»Die kleinen Gärten
des Maestro Puccini«

Suffering heroines are often at the centre of Giacomo Puccini's operas: the abandoned Japanese geisha Cio-Cio San, the terminally ill and fragile Mimì, the idealistic opera singer Floria Tosca, the self-sacrificing slave Liù. Puccini appears to have been particularly moved by the fates of women suffering at the hands of men. A renowned womaniser, he seems to have been conscious of the fact that he had caused much suffering on account of his numerous affairs. The legendary trial of Puccini's wife Elvira against the maid Doria, whom she suspected of having an affair with her husband, is well documented. In despair, Doria committed suicide, yet Puccini actually had an affair with her cousin...

Helmut Krausser is one of the best-known German writers of his generation. His novel "The Little Gardens of Maestro Puccini" is an unusual exploration of the great opera composer and an exciting look at the Belle Époque. The evening includes readings by the composer himself, while soprano Alyona Rostovskaya portrays Puccini's great operatic heroines in arias and scenes from his works.