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- Puccini, Giacomo
Duration: 4 minutes
Description: Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) composed his opera EDGAR in 1889, following the success of his first stage work LE VILLI and at the encouragement of his publisher, Giulio Ricordi. Premiered at La Scala in Milan in 1889, the opera met with only modest success and underwent several revisions, though it never achieved the enduring popularity of Puccini’s later masterpieces. The “Prelude to Act III,” however, stands out as one of the score’s most striking moments, offering a poignant orchestral meditation that foreshadows the dramatic intensity and lyrical gift Puccini would fully realize in MANON LESCAUT and LA BOHÈME. While the complete opera is seldom performed today, the “Prelude” is occasionally programmed in concert as a rare glimpse into Puccini’s early style, valued both for its expressive orchestration and for the light it sheds on his artistic development. Instrumentation: 3.2.2.2: 4.3.3+BTbn.0: Timp.Perc(2): Hp: St (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Reprint edition.