Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini, or shortly Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858 – Brussel, 29 November 1924), was an Italian composer who wrote some of the most beloved operas in the entire repertoire.

Puccini was born in Lucca in a family that had produced professional musicians for generations. When he was five years old, his father Michele died. For his musical education, he was sent to his uncle Fortunato Magi, who found him a poor and undisciplined student.

Puccini grew up to be a man who enjoyed life and only wrote an opera when he was running out of money. This also emphasizes his genius: he seemed able to produce masterful operas at will. But once at work, he would throw himself completely into a new project and subsequently did everything to achieve a good result. Legendary is the large number of changes to the libretto of Manon Lescaut and other operas, and the associated fierce discussions with the poets.

After a brief career as a church organist, he decided, after a performance of Verdi's Aïda, to become an opera composer.

He studied from 1880 to 1883 at the Conservatorium of Milaan under Amilcare Ponchielli and Antonio Bazzini. There he struck up a friendship with Pietro Mascagni.

In 1882, Puccini participated in the annual composition competition for a one-act opera organised by publisher Sonzogno.