8 Things About Puccini You May Not Have Known

You think you know Giacomo puccini? go through our list and see how many of these facts you already know!

1. Puccini's full name was Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini. He was named after four recent ancestors.

2. Puccini struggled in school at Seminario di San Michele and Seminario di San Martino. He was expelled several times and only re-admitted with his mother's insistance.

3. Puccini was worth roughly $200 million dollars when he died. He is considered one of the most commercially successful composers of all time.

4. Puccini almost missed his first Metropolitan Opera opening in 1907 for his opera Manon Lescaut. The steamer ship he was traveling on was late getting to port the night of the premiere.

5. Puccini was a playboy. He had a long-standing affair with a married woman (Elvira) until her husband died and Puccini was able to marry her. His infidelity continued throughout their marriage as well.

6. Puccini included "cars" along with pay, accomodations, and expenses in his contracts with the Met. He was an avid fan of automobiles and technology.

7. Puccini was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1923. It was deemed inoperable, and experimental radiation treatments caused a fatal heart attack in 1924.

8. Puccini never finished Turandot. When he passed away in 1924, the piece was incomplete. In 1926, it was picked back up and finished by Franco Alfano who used Puccini's sketches as a guiding framework for how it should be completed.

Experience Puccini's masterpieces for yourself with Opera Memphis's upcoming production Puccini Double Bill: Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi.
For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For more about Puccini, check out these articles:
When Puccini Came, Saw and Conquered New York City
Giacomo Puccini Biography
10 Puccini Facts – Interesting Facts About Giacomo Puccini