Publisher's Synopsis
Puccini's swansong has a claim to being the last great popular opera. Its melodic wealth has enchanted audiences since its posthumous premiere in 1926, two years after Puccini's death. It truly is an opera that has everything: a chilling story of love and cruelty, a fascinating cast of characters, the exotic backdrop of Imperial China, majestic ensembles, magnificent choruses, and dazzling orchestration in an exotic score that comprises a string of the most splendid arias - among which the great tenor aria 'Nessun dorma' is the jewel. It is more than Puccini's last opera; it is the last word, in every sense, on Italian opera.
