Chelsea Opera Group perform three of Giacomo Puccini’s early works to mark the centenary of his death (1858-1924). The main item is Le villi, Puccini’s first opera, written to a libretto based on the same legend as the ballet Giselle. Entered in 1883 into a competition for one-act operas and rejected by the judges, Le villi was staged in Milan the following year and brought Puccini to the attention of Ricordi, the influential publisher, setting him on the path to fame.
The programme also includes Puccini’s Capriccio sinfonico of 1883 which he wrote when he graduated from the Milan Conservatory. His mastery of orchestral writing was immediately acclaimed.
The Messa di Gloria completes the programme. Puccini’s only substantial choral piece gave him his first great success when it was performed in 1880. Even so early in his career his gift for melody is obvious.
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