I am writing to you this weekend as I am in transit to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK. I spent a few days in Lucca Italy while attending the Puccini Opera Festival (checking out the costumes for Turandot – wow!) …using my United points that I’ve been accumulating all year.
The Puccini Opera Festival is actually in Torre Del Lago, and Puccini’s house is next to the outdoor opera venue. Puccini’s granddaughter Simonetta is now in her 80’s and is in charge of the house museum. We met her as we entered the property, and saw her again at the operas at night… always in the front row we were told.
I had a magical moment as I toured the house, in the room with his piano. He composed in his living room, which was densely decorated with murals, mosaics, and other decorations from his group of artistic friends. Art Nouveau styling gave this room an elegant feel, despite the fact that the room was rather busy. It was dense and lush with gorgeous details, and I imagined the maestro at his piano, composing one of his fabulously romantic operas.
The young tenor tonight got a huge ovation for his aria Nessun Dorma in Turandot. You’ve probably heard the Pavarotti version. The crowd loved him so much that he sang the whole aria again! I have never seen that at an opera. The orchestra and chorus all joined in and they all played the aria as an encore in the middle of the opera! We met his agent from Paris we reckon he is destined for stardom.
The opera festival is outdoors so we were watching for Perseid Meteors above the stage, with the lake in the background, and the lights twinkling from the opposite shore. Absolutely magical, to go with the fantasy/nouveau Chinese costumes and set.
Earlier today I was drooling over the historic textiles at the Mansi Palazzo. I’ll share photos when I get home. They were wealthy silk merchants and their palazzo was dripping with silk jacquards, embroideries, and tapestries. Yummy!
I’ll have Puccini tunes in my head when I get home and start to work in the studio next week. What do you like to listen to when you are working?
Sunday I will be in the VIP lounge at the Birmingham show – we are the sponsors for the lounge so I hope to see many of you there!
sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana
