Puccini at the Met
A Centenary Celebration

The works of Giacomo Puccini form an essential part of the standard operatic repertory, capturing the hearts of audiences with their soaring melody, thrilling drama, and emotional impact. Of history’s canonical composers, Puccini was the only one to have a close relationship with the Metropolitan Opera, visiting the old opera house at 39th Street and Broadway twice: once in 1907 for the company premieres of Manon Lescaut and Madama Butterfly, and a second time in 1910 to oversee the world premiere of La Fanciulla del West.

More than 100 years later, as we approach the centenary of his death on November 29, 2024, it is difficult to imagine the Met without Puccini. La Bohème has taken our stage more times than any other opera, with Tosca and Madama Butterfly not far behind, both falling comfortably within the company’s top ten titles. Turandot has been a constant and beloved presence in recent decades, and Manon Lescaut, Il Trittico, and La Fanciulla del West have made numerous successful returns. This exhibition celebrates the Met’s long and distinguished history with the great composer’s masterpieces, a proud tradition that has resulted in some of the company’s most spectacular productions and set the stage for legendary performances by generations of opera’s biggest stars.

Maurice Wheeler, Archives Director; John Tomasicchio, Associate Director of Archives;
Karin Satrom and Jillian Morris, Design; Jackson Talley, Production; Peter Clark, Consultant