Puccini: Le Villi

Le Villi is Puccini’s first stage work. It was written for an 1883 competition of one-act operas by the publisher Sonzogno in his periodical Il teatro illustrato, but did not even earn an honorable mention. According to Mosco Carner, this may have been because it was written in such haste that the score was all but illegible. His supporters, who included Arrigo Boito, funded the first production, whose favorable reception led to publication by Giulio Ricordi. Puccini’s mother received the following telegram on the night of premiere at the Teatro dal Verme on 31 May 1884: “Theatre packed, immense success; anticipations exceeded; eighteen calls; finale of first act encored thrice”’.Ricordi urged the composer to expand the work, and Puccini did, producing a new version later that year, which was followed by modifications in 1888, and the final version in 1892.

This recording, originally released on Nuova Era in 2005, features amongst others Jose Cura as Roberto.

The complete operas of Giacomo Puccini, released in an attractive box set to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth in December 2008.

December 12, 2008 is the 150th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest composers of opera, Giacomo Puccini.

Sony BMG Masterworks celebrates this Jubilee with its COMPLETE OPERAS EDITION, which for the first time combines all of Puccini’s operatic works in this exclusive 20-disc edition.