Steven Boccone on Puccini’s Music

    To anyone who loves opera and beautiful music, the name Giacomo Puccini, may sound familiar. The renowned Italian composer was the proponent of the so-called realistic verismo style in Italian opera and created some of the world’s best operas such as La Boheme, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly.  Many consider him as the greatest composer after Verdi.

    Puccini’s music is popular all over the world and his admirers came from different social classes, which prove that beautiful music transcends political and social boundaries. His operas are performed in major cities worldwide in countless times and never lose its appeal and beauty.

   Puccini’s popularity may be attributed to his sense of the dramatic, gift for melody, and skilful use of the orchestra, which are also the outstanding characteristics of his compositions. Because of this, he is well loved by the people and his music became a timeless masterpiece.

   In the Philippines, fans gathered to hear Puccini’s music and to commemorate his 150^th anniversary. The event was sponsored by the Johann Strauss Society of the Philippines (JSSP), led by Monaco Consul and in partnership with the Italian embassy.

    As music lovers, Steven Boccone with his wife Karen attended the gala concert held at the opulent ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental Manila to listen to Puccini’s music. Together with members of the diplomatic corps and benefactors of the society, they listened to well-loved arias from Puccini’s best operas as performed by Italian soprano Anna Carnovali, tenor Franco Becconi and Filipina soprano Rachelle Gerodias accompanied by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Austrian conductor Ernest Hoetzl.

    Like other admirers in the audience that night, Steven Boccone enjoyed listening to the brilliant and moving songs of Puccini as interpreted by the performers and he appreciated the way the arias were beautifully rendered. And the music was even made more memorable with accompaniment by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.

    Listening to Puccini’s music is refreshing and for all those who were lucky enough to attend the gala concert, it was more than a treat for a single night filled with memories and music. It was truly a good experience for all of them.