GIACOMO PUCCINI (1858-1924): Complete Songs for Soprano and Piano - Canto d’anime, Sole e amore, E l’uccelino, La Primavera, Ave Maria Leopolda, Ad una morta!, Morire?, Salve regina, A te, Casa mia, Sogno d’or, Terra e mare, Inno a Roma, Beata Viscera, Avanti, “Urania”!, Storiella d’amore, Inna a Diana, Mentìa ll’avviso, Vexilla Regis prodeunt.

Description: Though Puccini represents the late-Romantic apex of the Italian operatic tradition, his songs are much less well known and, in their pared simplicity and emotional restraint, could hardly be more different from his stage works. These cover themes typical of lyric poetry including life, death, personal resolution, love, nature, home and religious faith. There are also rare salon pieces and examples of Puccini's secular juvenilia, written between 1875 and 1880. Texts and translations available online. Krassimira Stoyanova (soprano), Maria Prinz (piano).