Giacomo Puccini remained popular. "Turandot", Puccini's final opera, was left unfinished, and the last two scenes were completed by Franco Alfano based on the composer's sketches. The libretto for "Turandot" was based on a play of the same name by Carlo Gozzi. The music of the opera is heavily inflected with pentatonic motifs, intended to produce an Asiatic flavor to the music. Unlike "La fanciulla", "Turandot" contains a number of memorable stand-alone arias, among them "Nessun dorma". The libretto of "Edgar" was a significant factor in the failure of that opera. Thereafter, especially throughout his middle and late career, Puccini was extremely
Enrico Alfano had become the head of the Camorra after the death of the legendary "capintesta" (head-in-chief) Ciccio Cappuccio in 1892, although other sources disagree over his rise to power. According to a "New York Times" report on the Cuocolo trial in 1911, Alfano was below medium height but a man of commanding presence; across his cheek he bore a long scar, the "sfregio" (a knife slash for dishonour; a sign of Camorra punishment). "The New York Times" reported that he was arrested many times as an accomplice in homicide, robbery and less important charges, but had never been convicted. According to