Puccini e/and Caruso

Beyond the legend: Puccini and Caruso, an artistic partnership seen through the documents and photographs of their time

We’re proud to announce the release of the bilingual volume Puccini e/and Caruso (Guida Editori), edited by Laura Valente. This book casts fresh and essential light on one of the most celebrated—and at times mythologized—relationships in the history of opera.

The Archivio Storico Ricordi feels a special connection to this project, thanks to contributions from our Managing Director, Pierluigi Ledda, and Maria Pia Ferraris, who for many years served as our archivist and curator. Their essays help move the story beyond anecdote, giving real historical and biographical weight to the bond between composer and tenor.

Drawing on extensive archival material and a rich body of images, the book explores the true nature of their friendship, which began in the summer of 1897 at Torre del Lago and grew into a steady exchange marked by complicity, mutual respect, and artistic synergy. At its heart is Puccini’s famous exclamation—“Who sent you… God?”—and Caruso’s landmark debut at La Scala in 1900 in La Bohème, an encounter that sealed their place in operatic history.

An indispensable read for enthusiasts and scholars alike, this volume offers deeper insight into the intertwined lives and legacies of two giants of music.

The book is available in bookstores and online.

More details: https://www.guidaeditori.it/prodotto/puccini-e-and-caruso/

Puccini e/and Caruso
Edited by Laura Valente, with essays by Maria Pia Ferraris and Pierluigi Ledda

• Publisher: Guida
• Year: 2025
• Pages: 156
• ISBN: 979-12-5563-166-8
• Price: €15.00