• 15 Sunday June 2008 – Puccini's Concert IV Act
• 11 Friday July 2008 - Turandot
• 12 Saturday July 2008 - Tosca
• 18 Friday July 2008 - Tosca
• 19 Saturday July 2008 – Turandot
• 20 Sunday July 2008 – Madama Butterfly
• 25 Friday July 2008 - Turandot
• 26 Saturday July 2008 – Madama Butterfly
• 27 Sunday July 2008 - Tosca
• 2 Saturday August 2008 - Madama Butterfly
• 3 Sunday August 2008 – Turandot
• 8 Friday August 2008 - Tosca
• 9 Saturday August 2008 – Edgar
• 10 Sunday August 2008 - Turandot
• 16 Saturday August 2008 – Edgar
• 17 Sunday August 2008 - Madama Butterfly
• 22 Friday August 2008 - Tosca
• 23 Saturday August 2008 - Turandot
• 5 Friday September 2008 - Lyrical Gala

Dates are confirmed and to check the casts for the Operas click on the above tabs, ahead this year. Dates and casts informations are courtesy supplied by the Puccini’s Festival Organization.

• June 15th, 2008 at 09:15 pm
  

In cooperation with Comitato Nazionale Celebrazioni Pucciniane
Philharmonic Orchestra of La Scala and Philharmonic Choir of La Scala

Conducted by
Riccardo Chailly

Dates and casts informations are courtesy supplied by the Puccini’s Festival Organization.

• 20 Sunday July 2008 at 09:15 pm
  
• 26 Saturday July 2008 at 09:15 pm
  
• 2 Saturday August 2008 at 09:15 pm
  
• 17 Sunday August 2008 at 09:15 pm
  

Production, Sets & Costumes by:

Ugo Nespolo

Director:

Stefano Vizioli

Music Director by:

Julian Reynolds ( 20th, 26th July - 2nd August )
Carmine Pinto ( 17th August )

Chorus's Director by:

Stefano Visconti

Orchestra and Chorus of the Puccini's Festival

Cio Cio San by:

Svetla Vassileva ( 20th, 26th July - 2nd August )
Elmira Veda( 17th August )

Suzuki by:

Mariella Guarnera

Kate Pinkerton by:

Alice Quintavalla

B.F. Pinkerton by:

Massimiliano Pisapia ( 20th, 26th July )
Fabio Sartori ( 2nd, 17th August )

Sharpless by:

Alessandro Corbelli ( 20th, 26th July )
Marzio Giossi ( 2nd, 17th August )

Goro by:

Emanuele Giannino

Uncle Bonzo by:

Manrico Signorini

Prince Yamadori by:

Enrico Maria Marabelli

 

Music by:
Giacomo Puccini

Libretto by:
Luigi Illica & Giuseppe Giacosa

First performed February 17th 1904 in Milan

SYNOPSIS

During his stay in Nagasaki, Pinkerton, an American Navy officer, marries the geisha Cio-cio-san. For Pinkerton the marriage is only a joke, but not for Butterfly, who has fallen in love with him very much, even against her faith and her family. After a short time, the officer goes back to America without any advice. Butterfly waits for him "with sure faith" and she refuses all the proposals by other wooers: she thinks she is still married to Pinkerton and lives in poverty together with their son and with the faithful Suzuki. In order to cancel all her illusions, the Consul Sharpless reads to Butterfly the letter received from Pinkerton: Pinkerton announces he is back with his American wife. The reading is continually interrupted by Cio-cio-san, who naively thinks that her husband is coming back to her. Suddenly a cannon-shot from the harbour informs the arrival of a war-ship. It is Pinkerton's ship. Unfortunately, things do not go as Cio-cio-san had hoped: Pinkerton and his wife Kate have come back to take the little child with them. When Cio-cio-san realizes the truth, she kills herself "following the Japanese way", while Pinkerton is struck by regret.

Dates and casts informations are courtesy supplied by the Puccini’s Festival Organization.

• 12 Saturday July 2008 at 09:15 pm
  
• 18 Friday July 2008 at 09:15 pm
  
• 27 Sunday July 2008 at 09:15 pm
  
• 8 Friday August 2008 at 09:15 pm
  
• 22 Friday August 2008 at 09:15 pm
  

Production, Sets & Costumes by:

Igor Mitoraj

Director:

Mario Corradi

Music Director by:

Joel Levi ( 12th, 18th and 27th July )
Cem Mansur ( 8th and 22th August )

Chorus's Director by:

Stefano Visconti

Orchestra and Chorus of the Puccini's Festival

Floria Tosca by:

Daniela Dessi' ( 12th, 18th July )
Hui He ( 27th July, 8th and 22nd August )

Mario Cavaradossi by:

Fabio Armiliato ( 12th, 18th July )
Badri Maisuradze ( 27th July, 8th and 22nd August )

Kate Pinkerton by:

Alice Quintavalla

Scarpia by:

Giorgio Surian

Cesare Angellotti by:

Mario Luperi

Spoletta by:

Massimo La Guardia

Sciarrone by:

Fernando Ciuffo

The new staging of Puccini’s masterpiece, direction and sets "sculpted" by the great artist Igor Mitoraj, will be dominated by colours: red, black, grey, blue. An essential scenery where the church of Sant’Andrea della Valle will be represented by the light of many candles and drapes and banners with sacred images. An angel sculpted by Mitoraj is dominating the stage during the third act.

SYNOPSIS

In the interior of the church of Sant’Andrea della Valle, the painter Cavaradossi discovers his old friend Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner who is now in flight and hiding from the prison guards, who are looking for him led by the evil Scarpia, Chief of Police. Cavaradossi is pledging to help his friend when Tosca arrives, jealous because she heard her lover whispering with someone, although now he is alone. The painter reassures her and Tosca departs, after the two agree to meet that evening. Angelotti reappears, and Cavaradossi takes him to hide at his villa outside the city. Choristers and acolytes arrive to celebrate the Te Deum, and Scarpia enters looking for Angelotti, bringing a sombre mood to the proceedings. Tosca returns looking for Cavaradossi: she has been engaged to sing that evening and cannot meet him as planned. Scarpia seizes the opportunity to play upon Tosca’s jealousy, and filled with insecurities, she rushes away to Cavaradossi’s villa in search of him. Scarpia sends his henchman, Spoletta, to follow her. Against the background of the Te Deum, Scarpia expresses his burning desire to possess Tosca. Scarpia is having supper in his apartment at the Palace. Tosca’s voice can be heard in the background, singing at the engagement she had previously made. Cavaradossi is dragged in for questioning, but he refuses to give up his friend Angelotti. Scarpia, infuriated by the painter's obstinacy, writes a note summoning Tosca. She arrives to find the painter manacled, but he begs her in a whisper not to betray Angelotti. Cavaradossi is taken to the next room, leaving Tosca and Scarpia alone. As he is tortured, Tosca is unable to withstand any of her lover’s cries of agony and reveals Angelotti’s whereabouts. Cavaradossi is brought back and scolds Tosca bitterly; but Scarpia has the two of them just where he wants them, and begins to put into practice his diabolical plan to have Tosca at any cost. He orders that Cavaradossi is taken and imprisoned at Castel Sant’Angelo, where he is to be shot at dawn. Tosca entreats Scarpia to show mercy; Spoletta enters with news that rather than be recaptured, Angelotti has taken his own life. Scarpia offers Tosca a despicable deal: he will trade Cavaradossi’s life for a night of passion with her. When Tosca agrees, Scarpia tells her that there will be a mock execution at dawn, after which she and her lover can flee together. He writes her a passage of safe conduct, and as he begins to make her odious advances towards her, Tosca plunges a knife into him, snatched from Scarpia’s own supper table. Dawn, on a parapet of Castel Sant’Angelo. Cavaradossi is brought up from his cell in preparation for his execution. Tosca arrives and explains that the firing squad will be using blanks, and that she has put an end to Scarpia’s evil ways forever. They dream of their future happiness together, the executioners file in, and the execution takes place. When everyone has gone, Tosca calls to her lover to rise. He is still. To Tosca’s horror and disbelief, when she pulls back the cloth that had been placed over his body, she discovers that Scarpia has cheated her after all, and her lover is dead. Spoletta rushes in to arrest Tosca, having found Scarpia’s murdered body, but Tosca has other ideas: she hurls herself over the parapet to her death.

Dates and casts informations are courtesy supplied by the Puccini’s Festival Organization.

• 11 Friday July 2008 at 09:15 pm
• 19 Saturday July 2008 at 09:15 pm
• 25 Friday July 2008 09:15 pm
• 3 Sunday August 2008 at 09:15 pm
• 10 Sunday August 2008 at 09:15 pm
• 23 Saturday July 2008 at 09:15 pm

Production & Sets by:
Ezio Frigerio

Costumes by:
Franca Squarciapino

Director:

Maurizio Scaparro

Music Director by:

Alberto Veronesi ( 11th, 25th July - 3rd, 10th August )
Giuseppe Acquaviva ( 19th Luglio - 23rd August )

Chorus's Director by:

Stefano Visconti

Orchestra and Chorus of the Puccini's Festival

Turandot by:

Francesca Patane' ( 11th, 19th, 25th July - 3rd August )
Alessandra Marc ( 10th, 23rd August )

Calaf by:

Francesco Hong

Liu' by:

Donata D'Annunzio Lombardi

Timur by:

Dejan Vatchkov

Ping by:

Massimiliano Valleggi

Pong by:

Emanuele Giannino

Pang by:

Nicola Pamio

Altoum by:

Giorgio Berrugi

Text by:

Giuseppe Adami & Renato Simoni

Adaptation by:

Carlo Gozzi

Music & Libretto by:

Giacomo Puccini

First performed April 25, 1926 in Milan.

SYNOPSIS

In Peking, the Princess Turandot has decided she will marry only he who will be able to answer three riddles. If he fails,he will die. The most recent suitor, the Prince of Persia, is to be executed at the moon's rising. In the crowd, a slave girl, Liù, kneels by her aged master,who has fallen from exhaustion. A handsome youth, Calaf, recognizes the old man as his long lost father, Timur. Turandot appears, and with a contemptuous gesture she orders that the execution proceed. Then she vanishes. As the death cry is heard from the distance, Calaf, transfixed by the beauty of the princess, strides to the gong that announces a new suitor. Suddenly Turandot's three ministers, Ping, Pang, and Pong, materialize to discourage him. In their Palace apartments, Ping, Pang, and Pong lament Turandot's bloody reign, praying that love will conquer her icy heart and restore peace. Within the walls of the Imperial Palace, the old Emperor vainly asks Calaf to reconsider. Heralded by a chorus of children, Turandot enters to describe how her beautiful ancestor, Princess Lou-Ling, was abducted and killed by a conquering prince; in revenge, she has turned against men and determined that none shall ever possess her. Facing Calaf, she poses her first question: What is born each night and dies each dawn? "Hope," Calaf answers, correctly. Unnerved, Turandot continues: What flickers red and warm like a flame, yet is not a flame? "Blood," Calaf replies after a moment's pause. Shaken, Turandot delivers the third riddle: What is like ice but burns? Tense silence prevails until Calaf triumphantly cries, "Turandot!" While the crowd expresses thanks, the princess vainly begs her father not to give her to the stranger. Hoping to win her love, Calaf offers Turandot a challenge of his own: if she can learn his name by dawn, he will forfeit his life. In the Imperial Gardens, Calaf hears a proclamation: on pain of death no one in Peking shall sleep until Turandot learns the stranger's name. Calaf foresees victory for his love, but Ping, Pang, and Pong try to bribe him to leave the city. As the fearful mob threatens him with daggers to learn his name, soldiers drag in Liù and Timur; Calaf tries to convince the mob that neither of them knows his secret. When Turandot appears, commanding the dazed Timur to speak, Liù cries out that she alone knows the stranger's identity and will never reveal it. Though tortured, she remains silent. Impressed by such fortitude, Turandot asks Liù's secret. "Love," replies the girl. When the soldiers intensify the torture, Liù tells Turandot that she, too, will know the joys of love and then snatches a dagger and kills herself. The crowd, fearing her ghost, forms her funeral procession. Turandot, veiled by her attendants, remains alone to confront Calaf, who tears the covering from her face and impetuously kisses her. Knowing emotion for the first time, Turandot weeps. Calaf, now sure of winning her, reveals his identity. Once again before the Emperor's throne, Turandot declares she knows the stranger's name: it is Love. The court salutes the power of love and life.

Dates and casts informations are courtesy supplied by the Puccini’s Festival Organization.

• 9 Saturday August 2008 at 09:15 pm
  
• 16 Saturday August 2008 at 09:15 pm
  

Production & Sets by:
Roger Dean

Costumes by:
Freyjan Dean

Director:

Vivien A. Hewitt

Music Director by:

Pier Giorgio Morandi

Chorus's Director by:

Stefano Visconti

Orchestra and Chorus of the Puccini's Festival

Edgar by:

Marco Berti

Fidelia by:

Cristina Gallardo-Domas

Tigrana by:

Rossana Rinaldi

Frank by:

Luca Salsi

Gualtiero by:

Rafal Siwek

First representation Teatro alla Scala, 21 April 1889 in Milan

SYNOPSIS

The farmers return from the fields in the afternoon. Edgar has been sleeping in a tavern. His girl friend, Fidelia, awakens him and both go home. At the instigation of Edgar's father, Gualtiero, Tigrana, a gypsy girl, ridicules him because of his affection for innocent Fidelia. Fidelia's brother, Frank, is attracted by Tigrana's charm. Tigrana sings a bold song when the mass is celebrated and arouses the farmers' anger. Edgar defends her, and is seduced by her beauty. He flees with her. Edgar regrets his life with Tigrana and wants to go back to Fidelia. Tigrana is unable to dissuade him from this intention. Frank, now a military commandant, visits them. Edgar joins the army and leaves Tigrana. She swears vengeance. Edgar dies in the war and is interred. A monk stirs up sentiment among the people against the dead man. Fidelia, who kneels by the coffin, mourns Edgar's death and defends him. Then she leaves with her father. Tigrana and the mysterious monk still curse at Edgar so much that the aroused townspeople tear open the coffin — inside there is only a suit of armor. The monk takes off his cloak and is recognized — he is Edgar. He threatens Tigrana and she runs away. Edgar embraces Fidelia. Tigrana, who is jealous, appears silently and stabs Fidelia. Edgar takes the dying Fidelia into his arms and Tigrana is arrested by the soldiers.

Dates and casts informations are courtesy supplied by the Puccini’s Festival Organization.