Every evening at 7pm, the Chiesa di San Giovanni hosts an opera recital or orchestral concert dedicated to hometown composer Giacomo Puccini, in a series called Puccini e la sua Lucca (Puccini and His Lucca; www.puccinielasualucca.com). Tickets are 17€ (13€ for those 22 and under) and can be purchased all day inside San Giovanni. Just try listening to “Nessun Dorma” in this lovely church in the composer’s hometown without chills running up and down your spine. The shore of nearby Lago di Massaciuccoli provides the backdrop for the summer Puccini Festival ★ (www.puccinifestival.it; (tel) 0584-359-322), the biggest annual date in a local opera lover’s calendar. There’s a seasonal ticket office at Viale Puccini 257a, in Torre del Lago, or book tickets online (35€–125€).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
