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The Puccini Opera Festival

Lucca 5 nights Price from £2,849 per person
Departs: 07 Aug 2024, 21 Aug 2024
Departs: 07 Aug 2024

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Giacomo Puccini was born into a musical family in Lucca on 22 December 1858. As a boy Puccini sang in the choir of the Cathedral of San Martino and later received his musical education at the conservatory in Milan. His first opera, Le Villi, was performed in 1884. For the next forty years, until his death in 1924, Puccini composed operas which today are still the most performed works on the stages of the world’s opera houses. From mid-July to mid-August each year the Puccini Festival is held in Torre del Lago near Lucca on the peaceful shores of Lake Massaciuccoli.

 

What's included

...when you travel with Kirker

  • Return flights
  • Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast
  • Five dinners
  • First category tickets for all three performances as described
  • All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities
  • Services of the Kirker Tour Leader

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Albergo Celide

    We fly to Pisa airport and transfer to Lucca where we stay for five nights at the 3* Albergo Celide, located just outside the city walls. Dinner is included in a local restaurant this evening. 
  • Day 2 - Pistoia

    This morning we drive to Pistoia, a lovely small town whose fortunes were eclipsed by its more powerful and wealthier neighbours, Lucca and Florence. We will explore the compact historic centre and visit the cathedral of San Zeno, the Baptistery with its typical Tuscan Gothic green and white striped marble. There will be time to enjoy a coffee in the historic Café Valiani – Puccini often stopped by for a caffè macchiato.  This evening we go to Torre del Lago for the first performance. Dinner is included before the opera. 
  • Day 3 - Lucca & Torre del Lago

    Today we begin with a walking tour of Lucca. Highlights include the Duomo where four generations of Puccini's forebears were organists, and the Church of San Michele in Foro where Puccini was a chorister, another fine example of Pisan Romanesque architecture. Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca in 1858 and we will visit his birthplace, now a museum dedicated to the composer’s life and music.  This afternoon we visit the villa at Torre del Lago where Puccini lived and worked before staying on for dinner and the opera.
  • Day 4 - Lucca

    We visit to the Romanesque church of San Frediano. Next, we go to the Piazza Anfiteatro, a square built on the foundations of the Roman amphitheatre and still retains its shape and some of its ancient elements. We will pause here for coffee before walking to Palazzo Pfanner, an attractive palace with an Italian-style baroque garden. We head to Torre del Lago for dinner and the final opera.
  • Day 5 - The Teatro Vetriano

    Today we visit the smallest public theatre in the world – the Teatro Vetriano, located just outside the city in the Lucchese Hills. Built in 1890 and donated to the community by an enlightened farmer, the theatre was saved from ruin by FAI – the Italian equivalent of our own National Trust. Before returning to Lucca, we go to the Chestnut & Colognora Museum, which also includes a room dedicated to the composer, Alfredo Catalani, who is best known for the aria 'Ebben? Ne andro lontana' from his opera La Wally. A farewell dinner is included in a local restaurant in Lucca this evening. 
  • Day 6 - Departure Day

    We are collected from the hotel and transferred to Florence airport for our return flight.

Flight Details

Flights with British Airways:

Depart Heathrow at 08.15 arrive Pisa at 11.25
Depart Florence at 11.55 arrive Heathrow at 13.10

Departure Dates and Prices

07 Aug 2024

Status Available

Price from£2849

Single Supp.£397

Book Now Enquire

21 Aug 2024

Status Available

Price from£2849

Single Supp.£397

Book Now Enquire
Patrick Bade

Patrick Bade

Tour Leader

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Charlie Hall

Charlie Hall

Tour Leader

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Music Programme

8 & 22 August: La Bohème
This is the world’s most popular and best loved opera. The poet Rodolfo is visited by his neighbour, the seamstress Mimi. They fall in love and embark on a bitter-sweet doomed love affair.  Unbeknown to Rodolfo, Mimi is terminally ill. In the most heart-wrenching scene in all opera, Mimi expires on her bed. The music tells us that she has died with a series of searing chords as Rodolfo sobs uncontrollably, all hope of love extinguished.


10 & 23 August: Turandot
An icy and imperious princess’s heart melts against her will when Calaf beats her at her own game and she discovers love and passion.


9 & 24 August: Tosca 
First performance given at Teatro Costanzi, Rome on 14 January 1900. Margarethe Wallman’s much loved classic production was first seen more than sixty years ago in 1958. Yoel Gamzou conducts with Bulgarian soprano Krassimira Stoyanova in the title role, Riccardo Massì as Cavaradossi and Mongolian baritone Enkhbatyn Amartüvshin as the villainous Baron Scarpia.

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