Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Film Footage of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)


I was initially really interested to see home-movie footage of opera composer Giacomo Puccini - and then to hear him speak, in the USA. On two separate videos.

But the experience was rather different than I expected - the man seemed curiously de-mystified by movement and sound! Ordinary, as most us are.






What's your reaction?
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8 comments:

  1. VictorJanuary 7, 2009 at 4:38 AM

    Anyone who can compose such passionate music remains special to me regardless of how he might sound or look in old movies.

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 7, 2009 at 7:35 AM

    Your right.
    Wit

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  3. nickwallacesmithJanuary 7, 2009 at 7:42 AM

    yeah wit

    i wanted more - well, you can't have things the way you want!

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  4. nickwallacesmithJanuary 7, 2009 at 8:25 AM

    hey victor

    yeah, for me he remains and always has been special ... as a composer but ordinary (which is fine) as a man

    einstein as a thinker is stupendous but was cranky and ordinary as a man

    most of us are just ordinary - which is fine

    take care

    nick

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  5. trevors2uJanuary 8, 2009 at 2:13 AM

    I suppose my reaction was that he seemed to be self-conscious....of his status, confidently superior? But it is true that one should look at the art and not the man - the art transcends the mediocrity of human existence. Didn't you wonder where he is going with the boatman though?

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  6. nickwallacesmithJanuary 8, 2009 at 3:22 AM

    hey trevor2u

    though interconnected ,i think you can judge each separately - the art and the man

    when dame joan sutherland made racist remarks here, i think it was right to be critical - so blacks here didn't feel it was condoned because of her fame - but as a singer she is still one of the greatest bel canto singers of the C20

    yeah ! i did wonder where they were off to! i often wonder about what came before and after in these old films

    take care

    nick

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  7. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2009 at 5:29 AM

    i really liked the footage you have found. always liked his music. great so see the man behind it.
    btw. the womans voice is puccinis wife, thanking the american people for welcoming her husband and her.
    i would not mind seeing more of that boatsman either!

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  8. nickwallacesmithJanuary 10, 2009 at 12:01 PM

    hey anon

    thanks for identifying her! really appreeciated

    i'm going back to watch and listen it again !

    there's a queue for the boatman!

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