Giacomo Puccini, the Italian composer whose most renowned works include ‘la Boheme’ (1896), ‘Tosca’ (1900), ‘Madame Buttefly’ (1904), and his final work ‘Turandot’  (1924), are amongst  the most frequently performed and recorded operas in the world today. In his 66^th year Puccini contracted cancer and died before completing his ‘Turandot.’

His friends had tried to persuade him to take it easy during his final weeks, but Puccini told them that if he died before he finished his final masterpiece it was up to them to complete it – his friends decided to complete the opera in his name. It was first performed at La Scala Opera House in Milan with his close friend Toscanini conducting.

When Toscanini arrived at the part of the opera where Puccini had died, he stopped,  turned around with tears in his eyes and addressed the audience,
‘This is where the master ended his work,‘
and he wept, but then after a few minutes looked up, smiled and added,
‘And this is where his friends began,’ and he continued conducting.

I got to thinking’ Not unlike Jesus and us!’

c/f Kenneth Payne, What shall I say, www.columba.ie