Badass composer with a moustache
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) was an Italian composer, sometimes referred to as "the last greatest opera composer". This is probably justified, as his operas are among the most frequently performed, and every opera company has them in their repertoire. Some arias from his operas are well known even to a non-operatic audience, like
O mio babbino caro
and
Nessun dorma.
Puccini's works are:
Tropes often found in Puccini's works:
- Author Existence Failure: Turandot had to be finished by his student Franco Alfano. Arturo Toscanini rather famously conducted the premiere of Turandot and, upon reaching the point where Puccini died, set down his baton, gave a few solemn words, and walked off-stage.
- Badass Baritone: Not so evident as in Verdi's works but Puccini's operas have their share of badass low-voiced guys: Jack Rance (La Fanciulla del West), Michele (Il Tabarro), Scarpia.
- Break the Cutie: Puccini loved doing this. He even referred to the librettists of Turandot as "my puppet executioners".
- Deus Angst Machina: And how...
- Downer Ending: Puccini was the king of this trope. Only Gianni Schicchi and, arguably, La Fanciulla del West and Turandot don't have a Downer Ending.
- Driven to Suicide: A frequent fate for his characters.
- Melodrama: Very much so but at the same time deconstructed: Puccini's heroines are not Shallow Love Interests but well-rounded and strong characters, his villains are universally more interesting than the tenor protagonists, and his stories are miles above a standard opera plot.
- Tenor Boy
- The Villain Makes the Plot
- Tragedy
Tropes associated to Puccini's life:
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