Puccini: His Life & Music

by Julian Haylock

Puccini is one of the most beloved of all opera composers La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot still play to packed opera houses the world over. Generally snubbed by the critics, Puccini was a serial adulterer whose greatest passions (apart from women) were massacring the local duck population and hurtling around in high-speed cars and boats. Yet behind the macho image, he was a creative artist of profound sensitivity and dramatic flair. This essential music companion provides a compelling overview of the constant tension between Puccini's indulgent personal life, his status as an international celebrity and his excruciatingly high standards as a composer. Contains 2 CDs of music spanning Puccini's career. Free access to a dedicated website with music. Part of the affordable Life and Music series from Naxos Books, utilizing both traditional and new media.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2008