Festival Puccini produced the first performances of a Puccini opera on the lake shore, in front of the Maestro's house. In a provisional theatre, the "Carro di Tespi Lirico" with its stage built on piles stuck in the lake, a travelling opera company performed "La bohème" directed by Forzano and conducted by Mascagni. The same company came back in 1931 when Beniamino Gigli and Adelaide Saraceni performed in "La bohème", while Rosetta Pampanini and Angelo Michetti performed "Madama Butterfly". This was the beginning of what was to become a major opera festival. However, in the years before 1949, due to the political
Miss Julie (Alwyn opera) Miss Julie (Alwyn opera) Miss Julie is an opera in two acts by William Alwyn with a libretto by the composer, based on the play "Miss Julie" by Swedish playwright August Strindberg. The opera was premiered as a BBC Radio 3 broadcast on 16 July 1977. It received its staged premiere on 23 January 1979 at Kingsway Hall in London. This production run was recorded by Lyrita (see section recordings). More recently, the opera was performed at the Norwich Triennial Festival in October 1997. One addition that Alwyn made to the Strindberg original was the creation of the character of