Giacomo Puccini: From the composer to the pop star of the Opera World
Giacomo Puccini: From the composer to the pop star of the Opera World
The world of classical music is currently shaped by a special exhibition in Milan. On the occasion of the hundredth day of death of the famous composer Giacomo Puccini on November 29, a multimedia show will be presented in the Museum of the Milan Scala, which impressively emphasizes the size and inheritance of the composer. This event is not only perceived by lovers of the opera, but also attracts a wide audience that wants to recognize the connection between music and modern marketing strategies.
Giacomo Puccini, born in Lucca in 1858, already made a brilliant entry into the world of opera with his opera “Manon Lescaut” in 1893. Soon afterwards he was considered a worthy successor to the legendary Giuseppe Verdi. He received special attention not only from his musical masterpieces, but also from skillful marketing, which was promoted by his publisher Ricordi. This used advanced advertising strategies to make Puccini a real brand and to increase its awareness far beyond the opera stages.
worthy successor and pop star of the opera world
The exhibition organized by the Archivio Storico Ricordi, part of the media group Bertelsmann, shows various facets of Puccini's life. Among the exhibits are rare original documents, including unpublished sketches for his last opera "Turandot". These sketches show the background of his creativity and the challenges with which he was confronted. Ironically, Puccini died of the consequences of larynx cancer without being able to complete the opera. But “Turandot” was positively premiered at the famous conductor Arturo Toscanini in 1926 at the Scala.
The success Puccinis as a composer came together with the rise of new technologies. Discounts brought his music into the living room of the people and contributed to increasing the level of awareness of his operas. During this time, the Ricordi publishing house tried to form the composer into a "brand" that stood for a luxurious attitude to life. Puccini used his prominence to make advertising for various products, which made it the forerunner of modern influencers.
a connection to the present
The exhibition design, which was designed by the curators Gabriele Dotto, Ellen Lockhart and Christy Thomas Adams, spans an arc from staging his portrait on posters and postcards to early gramophone recordings to innovative applications of artificial intelligence. Such progress offer new perspectives and bring Puccini's work to the present day.
The other highlights of the show not only include dealing with Puccini's marketing strategies, but also the embedding of his music in the context of the entertainment industry at the time, which also spoke to the emerging bourgeoisie. During Puccini's time, numerous silent films that worked with his opera fabrics were created, and he only supported such projects against payment of license fees.
With this exhibition it becomes visible how Giacomo Puccini is not only considered a composer of operas, but also as a cultural icon and pioneer of modern marketing. These insights not only fascinate music lovers, but also those who are interested in the interactions between art, society and business. The evening events and workshops as part of the exhibition offer visitors the opportunity to dive deeper into the world of Puccinis.
For a detailed view of the life and work of Puccini, the exhibition in Milan is the ideal place to be inspired and to experience the connection between past and the present. With this comprehensive appreciation, those responsible not only honor Puccini's extraordinary talent, but also show how his music remains relevant to this day.