Giacomo Puccini, I figli d’Italia bella. «Cessato il suon dell’armi». SC 3, 1877

Great opera in only 10 minutes! An impressive early work by Puccini is finally available as sheet music: The composer wrote the cantata I figli d’Italia bella in 1877 for a competition held by the province of Lucca. The text is a paean to Italy’s brilliant artistic tradition, remembered through the country’s great artists. The cantata has a rather eventful history: Considered lost for many years, a set of parts turned up about 20 years ago in which, however, the vocal solo was missing. Subsequently, the cantata was only performed with a reconstructed solo part. Then in 2019, an anonymous and previously unattributed manuscript was identified as an autograph of Puccini. It became clear that this was the missing complete score! Now we can hear how the composer captured the text in thrilling style with solo tenor, choir and large orchestra to create a vibrant work brimming with youthful sparkle and energy. The cantata perfectly complements Puccini’s Messa di Gloria (Carus 56.001), another early work by the composer that here and there shows some operatic tendencies. The cantata will also appear in Volume III/1 (Compositions for voices and instruments) of the Edizione Nazionale delle Opere di Giacomo Puccini.