What in the World??
10
Personal and Historic Events during the Lives of Ravel and Puccini
Listed below are some historic and cultural events that took place during our composers’ lives. Events in boldface type are things that happened to Puccini and Ravel; an asterisk (*) indicates events of local interest. What might it have been like to be alive at this time?
1857 1858 1861 1865 1870 1874 1875 1876 1877 1882 1883
* Philadelphia’s Academy of Music opened with a concert conducted by Tchaikovsky. Puccini was born on December 22 in Lucca, son of Michele and Albina Magi. American Civil War began. It ended in 1865. The 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery throughout the U.S. * The first section of the famous boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J. opened to the public. * The first U.S. zoo opened in Philadelphia. Maurice Ravel was born in Ciboure, France on March 7. Puccini wrote the Symphonic Prelude. He attended the opera Aïda and was very impressed. * The first department store was opened by John Wanamaker in Philadelphia. The first string of Christmas tree lights was created by Thomas Edison. Puccini graduated from the conservatory with a bronze medal. His Capriccio Sinfonico, which he later used in his opera La bohème, was performed by the student orchestra. * The Philadelphia Phillies, then called the Quakers, played their first baseball game.
1884
Puccini’s first opera, Le Villi, premiered on May 31 in Milan. He began to work with publisher Giulio Ricordi. His mother died. He began a long love affair with his friend wife.
1884 1888 1889 1890 1890 1892 1893
America's first roller coaster began operating at Coney Island, NYC. It hit a top speed of 6 mph.
1895 1896
The Washington Monument opened. Puccini’s second opera Edgar premiered at La Scala on April 21 with short-lived success. Ravel entered Paris Conservatoire, but left in 1895 when he graduated from piano class. Ellis Island, NYC, opened as a US immigration depot. The American Pledge of Allegiance was first recited in public schools to commemorate Columbus Day. Manon Lescaut gave Puccini his first big success at Teatro Reggio in Turin on February 1. * Philadelphia observed the first Flag Day. Frederick E. Blaisdell patented the pencil. Arturo Toscanini led the premiere of La bohème at Teatro Regio on February 1. The first movie theater in US opened and charged 10 cents for admission.
1898 1899
Ravel returned Paris Conservatoire to study composition with Gabriel Faurè.
1900
Puccini’s Tosca premiered at Teatro Costanzi in Rome on January 14. Les Apaches, a group of French creative artists of which Ravel was a member, was formed around 1900.
1901 1903 1904
Ravel wrote his famous piano work, Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavne for a dead infant).
* The first annual Mummers parade was held in Philadelphia. Ravel wrote his famous orchestra song cycle Shéhérazade. Puccini married Elvira Bonturi after the death of her first husband. Madama Butterfly had a disastrous premiere at La Scala, but its revised version was a triumph on May 28.