It tells the story of the man-hating Chinese princess, Turandot, and Calaf the man who finally melts her heart. Turandot was the last opera that Puccini wrote in Milan and Rome in 1921. Leopoldo Metlicovitz, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons The best-known pieces from this spectacular opera are “One Fine Day” and the “Humming chorus”. This is too much for Cio-Cio, who takes her own life in the final and very dramatic scene. Benjamin Pinkerton does not return to Nagasaki for three years – and when he does, it is with his new American wife. Pinkerton is posted back to the United States and Cio-Cio waits patiently, looking forward to his return with their little boy. On their wedding night, Cio-Cio becomes pregnant with their son. Her parents totally disapprove of the match but the two marry. Cio-Cio’s name means ‘butterfly’ in Japanese and Pinkerton nicknames her this. Giacomo Puccini wrote this famous opera in Milan in 1904, based it on a popular play that he had seen performed in London four years earlier.Ĭio-Cio is a beautiful 15 year old Geisha girl who falls in love with the dashing American naval lieutenant Benjamin Pinkerton in Nagasaki, Japan. La Bohème by Giacomo PucciniĪdolfo Hohenstein (1854–1928), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

L’Orfeo was first performed at the Duke of Mantua’s court where it was a great success. In doing this, Monteverdi created a new style of music which in those days was called dramma per musica – musical tragedy.

Orpheus is heart broken and tries to save her from the underworld using his music.įor the first time, in a large-scale composition, Monteverdi indicated in the musical score, which instrument should play which part. L’Orfeo is Monteverdi’s first opera and is an emotional and melancholic opera that tells the mythological story of how Euridice dies from a snake bite. He composed both holy and secular music including three operas that marked the change from Renaissance to Baroque style. Monteverdi was born in Cremona, northern Italy and was a violinist, choirmaster and priest. The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossiniġ0 Well Known Italian Operas You Must See L’Orfeo- By Claudio MonteverdiĬlaudio Monteverdi is nicknamed the ‘father of opera’ as he was one of its early pioneers.10 Well Known Italian Operas You Must See.

Opera music examples