Puccini e la sua Lucca 

This music festival is has been a growing permanent feature in Lucca for the last ten years and proudly claims it is ‘the only permanent festival in the world’ that is dedicated to the work of Giacomo Puccini.

It was founded by Professor of Music Andrea Colombini, a well-known musician, conductor and extrovert character passionate about placing Puccini at the centre of music in Lucca. In the colourful folder handed to every attendee at the concerts Andrea Colombini underlines the perceived ambivalent attitude, even snobbery shown towards Puccini during his lifetime and the fact that this has now begun to change as the Lucchese honour their most famous son.

As an unforgettable experience whilst visiting in Lucca I highly recommend you to glance at their informative website www.puccinielassualucca.com that explains in detail the numerous performances given by many wonderful professional singers, pianists and at certain times full orchestras. As a local and friend of the organization I enjoy these more intimate pared-down performances, normally piano and two singers where one can feel closer to the music as it must have been originally composed by the maestro. To listen to his music in his home town of Lucca in such beautifully simple settings is to hear and feel Puccini at its best.

Puccini was baptized in San Giovanni and played the organ for the clergy and the ‘faithful’ of Lucca in most of the churches, in particular those closest to his home which were San Paolino in the street of the same name and also San Michele in the large piazza just at the end of his street Via di Poggio. Little has changed from the days of Puccini’s childhood in this small intimate and atmospheric part of Lucca.