Puccini Meets New Media: La Scala Exhibition Explores the Composer's Legacy in the Digital Age

The multimedia exhibition "Puccini – Opera Meets New Media" will arrive at La Scala's Museum in Milan from 24 October 2024 to 12 January 2025, commemorating the centenary of Giacomo Puccini's death. Inaugurated in Berlin earlier this year, the exhibition explores the transformative impact of early 20th-century media—such as recorded music and film—on opera and society.

It showcases original documents from the Archivio Storico Ricordi, including unpublished sketches for the final duet of Turandot, alongside AI-driven recreations of Puccini’s unfinished opera sets.

Curated by Gabriele Dotto, Christy Thomas Adams, and Ellen Lockhart, the exhibition highlights the challenges posed by new technologies on publishing, copyright, and the Puccini ‘brand’. One of its central features is a 3D digital model of Puccini at age 42 by artist Hadi Karimi. A notable AI installation recreates Turandot’s set designs based on original sketches, offering a modern reimagining of the opera’s visual elements.

The exhibition also includes a public program of concerts, thematic meetings, and film screenings, diving into the relationship between music, new technologies, and Puccini’s cinematic connections. The Archivio Storico Ricordi, housed at Palazzo di Brera in Milan, holds a vast collection of Italian opera scores, including those of Verdi and Puccini.