Puccini 40 years old

In Torre del Lago, by Lake Massaciuccoli, Puccini is writing "The Girl of the Golden West" when his wife Elvira accuses him of a dalliance with their maid, Doria Manfredi, a young women from town. Although the maestro is frequently unfaithful, he denies the affair; Elvira insists she's right and publicly hounds Doria. Between scenes in this domestic drama that turns tragic, we watch a Scottish company rehearse and stage "Turandot," Puccini's last opera. The film finds parallels between the two stories and suggests that in the opera, Puccini expresses love for his wife and guilt in Doria's fate. Three local gentlemen provide a spoken chorus as Puccini's score plays throughout.

Credits

Puccini Cast

Name	Character
Virginia McKenna She was 52, now 93 years old	as Elvira
Robert Stephens He was 52, 64 years old when he died	as Giacomo Puccini

Puccini Crew

Name	Department
Tony Palmer as Director. He was 42 (now 83) years old	Directing
Charles Wood as Writer. He was 34 (1) years old when He died	Writing