The Gala concert of Riga Opera Festival with its selection of most sparkling arias and duets presented by Latvia’s prime soloists will be a true musical feast for Puccini aficionados. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) was born in a musical family, but only the decisive impression on  him of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida incited the young man to choose to dedicate his own life to music. He remained faithful to this dream to his last day. Puccini’s operas - Le Ville, Edgar, Manon Lescaut, La Boheme, Tosca, Madame Butterfly, Girl from the West, The Swallow, Triptych (one act operas Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi), and Turandot – bewitch with emotional force and their sense of melody.