Puccini e Lucca nel mondo is a project designed by the Foundation in collaboration with the City of Lucca. After the great success of the exhibit Puccini and Lucca “When I shall feel the sweet nostalgia of my native land”, realized in 2008 at Palazzo Guinigi for the 150th anniversary of the birth of the composer, we thought it appropriate to bring the message of that initiative, that is, the inseparable union between Giacomo Puccini and Puccini and Lucca his native city, to the rest of the world. Among the goals of Puccini e Lucca Dante Alighieri Society, Cambridge, Massachusetts nel mondo, there is also the promotion of the City of Lucca and its historical Associazione Lucchesi nel Mondo, Boston. in Boston and artistic treasures. The exhibition’s format, designed and produced by Bonuccelli Adpower, is !exible and amenable to a variety of presentations. Puccini and Lucca in Boston The "rst actual exhibit took place in November 2009 at the Municipal Museum of Nanking with a very gratifying result: the exhibition became Exhibit curated by Gabriella Biagi Ravenni designed by part of the permanent collection of the Museum, which immediately began Bonuccelli Adpower, Lucca. to have it tour throughout China. Argentina responded the same way, We would like to thank the Institutions and private collectors who have contributed to the realization of the exhibit: where the tour that began on May 26, 2010 at the Colon Theater of Buenos Aires, moved subsequently to La Plata, Mar Del Plata, Tandil and Rosario, Aldo Berti, Lucca (Coll. Priv. Aldo Berti) and "nally was concluded at the end of 2010. The exposition was also well Archivio Alinari, Firenze Archivio Arcivescovile, Lucca (AALu) received at other locations: the Museum of Canal Interoceanico of Panama Archivio di Stato, Lucca (ASLu) (May, 2010) and the Universität der Kunste of Berlin (November, 2010). The Archivio di Stato, Pistoia (I-PSa) exhibit has received the support and the collaboration of the Ministry of Archivio storico del Comune, Lucca (ASCLu) Foreign A#airs that made it possible to bring the exhibit to Tirana (National Associazione Lucchesi nel Mondo, Museo Puccini di Celle dei Puccini (I-PSCmp) Theater of Opera and Ballet, September, 2010), Belgrade ( Palace, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale Vittorio Emanuele II, Roma (I-Rn)

November, 2010), Bucharest (Italian Institute of Culture, January, 2011) and Biblioteca Statale, Lucca (I-Lg) pp mf f

Sophia (National Theater of Opera and Ballet, March, 2011). Civico Archivio Fotogra"co, Milano (CAFMi) p Comune di Lucca It is my wish that the people of Boston appreciate the exhibit and its Conservatorio di Musica «», Milano (I-Mc) contents, and spread its message. Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio, Lucca (FCRLu)

Gallini, Milano (Coll. Priv. Gallini)

pp

mf

Ian Boyle, www.simplonpc.co.uk (GB-simplon) f Prof. Mauro Favilla, p Mayor of Lucca and President of Giacomo Puccini Foundation Istituto Musicale «Luigi Boccherini», Lucca (I-Li) The Archives, New York (Met) Museo Teatrale alla Scala, Milano (I-Ms) Museo Enrico Caruso, Lastra a Signa (Museo Caruso)

Napoleone Torselli, Firenze (Coll. Priv. Napoleone Torselli)

pp mf f Paolo Finucci, Lucca (Coll. Priv. Paolo Finucci) p Ricordi & C. Spa, Milano (I-Mr) Sergio Bigongiari, Torre del Lago (Coll. Priv. Sergio Bigongiari)

Special thanks to: Colomba Bartalini, Medford, Massachusetts; Howard Gotlieb (Archival Research Center, Boston University); Giulio Battelli (Museo Puccini, Celle dei Puccini); Deborah Burton (Boston University).

Project and design by: Bonucelli Adpower Exhibition design: Bonuccelli Adpower Graphic Design Project: Matteo Bonuccelli Coordination: Simonetta Bigongiari - Maria Chiara Pardini Realization of the Exhibition: Center Chrome, Firenze

We would like to thank for support and cooperation: Daniele Baliani, Belmont, Massachusetts; Ubaldo Bitumi (Creative Touch Studio, Porto San Giorgio, Italy); Nicholas Hebert (Community Partnerships Chair, Boston Opera Collaborative); Giuseppe Pastorelli (Italian Consul General, Dante Alighieri Society, Giacomo Puccini to the Boston); Franca Richard, Winchester, Massachusetts. Mayor of Lucca, letter, Cambridge, Massachusetts. January 9, 1911. Sponsored by: May 22 - May 29, 2011 !"#$% Puccini and Lucca in Boston a di#erent light. Their pride travels and took advantage in having given birth to the of the opportunity to learn composer would produce about other places and The exhibit relates the life and some very significant cultures. He did not lose the career of Giacomo Puccini, born in claims in subsequent years, opportunity to attend opera Lucca on December 22, 1858 and even if awkward, such performances and concerts, died in Brussels on November 29, as: “Puccini is the most always motivated by the desire 1924. It features the composer’s world-famous of all living to learn. Among Puccini’s cultural roots, his studies, his musicians.” Today, Puccini’s travels are to be noted those debuts, his achievement and, operas are performed in the USA in 1907 and 1910, in particular, the bond with in theaters all over the the first in conjunction with his home town. Following this world, but it should be a Puccini festival organized “Puccini journey”, the exhibit remembered that the by the Metropolitan Opera explores the city of Lucca and roots of this widespread of New York, the second on other localities associated with diffusion can be traced to the occasion of the world Puccini. The exhibit supports the massive and constant premiere of La fanciulla del Giacomo Puccini, Minuetto per Quartetto a hypothesis which gradually d’Archi, score for piano. Giacomo Puccini around 1884, portrait promotion conducted by West (December 10, 1910). !"+3&45 with autograph signature. emerged during the research, the editor Ricordi, with In 1907 the Met presented &'(()*+,-.)*+$'('*/-0122- that the bond between Puccini Edgar’s libretto, third version. &'(()*+,-.)*6$7,-8(($*9-$:-*;$.800- the active involvement of Manon Lescaut, Madama and his native city had never been broken. In the exhibit there the composer. It was with Butterfly, and La bohème, are many testimonials of how Giacomo Puccini continued to be the composer’s diligent and loving care that the premieres that is, the masterpieces interested in the life, the news, the culture of Lucca, often attaching of his operas were made possible, while the choice of the that had established the his name and his authority in support of civic institutions. On the theaters and of the international fame of the part of the city, as a sign of reciprocity, there are many proofs cities where the operas composer. Particular attention of how the city and its citizens felt and demonstrated legitimate were to be performed was paid to the “First Italian pride in the fact that Lucca gave birth to Giacomo Puccini. This was strategized by the Performance in America” of recognition became particularly evident starting with the success publishing house. , performed of Edgar at the Teatro del Giglio in 1891. During his formative years, Puccini was happy to in what today is considered critical evaluations greeted the presentation of some of his works, accept and, in some cases such as the Mottetto per San Paolino and the Mass for 4 voices. to solicit, the practice of However, the use of the old saying overseeing his operas “the cats’ sons catch the mice”, in in the most important Teatro del Giglio during Puccini’s time. the review of the "rst of the two performances, both works just mentioned, states a in and outside Italy. Playbill for the grand popular evening, local point of view: the young His involvement in September 26, 1893. <3#1 Giacomo was seen following in the preparation and the glorious and familiar tradition staging was always of four generations of dominant reported by the press to the definitive version. From composers in the city. The emphasize the quality his 1907 stay in America, review of the second work urges and the authenticity there remains the only audio Giacomo to study the classics and of the performance. soundtrack of the composer’s his ancestors, seeming to predict Thus, Puccini was also voice, recorded in the a civic destiny. Instead, with the Giacomo Puccini to his mother, a traveler. Even though Columbia studio: “America Cover of La fanciulla del West’s, easy postcard, June 20, 1883. success of Edgar, even his fellow- Tosca, Lucca, 1900, postcard. he often felt homesick, Forever” which was his adaptation for piano. !"+3&45 citizens "nally placed Puccini in &'(()*+,-.)*<(='*98,>- he profited from his farewell prior to departure. &'(()*+,-.)*38,:-'*9-:'0:-$,-