Opera Babes Opera Babes The Opera Babes are a crossover classical music duo, consisting of Karen England (born 1974), mezzo-soprano, and Rebecca Knight (born 1970), soprano. The duo came to wide attention when they sang "Un bel dì vedremo" (from the opera "Madame Butterfly") on television sports programmes, beginning in 2002. In addition to performing with major orchestras in Britain and touring with their own shows, they released their first album, "Beyond Imagination" in 2002 and their second album, "Renaissance", in 2006. The Opera Babes met in Cambridge while performing Mozart's "The Magic Flute" in a touring opera company. England studied at
Giacomo Puccini Puccini in Lucca, Italy in 1858. He was one of nine children of Michele Puccini and Albina Magi. The Puccini family was established in Lucca as a local musical dynasty by Puccini's great-great grandfather – also named Giacomo (1712–1781). This first Giacomo Puccini was "maestro di cappella" of the Cattedrale di San Martino in Lucca. He was succeeded in this position by his son, Antonio Puccini, and then by Antonio's son Domenico, and Domenico's son Michele (father of the subject of this article). Each of these men studied music at Bologna, and some took additional musical studies elsewhere. Domenico Puccini