Show COMPOSER OF MADAM BUTTERFLY COMES FROM celebrated MUSICAL FAMILY giacomo puccini the gifted italian composer of madam butterfly the japanese grand opera that mr henry W savage has given its first american production in english first became known in american musical circles gli tho medium ot his la boheme and tosca both 0 which have acon in the repertoire of the savage english grand opera company puccini was born in lucca italy in 1858 and is one of a long line of musicians sic ians for alvo generations his family has been famous as composers of operas and church father ans held in such high esteem by his countrymen that his death waa regarded as a national calamity began his musical education at an early ago and was assisted in hh studies by a great uncle after learning all there was to be learned in lucca a pension from the queen of italy enabled him to enter the milan conservatory the pension lasted but a year and at the end of that time his uncle again came to his assistance and he continued his studies under composing some orchestral music on completing his course turin in 1896 and tosca which had its first performance in 1900 at the costanza Co rome apart from his musical endowments puccini la an athletic cheery individual whose chief pleasure is found in the entertainment of congenial corn pan lons or when engaged in some hunting expedition his frank hearty and generous disposition and overflowing hospitality has endeared him to the italian at large an instance of this feeling toward the composer was when upon receiving as a gift from a friend a plot of land and his subsequent announcement of hia intention of building a house upon it architects and decorators hastened to honor him by offering their services gratuitously puccini regards madam butterfly as his masterpiece and his interest in its first american production was great he devoted considerable time during the ladt summer to assisting the agents of mr savage in the selection of voices for the production in tho united states both elza and rena vivyenne Viv lenne being especially recommended by him for the great title role that met with more than ordinary success cinis debut as a composer of operatic music was made in competition for th first prize offered by his opera was written on a subject by and was entitled le hilll it consisted of but one act and dealt with one of the familiar italian folk tales while it failed to win the prize it was produced in milan in 1884 and its indisputable success induced the ficor als to purchase and produce it amplified into two acts at la scala in 1885 his second opera edgar was produced at la scala in 1889 where it mot with decisive failure cinis third composition manon lescaut was produced in 1893 at turin and mado a sensation unlike Masse nets annon with its dainty delicate sentiment cinis production Is strong and throbbing with passion and is of turbulent action until his latest sensational work madam butterfly the operas in which the great italian has scored his most notable successes and which are most familiar famil far 0 o the american opera lover are la bobeda produced in AA sass i |