La rondine

La rondine (The Swallow) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giuseppe Adami, based on a libretto by Alfred Maria Willner and Heinz Reichert. It was first performed at the Théâtre de l?Opéra (or the Théâtre du Casino) in Monte Carlo on 27 March 1917.

Related Topics:
Giacomo Puccini - Italian - Libretto - Giuseppe Adami - Alfred Maria Willner - Heinz Reichert - Théâtre de l?Opéra - Monte Carlo - 27 March - 1917

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In October 1913, directors of the Carltheater asked Puccini to compose an operetta. After confirming that it could take the form of a through-composed comic opera "like Rosenkavalier but more amusing and more organic," he agreed. For two years, the work proceeded slowly. Because of the outbreak World War I, the contract was revised, the Viennese management released their rights to the opera?s première, and the neutral territory of Monte Carlo was selected for the opening.

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In Italy Puccini tried to sell the rights to his editor Giulio Ricordi who refused. Ricordi's rival Sonsogno didn't think twice when he got the change to finally get the rights to an opera of Italy's most famous living composer. Ironically La rondine was also, through the years, one of Puccini's least successful operas.

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