La Vie Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly: the world knows Puccini by his most famous operas. But tonight we will see and hear two real rarities from his workshop: the first is an instrumental piece, the second, vocal. Both are earlier compositions, representatives of the creative years before his big successes. Giacomo Puccini’s success didn’t fall into his lap. As a young composer, he had to work hard to be recognised. In 1883, he submitted his first opera, titled Le villi, to a contest hosted by the Sonzogno label. The jury didn’t even consider the piece worthy of attention. Its production on stage and huge popular success a few years later was thanks to his older associate Arrigo Boito’s support. The piece is a romantic fantasy: a siren seduces a groom into betraying his bride, who dies of a broken heart. The Villi then dance the young traitor to death. In 1890, after Le Villi, but before his career-defining successes, Puccini composed an elegiac sounding string quartet with the title Crisantemi, or Chrysanthemums. The piece can be played by an orchestra as well, which is how you will hear it this evening.