Opera fans love Giacomo Puccini. The last of the great Italian opera composers, he never fails to thrill us with his soaring melodies or to move us with his pathos. But let’s a take a closer look at Puccini’s world and discover what lies behind the music, as we watch Puccini evolve from a composer in the grand tradition of Italian opera into a ground-breaking exponent of supercharged post-Romantic “verismo.” We’ll search for the real people and true stories behind his operas, and uncover fascinating details about Puccini’s, often tumultuous, career. We’ll investigate his life and art in their historical context and use video examples to examine in detail his emotionally stirring music dramas. No previous opera background required. Just watch, listen, and enjoy.