesa, conducted by Igor Chernetski. Prior to the performance, a symposium took place, supported by the Italian Cultural Institute, with a detailed report by the Italian Cultural Institute’s envoy to Ukraine, Dr Alessandra Borgia. The recital was funded as part of the Committee’s focus on international solidarity and celebrations outside of Italy.

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On 22 December 2022, the Exhibition “Giacomo Puccini Studente a Milano” (“Giacomo Puccini: Student in Milan”) opened, featuring a wealth of documents dating from Puccini’s years spent in Milan, with guided tours of the classrooms and other places where the composer studied. The project was co-funded by the Conservatory of Milan, and included: Recording and producing pen drives; conductor’s fee for the OSCoM Orchestra Sinfonica del Conservatorio di Milano; setting up the exhibition, cleaning and placing the bronze statue of young Puccini; producing and printing the exhibition catalogue; producing, printing and distributing advertising; special opening of the Conservatory for guided tours.

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Milan’s Stravinsky Russkie Motivi Association organised this matinée concert celebrating Puccini on Wednesday, 21 December 2022, in the Sala Puccini at the Conservatory of Milan. The concert featured the soprano Larissa Yudina and the baritone Demetrio Colaci, with Andrea Bacchetti playing the piano and Leonardo Moretti the violin. They performed arias from “Gianni Schicchi”, “Manon Lescaut”, “Tosca”, “Edgar” and “La Fanciulla del West”. Andrea Bacchetti and Leonardo Moretti then played a transcription of the musical intermezzo from Act III of “Manon Lescaut”.

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Concert by the Orchestra Sinfonica della Calabria “Viva Puccini” in Vibo Valentia at 9 pm on 22 December, featuring the singers Enrico Guerra e Maria Luisa Lattante, conducted by Dejan Saviç. Event funded with an aim to restoring regional balance.

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Advertising campaign in Italian national daily newspapers: La Stampa, Corriere della Sera, Il Giorno, Repubblica, Resto del Carlino, La Nazione and Il Tirreno. The campaign set out to inform the general public about Giacomo Puccini and wish him a happy birthday on 22 December 2022.

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