Giacomo Puccini was born into a musical family in Lucca on 22 December 1858. As a boy Puccini sang in the choir of the Cathedral of San Martino and later received his musical education at the conservatory in Milan. His first opera, ‘Le Villi’, was performed in 1884. For the next forty years, until his death in 1924, Puccini composed operas which today are still the most performed works on the stages of the world’s opera houses. The Puccini Festival is held each summer in Torre del Lago near Lucca on the peaceful shores of Lake Massaciuccoli. Based in Lucca itself, we shall attend two performances as part of the 2025 Festival, and discover the art and architecture of this charming Tuscan town.