Subaru Pleo 9, 1998, replacing the Vivio, when Japanese regulations dictated a size change in the kei car tax bracket, and every kei car model from every make was redesigned as a result. The commercial for the Pleo’s launch featured a hip hop remix for the aria "Un bel dì vedremo" from the opera "Madama Butterfly" by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini as its background music. In June 1999, Subaru launched a luxurious edition of the Pleo, called the Nesta. In October, a sporty edition was launched, called the LS. In December, an Le edition was launched. In May 2000, Subaru launched a
Giacomo Puccini week of the premiere of Verdi's last opera, "Falstaff", which was first performed on 9 February 1893. In anticipation of the premiere, "La Stampa" wrote that Puccini was a young man concerning whom "great hopes" had a real basis (""). Because of the failure of "Edgar", however, a failure of "Manon Lescaut" could have jeopardized Puccini's future as a composer. Although Giulio Ricordi, head of Casa Ricordi, was supportive of Puccini while "Manon Lescaut" was still in development, the Casa Ricordi board of directors was considering cutting off Puccini's financial support. In any event, ""Manon Lescaut" was Puccini's first and