In 2026, Puccini's incomparable melodies will once again resound in the place that the Italian composer chose as his favorite: Torre del Lago. Even during his lifetime, he envisioned a festival that would immortalize him and his music. Here, on the picturesque Lago di Massaciuccoli, his personal favorite, Madama Butterfly, premiered in 1904. He also settled here, moving into a magnificent Art Nouveau villa, which today houses the Villa Puccini Museum, well worth a visit, and spent his free time bird hunting. “Sunny beaches, fresh pine forests, an ever-calm lake – a true Eden!” – Giacomo Puccini raved about this idyll near the Tyrrhenian Sea. After spending almost 30 years of his life in Torre del Lago, he also found his final resting place here.
Thanks to the Puccini Festival, we can now feel very close to the master in the place he loved so much. The festival venue is easily accessible from both the elegant seaside resort of Viareggio and the attractive cultural city of Lucca. The choice is not easy, as both options have proven themselves and have their own charm. Be intoxicated by the passionate “Tosca,” thrill to the cruel “Turandot,” and suffer with the graceful Mimi in “La bohème.” Everything is possible at Lago di Massaciuccoli.