Giacomo Puccini
| Giacomo Puccini | |
 | |
| Birth | 22 December 1858 Lucca ,  Grand Duchy of Tuscany |
|---|---|
| Deaths | 29 November 1924 (65) Brussels ,  Belgium |
| Principal Activity | Composer of classical music |
| Style | Opera |
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini (born 22 December 1858 at Lucca in Italy , died on 29 November 1924 in Brussels in Belgium ) is a composer in Italy. It is considered one of the greatest composers of the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century.
Summary |
Biography
Giacomo, second name, was born December 22, 1858 in Lucca in a wealthy family, but not wealthy. It was the first son of a family of seven children, five older sisters and a brother, five years his junior. He went to one or two exceptions the same musical studies as its illustrious forebears.
He comes from a family of musical tradition in which five generations of musicians have succeeded: all church musicians and known by many compositions Tasche. There are thirty-two works to their credit.
After the death of his father, which occurred when he was only five years, he was sent with his uncle Fortunato Magi to study, it is considered a gifted student and somewhat undisciplined.
Subsequently, he became organist at the church. The inspiration for the opera comes only at a performance of Aida in Verdi that Angeloni , one of his professors at the conservatory, introduced him during the performance to Pisa on 11 March 1876. From 1880 to 1883 he studied at the conservatory in Milan , where he studied with Amilcare Ponchielli and Antonio Bazzini.
In 1882 , Puccini entered a competition to write home Sonzogno launched in 1883, for a one-act opera. Although he does not win the prize with Le Villi , this first opera will be shown in 1884 at Teatro Dal Verme in Milan , with the help of Ponchielli and Ferdinando Fontana , and help attract the attention of the publisher Ricordi who commissioned a new opera, Edgar. It was then that Puccini meets Elvira Gemignani (24 years) who would become his wife and a son, Tonio. Unfortunately, Elvira is married ... which does not prevent him from trying his luck. The husband, unsuspecting and often absent, the unsuspecting young man who accepts with joy of giving piano lessons to the wife when she asks him (Puccini, after the success of Cities, is beginning to be an excellent reputation). The two "lovebirds" ill-concealed their connection, so any Lucca is about the scandal than the cuckolded husband. The climate becomes heavy, however, Puccini bought a villa at Torre del Lago (although now owned by the granddaughter of the composer), where he lived most of his life, accompanied by Elvira. Also, the criticism she is quite ironic when Edgar, his second opera, will be represented (with success), since the plot has much in common with this farcical adventure.
His third opera, Manon Lescaut , was not only successful but also the starting point of a fruitful collaboration with the librettists Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa , who worked with him on the three following operas.
In 1896 , he composed an opera, La Bohme adapted Scenes of bohemian life of Henry Murger. It is considered one of the best romantic operas. Although it contains some of the most popular tunes in its repertoire, its harmonic daring and dramatic, contrasting with the sentimentality of Manon Lescaut , did not manage to captivate the audience at the premiere held on February 1 (despite the impeccable direction of Arturo Toscanini ). However, following representations to the composer assured a worldwide hit (except with critics who preferred the following year 's version , moreover, very good, from Leoncavallo now supplanted by Puccini), which was not denied.
In 1900 , Tosca , Puccini's first approach to the realism , the work is marked by nationalist fervor, but it tells a love drama without engaging in the ideological ground as the operas of Verdi. The contrast between La Boheme and Tosca is Puccini towel as a bitter setback. Fortunately, when Toscanini resumed work, success is the appointment
Composition was slow and, in 1903 , he was injured after a car accident that will cripple.
In 1904 , Madam Butterfly (on a novel by David Belasco ) was greeted with great hostility at the first performances, although it is remarkably orchestrated and directed by Cleofonte Campanini. This does not prevent it from becoming another one of his greatest hits.
In 1906 , one of his librettists Giacosa, dies.
In 1909 , a scandal broke their maid committed suicide by poison for having been accused by Elvira Gemignani, having had a relationship with him, which is likely.
In 1910 , he composed La fanciulla del West , the first opera created in the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the work is led by Toscanini and presents orchestral and harmonic richness without equal in the works of Puccini. Unfortunately, the immediate success of the public (and scarce, also criticism) is not confirmed: the Wild West, the audacity of his writing and, strangely, his "happy ending" confuse the public and critics. It took all the will of artists like Dimitri Mitropoulos , Plcido Domingo , and scholars wishing to go beyond the cliches, to bring out the remarkable work of forgetting.
Il Trittico is established in 1918. This work is composed of three operas in the style of Grand Guignol in Paris: an episode of horror It Tabarro, a sentimental tragedy Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi farce or comedy. Of the three, Gianni Schicchi is the most popular.
His last opera, Turandot wrote in 1924 remains unfinished, the last two scenes were completed by Alfano French. Alas, this finish is highly contested today because Puccini had dreamed for the final duet of something new and fantastic (The measure, when you hear the beautiful Nessun dorma where the last air Li Tanto amore, segreto, the extent of loss has caused cancer of the composer). Alfano, good composer, however, has not the genius of his master, so it is understandable that we do now heads a shortened version of the finale. In 2001, a new final will be directed by Luciano Berio.
Puccini died in Brussels in 1924 , from complications due to his throat cancer.
Analysis
Manon Lescaut, La Bohme, Tosca, Madame Butterfly and Turandot are all hits. They show an exceptional mastery of orchestration, multi-harmonic innovations, and a deeply original theatrical language. This language, which contributed to the success of Puccini was connected with the current literary verismo Italian, represented by composers from the late nineteenth century , such as Mascagni , Leoncavallo and Franchetti. Puccini yet escapes the realism of the tragic realism , thanks to his passion for the romantic as Alfred de Musset or Heinrich Heine , but also because of its modern and musical theater, illustrated by the chromaticism of Tosca or agreements of the Impressionists Cloak (It Tabarro) influenced by the audacity of Debussy and Ravel , and left deep marks in his work by Wagner.
Citation
Igor Stravinsky Works (Date of the first, theater, city) Operas
References
See also
Related articles
External Links
Loading ...