Casa di Puccini (Puccini's Birth Home), Lucca (must see)

Casa di Puccini, also known as the historical Giacomo Puccini Birthplace Museum, located at Corte San Lorenzo, 8, is where the composer was born on 22 December 1858. The Puccini family had settled here since 1815 and Giacomo had lived in this property until 1880, when he left for Milan to complete his studies. Later he had several other residences, but always remained attached to this house.

Converted to a museum in 1979, the place features original furnishings, personal belongings of the musician and other unique artifacts, including autographed sheet scores of his early compositions, numerous letters, paintings, photographs, handwritten notes and musical sketches, relics and other documents. Among the exhibits is the Turandot costume designed by Umberto Brunelleschi and worn by the soprano Maria Jeritza for the very first performance of Turandot opera at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in 1926.

The museum also houses the Steinway & Sons piano, purchased by Giacomo Puccini in the spring of 1901. This is by far the most important instrument of all the composer had ever owned, both in terms of quality and history. The piano had followed Puccini as he moved from Milan, at the end of 1921, to his new villa in Viareggio. On this instrument Puccini composed much of his music, including, most notably, his last work – Turandot. Restored in 2006, the piano retains its original design, but most importantly the sound.