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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.
...when you travel with Kirker
Flights with Easyjet:
Depart Gatwick at 12.25 arrive Pisa at 15.40
Depart Pisa at 16.15 arrive Gatwick at 17.30
Patrick Bade taught for the University of Glasgow MA programme at Christie’s Education in London. He had worked at Christie’s since 1981, where he also gave courses on the history of opera.
During his career he has lectured at the Jewish Cultural Centre, the National Gallery, the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Opera House and the University of Barcelona. Patrick has also participated in programmes on BBC Radio 3, Radio 4 and Classic FM. His first book Femme Fatale: Images of Evil and Fascinating Women came out in 1978. Since then he has written monographs and essays on numerous 19th and early 20th century artists and his latest publications include a book on the use of music in World War II, Music Wars, 1937-45 and the essay Neo-Neoclassicism: Classicism between the Wars.
Charlie Hall has known Italy intimately since 1965 when his father set up the excellent John Hall Venice course for gap year students who wish to become enlightened by many aspects of Venetian and Italian culture.
He now runs the programme with his father and spends almost half of the year working in Italy. He has designed courses for the Christie's Education 'Collecting and Great Collections’ programmes and the Serpentine Gallery ‘Collectors Circle’ as well as for The Soho House group of members’ clubs. Charlie has now led many Italian tours for Kirker, to destinations including Rome, Florence and Venice, and has proved to be very popular with our clients.
10 & 25 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.
11 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.
12 & 26 August: Il Tabarro by Puccini &
Duke Bluebeards’s Castle by Bela Bartok
First performed on 14 December 1918 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, Il Tabarra is set on a barge on the River Seine tells the story of the poor and struggling people of Paris. It forms the first of Puccini’s magnificent trio of one act operas, Il trittico (The Triptych), which also includes Suor Angelica, and Gianni Schicchi. A grim verismo story of barge-owner Michele and his wife Giorgetta, who has an affair with Luigi. Michele becomes aware of his wife’s infidelity and strangles Luigi, hiding his dead body under his cloak - il tabarro - and revealing the corpse in a macabre denouement.
Il Tabarro is being performed as the first half of a double-bill with Duke Bluebeard’s Castle by Béla Bartók. First performed on 24 May 1918 at the Royal Hungarian Opera House in Budapest, this short opera is based on the French literary tale La Barbe bleue by Charles Perrault, and features just two singing characters.
24 August: Madama Butterfly
The tragic story of Cio-Cio-San who is betrayed by Pinkerton, a cynical American naval lieutenant who returns to Japan to take away their son.
Tour Leader
Patrick Bade taught for the University of Glasgow MA programme at Christie’s Education in London. He had worked at Christie’s since 1981, where he also gave courses on the history of opera.
During his career he has lectured at the Jewish Cultural Centre, the National Gallery, the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Opera House and the University of Barcelona. Patrick has also participated in programmes on BBC Radio 3, Radio 4 and Classic FM. His first book Femme Fatale: Images of Evil and Fascinating Women came out in 1978. Since then he has written monographs and essays on numerous 19th and early 20th century artists and his latest publications include a book on the use of music in World War II, Music Wars, 1937-45 and the essay Neo-Neoclassicism: Classicism between the Wars.
Our expert reservations team regularly travel to a wide range of destinations to explore new cities, visit hotels and to research museums, galleries and restaurants so that we can offer the most up-to-date advice and recommendations.
