[Chi_townPhilly]

The obvious "adjunct exercise" to all of this is to review our own "Talk Classical 100 Most Recommended Operas" sticky, and see how Puccini operas showed up in that ranking:

1. La Bohème (8th overall)
2. Tosca (16th overall)
3. La Fanciulla del West (35th overall)
4. Turandot (44th overall)
5. Madama Butterfly (45th overall)
6. Gianni Schicchi (70th overall)
7. La Rondine (85th overall)
8. Suor Angelica (99th overall)

I'm pretty much okay with this order. The one thing that might be a little surprising on the surface is Fanciulla edging out Turandot & Butterfly. Still, I think it's entirely defensible to say that Fanciulla is a slightly under-appreciated opera that deserves more hearings than it gets.

I would expect a similar or greater degree of variance with a listing of Verdi operas than we have seen with Puccini operas.

 

[Sonata]

1) Suor Angelica: yes, I know it's decried as "overly sentimental" Well, I am a sentimental person. Senza mama is my favorite aria of any opera.

2) Madama Butterfly

3) La Boheme

4) Turandot

5) Tosca

I will add, of the individual arias, I prefer Turandot's and Tosca's over La Boheme's. However I'm ranking them on a whole.

A couple other notes: I've only seen Madama Butterfly in full, and part of La Boheme, so I'm not ranking based on visuals. Also, I've listened to some of the first act of La Rondine and liked it, but only once. So I can't really rank it as of yet.

 

[Elgarian]

1) Suor Angelica: yes, I know it's decried as "overly sentimental"

Only by those who don't understand it as we do.

Also, I've listened to some of the first act of La Rondine and liked it, but only once. So I can't really rank it as of yet.

But you will. You will.

 

[Il_Penseroso]

1- Madama Butterfly (for many reasons is my favorite italian opera)

2- Turandot

3- Tosca

4- La Bohème

5- Gianni Schicchi
6- La fanciulla del West
7- Manon Lescault


Note: The last three I've heard only fragments. The other Puccini's operas I've never had a chance to listen.

 

[Bardamu]

First post so greetings to everybody in the boards.

Puccini s one of my favorite composer although I never listened to Le Villi, Edgar, Rondine and Manon.
My personal rank would be:

1) Turandot - genius work, too bad he died before completing it.
2) Gianni Schicchi - fantastic comic opera, a genre you won't expect from Puccini. Best libretto in a Puccini Opera IMO.
3) Madama Butterfly
4) La Boheme
5) Tosca - like Almaviva I know this a good opera but it never clicked with me as other works by Puccini
6) Il Tabarro
7) La fanciulla del west
8) Suor Angelica

 

[CameraEye]

My favourites:

1) I can´t choose between Tosca and La Boheme

2) Turandot

3) Madama Butterfly

4)Gianni Schicchi

 

[sospiro]

First post so greetings to everybody in the boards.

Puccini s one of my favorite composer although I never listened to Le Villi, Edgar, Rondine and Manon.
My personal rank would be:

1) Turandot - genius work, too bad he died before completing it.
2) Gianni Schicchi - fantastic comic opera, a genre you won't expect from Puccini. Best libretto in a Puccini Opera IMO.
3) Madama Butterfly
4) La Boheme
5) Tosca - like Almaviva I know this a good opera but it never clicked with me as other works by Puccini
6) Il Tabarro
7) La fanciulla del west
8) Suor Angelica

Hello Bardamu & welcome to the forum.

For me it varies - all depends on the production & the singers.

 

[mamascarlatti]

Welcome to the forum Bardamu.

I love Puccini too, although I do have trouble with the characters in Turandot, too unsympathetic.

 

[GoneBaroque]

Puccini does not for some reason rank too high on my list of favorite composers. I guess I like Tosca the best followed by La Boheme. the others, well, I don't really care at all.

 

[Bardamu]

Welcome to the forum Bardamu.

I love Puccini too, although I do have trouble with the characters in Turandot, too unsympathetic.

Indeed Turandot and Calaf are more deities than normal characters.
With their bizzare and absolutistic behaviour they are careless and harm those who are near them like the little Liu.
The final Turandot transformation from a vengeful icy princess to a warm lover is not credible at all without the fable-like mood that define the entire Opera ( probably why Puccini had so much difficulties to complete the work ).

 

[moody]

Puccini does not for some reason rank too high on my list of favorite composers. I guess I like Tosca the best followed by La Boheme. the others, well, I don't really care at all.

You are right it's all too Hollywood and Mantovani.

 

[rsmithor]

Puccini Still Lives

1. Tosca
2. Madama Butterfly
3. Gianni Schicchi
4. Turandot
5. La Boheme
6. La Fanciulla del West
7. Manon Lescaut
8. La Rondine
9. Il Trittico
10. Le Villi

Today the Met Broadcast "Madama Butterfly" A stunning production... My 2011 DVD Christmas Gift

 

[Moscow-Mahler]

BTW, Gianni Schicchi was Georg Solti's favourite opera by Puccini

 

[DavidMahler]

La Boheme is the only one I enjoy from beginning to end in any capacity. Turnadot may be my second favorite, but I think Tosca is probably his second greatest.

I have never heard Le Villi

 

[unpocoscherzando]

As there is now a new discussion going on Puccini's standing as a composer, I thought it might not be a bad idea to bring this thread back up. Thus:

1. Tosca
2. Madama Butterfly
3. Il trittico - Gianni Schicchi, followed by Il tabarro and then Suor Angelica
4. La bohème
5. Turandot
6. Manon Lescaut
7. La Rondine
8. La fanciulla del West
9. Le Villi
10. Edgar

To be clear, even if I split up the three operas of Il trittico, the order would remain the same.

 

[HumphreyAppleby]

1. La Fanciulla del West
2. Turandot
3. Il Trittico
4. La Rondine
5. Madama Butterfly
6. La Boheme
7. Tosca
8. Manon Lescaut
9. Le Villi
10. Edgar

 

[Ritter]

1. Tosca
2. La Bohème
3. Turandot
4. Madama Butterfly
5. La Fanciulla del West
6. Gianni Schicchi
7. Il tabarro
8. Manon Lescaut
9. Sour Angelica
10. La Rondine
11. Le Villi
12. Edgar

 

[Gizmo]

1. La Boheme and Tosca are tied
2. Madama Butterfly
3. Turandot
4. La Fanciulla del West
5. Manon Lescaut
6. Gianni Schicchi
7. Sour Angelica
8. Il Tabarro
9. La Rondine
Edgar and Le Villi I am not familiar enough with to rate.

 

[sharik]

down with Tosca!!!

1. Turandot
2. M.Butterfly
3. La Boheme

 

[Tristan]

La Bohème and Tosca are my two favorites. I also like Suor Angelica, Madama Butterfly, and Manon Lescaut.