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• Personalities
• Opera
• Turn of the Century

1847–1906, Italian Under Arrigo Boito’s influence, Giacosa developed into the leading Italian playwright of the time. His most striking operatic work was made in conjunction with Puccini. Initially brought in by Giulio Ricordi to smooth the troubled relationship between Puccini and Luigi Illica, Giacosa soon became indispensable. It was Giacosa’s responsibility to take the detailed scenario worked out ...

• Major Operas
• Opera
• Turn of the Century

a colourful, sensual score, is supremely alluring. The opera rarely fails to draw the listener entirely into its world. Composed: 1894–95 Premiered: 1896, Turin Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, after Henry Murger’s novel Scènes de la vie de bohème Act I Marcello, a painter, and Rodolfo, a poet, are shivering in ...

• Major Operas
• Opera
• Turn of the Century

, Illica and Giacosa. It was, as usual, beset by difficulties in the preparation and approval of the libretto. Puccini was as opposed to one particular scene as Giacosa was for it. Puccini, of course, won, but Giacosa remained so convinced that he demanded that the excised text remain in the printed libretto – a request ...

• Major Operas
• Opera
• Turn of the Century

are moments of levity and great beauty, such as Tosca’s aria ‘Vissi d’arte’ (‘I Live for Art’). Composed: 1898–99 Premiered: 1900, Teatro Costanzi, Rome Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, after Victorien Sardou’s play La Tosca Background In 1800 Rome has been taken by an Austro-Neapolitan army. Power lies with Baron Scarpia, the police chief. ...

• Personalities
• Classical
• Composer
• Late Romantic

and instrumental in getting them performed. For Manon Lescaut, his third opera, no fewer than five writers had a hand in the libretto. Two among them, Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, were to collaborate again with him on his three most popular operas, La bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly. Giacosa died in 1906, and ...

• Personalities
• Opera
• Turn of the Century

of Tosca. Illica had been involved in Manon Lescaut, but his relationship with Puccini was not an easy one. Maturity and Mastery Ricordi showed his perspicacity by engaging Giuseppe Giacosa as co-librettist. A law graduate, he had come to be seen as Italy’s pre-eminent playwright and his presence smoothed the way between Puccini and Illica. The results of this ...

• Personalities
• Opera
• Turn of the Century

over the next 20 years. Most significant was his work with Puccini. Although they had a tempestuous relationship, it resulted in Manon Lescaut and, in collaboration with Giuseppe Giacosa, La bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly. Illica’s work, though perhaps not of the highest literary order, shows great awareness of theatre and its needs. His ability ...

• Personalities
• Opera
• Turn of the Century

, glamorous, witty, imperious, publicity-minded, capricious and a great artist on top of all that’. Introduction | Turn of the Century | Opera Personalities | Giuseppe Giacosa | Turn of the Century | Opera Houses & Companies | Opéra-Comique | Early Romantic | Opera ...