Puccini

Plot

The film narrates the composer's life full of loves and recklessness, starting from the youthful period in which, after falling in love with Cristina who had helped him achieve success, he convinces Elvira, a mild-mannered girl from the provinces, to follow him to Milan. Elvira soon gives him a son and remains close to him despite her betrayals. Cristina, who has now become a famous soprano, reappears again in the life of the master and tries to distance him from her partner but, after the triumph of La bohème, driven by her gratitude towards Elvira, Giacomo decides to marry her. This does not mean that her infidelities end and Elvira, increasingly alone, decides to separate from her husband. The episode of the suicide of a young maid madly in love with him and the sensational failure of Madama Butterfly upset Puccini's life: Elvira at this point reconciles with him and stays by his side assisting him generously until his death, which occurred from an incurable disease which strikes him during the composition of Turandot.

Distribution

The distribution in Italy took place from April 29, 1953; in the same year the film entered the cinema circuit in West Germany and, from the following year, in other countries (in East Germany the film was released in 1955).

In some distributions the title adopted was: Puccini, I lived with art, I lived with love. In France it was distributed under the title: Trois amours de Puccini.

Cast

Gabriele Ferzetti: Giacomo Puccini

Märta Torén: Elvira Puccini

Nadia Gray: Cristina Vernini

Paolo Stoppa: Giocondo

Myriam Bru: Delia

Sergio Tofano: Giulio Ricordi

Mimo Billi: Fanelli

Silvio Bagolini: Gianni

Alessandro Fersen: Padre di Delia

Jacques Famery: Antonio Puccini

Carlo Duse: Arrigo Boito

Piero Palermini: Ferdinando Fontana

Oscar Andriani: Giuseppe Giacosa

René Clermont: Luigi Illica

Mario Feliciani: Enrico

Renato Chiantoni: Filippo Tacchi

Attilio Dottesio: Sampieri