Street Art Murales in Lucca Celebrate Puccini's Heroines

Twelve shutters in Lucca's historic center are being transformed into murals depicting female characters from Giacomo Puccini's operas, as part of the 'Le donne di Puccini, sentinelle di Lucca' project under the 'Puccini On' initiative. The project was conceived by Silvana Froli, an internationally renowned lyric singer and president of the Associazione Club La Bohème di Lucca, who drew inspiration from a similar initiative in Parma dedicated to Giuseppe Verdi. Six murals are designed and executed by students of the Liceo Artistico Passaglia, assisted by teachers, while the other six are by professional Italian street artists, with an inauguration scheduled for July 4. A committee comprising the Associazione Club La Bohème, art designer Marco Galli, and teachers evaluated the student projects. The murals feature heroines such as Tosca, Manon, Mimì, Musetta, Fidelia, Tigrana, Cio-Cio-San, and Suzuki. The project is supported by the municipality of Lucca, the MIUR, and local foundations and companies. It aims to beautify commercial establishments, engage young students, and serve as a precursor to the 2024 Puccini Celebrations marking the centenary of the composer's death and the first performance of Turandot. Each shutter will include a QR code linking to explanations of the project and the opera. The murals are intended to be maintained over time, with potential restoration agreements with shopkeepers.