Vissi d’arte : Puccini and decadence

Abstract

Vissi d’arte: Puccini and Decadence looks at four of Puccini’s much-loved operas, La bohème (1895), Tosca (1899), Madama Butterfly (1904), and Turandot (1924), through perspectives that position themselves at the interface of scholarship in literature and music. That twinned approach makes for a signature attribute of Prof. Maria Frendo’s research, which is here further marked by a sustained focus on how the theme of decadence permeates Puccini’s work. Puccini’s operas speak eloquently of their times and retain an ever-renewable capacity to speak to ours – in ways that are clearly discussed in this volume, which contributes fresh insights on various aspects of his work that have been largely under-commented.