Puccini: Le Villi

Just a few weeks after the centenary of Giacomo Puccini’s passing, a live recording of an extraordinary concert is being released: the two-act version of “Le Villi” in a concert performance. With his very first stage work, the young Puccini struck a chord with his contemporaries. His sure instinct for poignant melodies made him the hope of a new generation of Italian opera composers. He masterfully translated the chillingly beautiful legend of an unfaithful fiancé, who is danced to death by the Willis—elemental spirits haunting the Black Forest—into captivating music. On October 13, a few weeks before the composer's 100th anniversary of his death on November 29, 2024, the Munich Radio Orchestra presented "Le Villi" with soloists Anita Hartig, Kang Wang, and Boris Pinkhasovich. The Bavarian Radio Choir also participated. The performance was conducted by the Munich Radio Orchestra's principal conductor, Ivan Repušić.