“Conducting Puccini with Carlo Rizzi”

In this episode, Flora welcomes Maestro Carlo Rizzi—Artistic Director of Opera Rara and a leading Puccini interpreter today—into the Creative Kin studio for a wide-ranging and insightful conversation. With a distinguished international career spanning the world’s major opera houses, Rizzi brings a depth of understanding to Puccini’s richly orchestrated scores and emotional landscapes.

Together, they explore what makes Puccini’s music so enduringly powerful from the conductor’s perspective, discussing everything from phrasing and dramatic pacing to the delicate balance between voice and orchestra. Rizzi also shares the creative and musicological thinking behind his own arrangements of Puccini’s Symphonic Suites—works that offer a fresh approach to Puccini’s orchestral imagination.

Lives in Song: Puccini focuses on one of the most influential opera composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hosted by music historian and writer Flora Willson, the series explores Puccini’s artistic development, historical context, and enduring impact through the lens of his operas.

Across this season, Flora is joined by a range of expert guests to examine the world that shaped Puccini—from his roots in Lucca to his emergence as a key figure in Italian opera. The second season of Lives in Song investigates the personal and cultural forces that informed Puccini’s compositions, offering listeners a deeper understanding of his music and the man behind his enduring works.

Streamed live on Opera Rara’s YouTube channel. Register to receive email ​reminders and a link to the show notes following the stream.