Premiering at the Teatro dal Verme in Milan in May 1884, La villi was well received by the audience. However, in 1864 Michele passed away when Puccini was just 5 years old, and so the position was held for him by the church in anticipation of his eventual coming of age. It was therefore taken for granted that Puccini would carry on this legacy, succeeding his father, Michele, in the role first held by his great-great grandfather. Giacomo Puccini was born on December 22, 1858, in Lucca, Italy, where since the 1730s his family had been tightly interwoven with the musical life of the city, providing five generations of organists and composers to the Cathedral of San Martino, Lucca’s religious heart. Puccini died of post-operative shock on November 29, 1924.

But the fame and fortune that came with such successes as La Boh è me, Madama Butterfly and Tosca were complicated by an often-troubled personal life. Italian composer Giacomo Puccini started the operatic trend toward realism with his popular works, which are among the most often performed in opera history. Italian composer Giacomo Puccini started the operatic trend toward realism with popular works such as 'La Bohème' and 'Madama Butterfly.' Who Was Giacomo Puccini?

Puccini opera festival lucca