Associazione Amici delle Case di

Visit of the the writer Mario Vargas Llosa, who received the international award prize Viareggio Repaci by the regional assessor of the cultur Cristina Scaletti.

Visit of the general director of the libraries, cultural institut and copy-right Mario Fallace of the Ministry of the cultural activities.

At the yacht club in Viareggio has been presented the book "Corazzata Sicilia - orderly march from the opera La Bohème" published by Fondazione Simonetta Puccini and Istituto di Studi Pucciniani in collaboration with Associazione amici of the Puccini's homes, the command of the Viareggio port captaincy. For the European Championship star 201o in Viareggio the Navy Band of the High Tirreno from La Spezia conducted by Maestro Lino Vilella also played "Corazzata Sicilia"

The pianos of Puccini resume playing: professor Stephen Ragni has performed music by Giacomo and Domenico Puccini on the Forrster up right piano, where Puccini composed La Fanciulla del West, the Trittico and the Swallow.

A press conference with Simonetta Puccini, Michele Bianchi and Luca Menicagli, to present the phases of restoration and the concert 29: after a restoration of the two pianos in the Villa Museo Puccini in Torre del Lago, (August Forster and Steinway & Sons) by the company Menicagli of Livorno, in part sponsor, and with the advice of the Superintendence for Architectural Heritage, Landscape, Historical, Anthropological Heritage of the provinces of Lucca and Massa Carrara.

Presentation of the book "Puccini in Valdinievole" by Simonetta Puccini and Laura Zanobi. At the end a concert of Puccini's arias by the soprano Gianna Queni and the pianist Michela Spizzichino.

Visit of the Maestro Antonio Pappano, currently Music Director of the Royal Opera House.

Ms Simonetta Puccini was at the alla Fenice Theatre in Venice for Manon Lescaut.

In the women's academy of San Michele Pescia, in the Matteotti square, was presented the book "Puccini in Valdinievole" by Simonetta Puccini and Laura Zanobi. It followed a concert of Puccini arias with the pianist Piero Papini and the soprano Gianna Queni.

Presentation of the book "Puccini in Argentina" by and with the presence of Varacalli Costas and Gustavo Otero Gabriel with the professor Stefano Ragni, a member of Simonetta Puccini Foundation and Dr. Michele Bianchi, superintendent of Puccini Museum. Translation by Simonetta Puccini. It has been presented the CD published by the Friends of Giacomo Puccini's homes which also contains the song "Dios y Patria" recorded in 2006 during a concert organized to present the book 'Puccini en Argentina "in the presence of the authors. At the end there has been a concert, under the artistic direction of Maestro Gianfranco Cosmi, as well as a pianist, soprano Chiara Panacci, tenor Tiziano Barbafiera and the Choir Boys' Choir of the Chapel of St. Cecilia Cathedral of Lucca, directed by Sara Matteucci.

Simonetta Puccini in 1999 registered as a trademark for the signature of Master Classes 16 and 41 (Reg No 926073) and this year has renewed the registration. By recording the signature of Giacomo Puccini at the Chambers Rachel Milan, anyone intending to use the name Giacomo Puccini and his signature must apply for authorization, use the sign is thus reserved for the owner and his successors. Without the written consent of the owner is prohibited to use any advertising, products, performances or other use.

Conference “I musicisti contemporanei di Giacomo Puccini: Alberto Franchetti – un musicista da riscoprire” . Giorgio Gualerzi and Alberto Paloscia have partecipated . The book “Alberto Franchetti, musicista di Regnano” by Franco Costi has been presented.

The C. Giorgini school in Forte dei Marmi has presented the show TURANDOT, prepared by the teachers, the pupils and their families. Simonetta Puccini has been invited and she has partecipated with enthusiasm.

26 May, Napoli

Simonetta Puccini has been invited in Naples by the Association ex students of the conservatory San Pietro a Majella. and Maestro Elio Lupi. In the Sala Rari of the National library Palazzo Reale, with the sponsor of the Presidente della Repubblica there has been the meeting "Grandi famiglie della musica": Emanuela di Castelbarco, grand daughter of Arturo Toscanini and Simonetta Puccini, grand daughter Giacomo Puccini. At the end of the meeting a recital with the tenor Andrea cesare Coronella and the pianist Francesco Pareti.

14- 17 May, Wolfsburg (Bassa Sassonia)

Simonetta Puccini has been guest of honor of the Wolfsburg town with her assistant Patrizia Mavilla. She visited the Kunstmuseum and the castle of the town.
The 15th there has been a meeting with the pupils and later with the Major of the town. In the evening another meeting in the Staaz Theater.
The 16th a visit to the Autostad and the perfomance of La bohème, conducted by Alexander Joel with the following singers:
Mimì: Liana Alexanyan
Musetta: Rebecca Nelsen
Rodolfo: Arthur Shen
Marcello: Henryk Bohm
Choir and orchestra by Staaz Theater in Braunschweig

09 May, Pescia

The school Libero Andreotti in Pescia dedicated a day to Giacomo Puccini who, in 1895, stayed in the villa of the Castellaccio, near the town of Uzzano, which belonged to the Conte Orsi Bertolini: in that period Puccini composed the II and III act of La Bohème.
Simonetta Puccini was received by Mayor of Pescia town who donated her a book and an arms about the Pescia town.

Simonetta Puccini, invited by the Opera di Limoges, partecipated to the perfomance of La Fanciulla del West conducted by Guy Condotte and sang by Olga Romano(Minnie), Roman Muravitsky (Dick Johnson) and Philippe Duminy (Jack Rance).

Commemoration concert for the 150° anniversary of the Giacomo Puccini's birth at the Giglio theatre in Lucca. Simonetta Puccini has partecipated.

With the sponsorship of the Università degli Studi di Pavia, (Departiment of psicologia) and of the Conservatory “G. F. Ghedini” in Cuneo has been organized a meeting about “Grazia e gratuità nell’arte, quale legame esiste realmente tra la vita di un’artista e le sue creazioni?” with the participation of professor Stefano Ragni, dr Massimo Schinco and professor Clara Capello,coordinated by dr Michele Bianchi. Alle ore 19 30 has been projected the dvd about the opera “Fanciulla del West” at the Royal Opera Covent Garden with Placido Domingo, Carol Noblett, conducted by Nello Santi and the direction by Piero Faggioni. Simonetta Puccini has partecipated.

Commemoration for the 150° anniversary of the Giacomo Puccini' birth with the perfomance of Crisantemi and Minuetto by the Virtuosi Italiani conducted by Giovanni Allevi. Simonetta Puccini has partecipated.

Organized by the association Firenze Donna, professor Alberto Batisti has entertained the guests about the Puccini's opera while the soprano Francesca Becucci sang Puccini' arias accompanied by Marco Francioli. Simonetta Puccini has been guest of honor.

Professor Stefano Ragni, member of the amministration counsil of the Foundation Simonetta Puccini, played diffferent arias by Giacomo Puccini while Simonetta entertained guests with the life story about Giacomo Puccini.

Simonetta Puccini has been guest of honor in Santa Barbara for the 150° anniversary of the Giacomo Puccini's birth. She was present at a concert at the Theatre recently opened with the italian consule Nicola Faganello.

Presentation of the book "L’Universo di Puccini da Le Villi a Turandot" by Alberto Cantù and introduction by Simonetta Puccini, Zecchini Editore Varese. Alberto Cantù and Alfredo Mandelli explained the book.

Meeting with the soprano Gigliola Frazzoni and Mario Fedrigo to present the book "Gigliola Frazzoni - La Fanciulla del West di Mario Fedrigo", Costa Editor, Bologna 2007 and the possibility of listening to a cd of Fanciulla del West recorded at the Alla Scala Theatre in Milan sang by Gigliola Frazzoni, Franco Corelli, Tito Gobbi.

Exhibiton “Giacomo Puccini…compositore, personaggio e mito” by Stefano Fusinato.

Concerto “omaggio a Giacomo Puccini", with pucciniana music: M° Marco Transatti conducted the chorus “Giacomo Puccini”, accompanied by professor Pieto Castellari at the piano and with the soprano Kaori Imamura.

Conference “Turandot fra ritualità e fiaba” by M° Francesco Attardi and presention of the book for children "Turandot, la principessa di ghiaccio" by Paramica editor with exhibiton of the illustrations by Stefania Pravato.

Exhibiton "Lina Rosso. Da Venezia a Torre del Lago" sposor by the Comitato delle Celebrazioni Pucciniane and by Provincia di Lucca with free entrance. The catalogue was edited by Giovanna Bacci di Capaci and Simonetta Puccini with the presentation by Vittorio Sgarbi. Coordination secretary Patrizia Mavilla.

The towns of Piacenza and Castellarquatopromoted the meeting "towards Tosca: Luigi Illica in the european culture of the second half o the 800" , sponsored by the emila-Romagna regionin the occasionof the 150° anniversaryof the birth of Giacomo Puccini. Honor guests Raina Kabaivanska and Simonetta Puccini.

Inauguration of the Giacomo Puccini school in Parma organized by the Lions Club Parma and sponsored by the Parma town, with an exhibiton about the Puccini's life. In the eveningthere has been a concert with the soprano Paola Sanguinetti and the arpa palyer Davide Burlali.

Mrs. Simonetta Puccini was a guest of the New England Conservatory, where, on Jan. 27, Jordan in the hall, there was the concert "Salute to Giacomo Puccini on his 150th Birthday". The founder and artistic director, Tatyana Dudochkin organized the event where Simonetta Puccini has spoken with Ron Della Chiesa, presenter of WGBH .

Presentation of the volume "Quaderni pucciniani" published by the Istituto of Studies Pucciniani in cooperation with the association Friends of the houses of Giacomo Puccini and the Foundation Simonetta Puccini. The volume "Puccini Intimo", contained in the "Quaderni Puccinani", is important for the knowledge of Giacomo Puccini, especially on the first period of life in Torre del Lago.

Within the Festival Puccini, to the Deutsche Oper, Simonetta Puccini has assisted to the representations de The trittico, Madama Butterfly and of The girl of the golden West.

Sentence of the Court of Lucca has prepared the restitution of the christmas house of Giacomo Puccini in Poggio street in Lucca to Simonetta Puccini. The cause was initiated in the 1999.

Simonetta Puccini has assisted to the representation of "The rights of the soul" of Joseph Giocosa, regal of Pietro Arrigoni to Adro (Brescia) within the demonstrations of the centennial of the death of Joseph Giacosa.

At 15:30 there has projected the tape "The lake of Massaciuccoli: present and future" by Gianni Matteucci on the occasion of the visit of the association Friends of the House Verdi in the Puccini's Villa-mausoleum. In this tape the first phases of the construction of the new theater (dejected trees and pylons in the lake) appears.

Polemic intervention of Simonetta Puccini at the presentation of the Concert 2006 "Giacomo Puccini Secondo Atto", at the alla Scala Theatre in Milan at first she has thanked the National Committee for the Celebrations Pucciniane, presided by Bruno Ermolli and those who collaborated (the alderman of the Culture in Milan, Stephen Zecchi) to the realization of the second appointment of the Gran Theatre to the open one of Torre del lago, fixed on June 18th. Later, Simonetta has replied critically to the assessora to the Culture of Viareggio, Cristina Boncompagni, who had announced the project of the construction of a new, great Theatre in Torre del Lago, situated on the peninsula of the Torbieres and near the house Mausoleum of Puccini, able 3.200 places, within 2008, in time to entertain the forth and last Concert of the tetralogia pucciniana conducted by Riccardo Chailly, with the orchestra Filarmonica and to the Choir of the alla Scala Theatre.

At 18:00, there has been the lecture "The emigration lucchese during the great exodus (1870 -1920) and Michele Puccini." Dr. Valerio Cecchetti, president of the association Friends Lucchesi in the World and the prof. Michele Bianchi talked also about Michele Puccini, brother of Giacomo Puccini, emigrated in Argentina in 1890 and here died the following year. Silvano Tofani has intervened at the meeting as Anthony's child, figurinaio of Benabbio who participated, with the company of the figurinais, to the funerals of Puccini to Bruxelles in November 1924.

At 21:00 Simonetta Puccini has been interviewed inside the cultural demonstration "Viareggio Incontri" near the Prince of Piemonte, Viareggio.

Norma Fantini, soprano and interpreter of Tosca at the Festival Puccini, visiting the Museum wrote on the book of the guests: "The emotion in this house is unique. You feel the composer Puccini, you feel his presence in the theaters of the whole world where I have had the fortune to perform his stupendous music. With immense affection."

At 18:00 conference "America seen by two librettistis of Puccini": presentation of the volumes "New York" (1884) by Ferdinando Fontana and Dario Papa, and "Impressions of America" (1899) by Joseph Giacosa. Prof Stefano Ragni, teacher of the Perugia university for foreigners, introduced Bianca Maria Longoni, author of a thesis about Ferdinando Fontana and German Peritore author of the volume "Joseph Giacosa: from the castles canavesani to the American dream" Ananke edition, Turin 2006.

Simonetta Puccini has participated, within the conference "Giacosa and the poetry for music", in the theater Giacosa of Ivrea, to the celebrations for the centennial of the death of the writer.

A particularly touching episode has been the visit to the villa of two Danish tourists, who got married on September 3rd in front of the Theater in Copenaghen where they met for the first time, and deposed the nuptial bouquet on composer Puccini's grave.

At 17:00 in collaboration with the Foundation Simonetta Puccini, with the contribution of the Foundation Cassa di Risparmo di Lucca and the patronage of the National Committee for the Celebrations Pucciniane has been performed the composition "Dios y Patria", in European preview, in a concert conducted by M° Gianfranco Cosmi, soprano Maria Luisa Borsi, tenor Tiziano Barbafiera and choir of the white voices of the Chapel of Saint Cecilia of Lucca directed by Sarah Matteucci. The composition " Dios y Patria" was composed by Giacomo Puccini during his in Buenos Aires and the Argentinian researchers Gustavo Gabriel Otero and Daniel Varacalli Costas reconstructed the stay of Puccini in Buenos Aires in the volume "Puccini in Argentina, June-August 1905" shown up at Torre del Lago with the introduction of Stephen Ragni, teacher to the university for foreigners of Perugia.

At 17.00, in collaboration with the Foundation Simonetta Puccini, the contribution of the Foundation Cassa Risparmio di Lucca , the patronage of the Comune of Lucca and the National Committee for the Celebrations Pucciniane, the composition "Dios y Patria" has been performed in the Auditorium of the Suffrage church in the Musical institute L. Boccherini.

Simonetta Puccini and a delegation of Viareggio have participated to the promotional tour of the city to Karlovy Vary, in the Czech Republic, on the occasion of the conclusive day of the 39° Tour Film 2006, the cinema film festival, with documentaries and video on tourism. During the final day of the Tour Film, Simonetta Puccini has participated to a concert of music pucciniane organized by the Foundation Festival Pucciniano and to a gastronomic evening with the products typical of Viareggio. During the Gala Award, Gianfrancesco Parenti and Simonetta Puccini have been invited on the stage where Simonetta has spoken of the figure of Giacomo Puccini. Simonetta has visited with a lot of interest the city where in 1912 the composer also stayed.

On initiative of the Italian ambassador in Finland, the collaboration of the institute of Italian culture in Helsinki, the mayor of Jarvenpaa, the Simonetta Puccini Foundation and of the Sibelius academy, in Jarveenpaa, where it rises to Ainola the house-museum of Sibelius, has been organized the seminar "Puccini-Torre del lago/ Sibelius - Ainola". Idea born in the April 2005 in the Italian embassy in Helsinki where Simonetta Puccini has met the ambassador Ugo de Mohr and the mayor of Jarvenpaa. The composer's niece submitted to the arch. Maximum Carli to illustrate the architectural aspects of the villa and the musicologist Michael Bianchi to illustrate the aspects of the personality of Giacomo Puccini.

The Puccini Museum has reopened to public with free entrance, after the restoration of the pictorial decoration of the stairs inside the Puccini Museum, on the occasion of the day of the 82° anniversary of the disappearance of the composer. At 15:00 Simonetta Puccini have welcomed the visitors and driven them in the Museum, after the deposition of the laurel crown to the composer's statue on the square Belvedere. At 15:30 in the Puccini Space has been projected the dvd of the work Manon Lescaut directed by James Levi with Placido Domingo and Renata Scotto, orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera Theatre in New York.

Simonetta Puccini has participated as guest of honor at the demonstration "Challenge of Christmas 2006" in St. Giuliano Terme and in Villa Corliano di Rigoli, organized by the association The Riders of Pisa and reserved to the owners of Porsche & Ferrari.

At 18, presentation of the volume "Tosca's Prism", edited by Northeastern University Press in Boston, authors Susan Vandiver Nicassio, Agostino Zino and Deborah Burton which has introduced the volume which picks up the contributions of numerous researchers who, in 2000 (centenary of the work), have participated to conference in Rome.

At 18, presentation of the volume Lina Cavalieri, "the most beautiful woman of the world", her life (1875 -1944)" by Franco Di Guy, Ianieri editor. The biography has been introduced by Professor Umberto Russo, teacher of Italian literature in the Chieti university and by the M° Alfredo Mandelli musicologist of the Institute of Studies Pucciniani. It has been introduced also by the author. At the end some passages of the work have been read by the actor Arnaldo Ninchi.

At18:30, in the garden of the Puccini Museum, reading show, by the cultural association "Odeia" from Florence based on the text of the comedy "The Girl of the Golden West" by David's Belasco. To this text Puccini was inspired for his/her work. The musicologo Dr. Vincent Ramon has introduced the reading of the theatrical text of which he has taken care of the translation. Characters and interpreters have been Minnie, Monica Menchi, Johnson, Paul Bussagli, Rance, Andrea Amos Niccolini, Nick, Roberto Granucci, Ashby. Francis De Muro Fiocco, Sonora, Vincent Esposito Ziello, the Narrator and Zeno Renzi, director Monica Menchi. The music, drawn by the work of Puccini, have been performed by the pianist Francesca Maggini.

At 18, in the garden of the splendid and ample just restored room adjacent the Museum, the new monograph about Puccini (edition Fayard 2005)has been introduced. The author the famous musicologist and writer Marcel Marnat introduced it. The presentation of the professor Enzo Restagno of the Torino university and the professor Stephen Ragni of the Perugia university for foreigners. For the occasion, the corporate body for the Tourism of Lucca has offered a rich sideboard of products of the Garfagnana. The numerous guests have participated with great satisfaction and interest.

At 18:30, the M° Alfredo Mandelli and Professor Stefano Ragni have spoken about "the metamorphosis of the butterfly", in the centennial of the work Madama Butterfly. To remember and to inform about the centennial, in the kitchen in the Museum, a small angle has been prepared as "Japanese" with exposure of oriental material.

On the occasion of the National conference of the ANFACI, of the Italian Prefects, a photographic exhibition, organized in Lucca by the marquis Gerardo Mansi, has been presented in Torre del lago on October 9th.

Concert on the occasion of the day of the death of Giacomo Puccini, on the 29th November: in the evening, in the church of St. Joseph the Grosseto orchestra, directed by M° Biancalana you/he/she has performed the Messa di Gloria: the public, numerous has appreciated the execution as it showed the roaring goal applause for the execution.

Presentation of the volume: "Madama Butterfly" by Davide Pizzigoni, the author and by Rossana Bossaglia.

During the lecture there have been a concert with the performance for the first time of the two editions of the cantata "I figli d’Italia bella-Cessato il suon dell’armi" edited by Decca with the director Riccardo Chailly's and by Bongiovanni of Bologna directed by Gianfranco Cosmi. This cantata, the first composition written by Giacomo, recently found by Simonetta Puccini and by Monsignor Emilio Maggini, known researcher of the music of the ancestors of Puccini and of the same Puccini, has been performed for the first time in the world the 6th June 2003 in the Cathedral St. Martin in Lucca and the 8th of the same month in the church of St. Joseph in Torre del Lago. Monsignor Maggini, M° Alfredo Mandelli and Professor Stefano Ragni have happened to the analysis of such work. Among the public someone has suggested that the composition becomes the Italian national hymn.

The orchestra "Casale musica", coming from Basilea, has dedicated the execution of the elegy "Chrysanthemums" to Puccini which was written in 1890 for the death of the Prince Amedeo Ferdinando Maria di Savoia Duca d'Aosta.

A small public of relatives of the musicians, of viareggini and of torrellaghesi, has listened to the execution with respect and attention.

At 19:00 Monsignor Magginis, artistic manager of the of the Lucca cathedral, has spoken on "Family Puccini. The musicians ancestors Giacomo's Puccini . M° Gianfranco Cosmi has intervened.

At 21:00 Massimo Schinco, psychologist and psychotherapist, has introduced the volume "Or divine beauty...or wonder" of Massimo Schinco (Carabà ed.). Michele Bianchi has intervened. Projection of an unpublished tape of the funeral of Giacomo Puccini (November 29 th 1926 in Torre del Lago)

At 19:00 prof. Stefano Ragni of the university of the Studies of Perugia, has spoken on "in defense of Franco Alfano." M° Alfredo Mandelli of the institute of Studies Pucciniani in Milani has intervened.