Luigi Illica facts for kids

Luigi Illica, a famous Italian writer of opera stories.

Luigi Illica (born May 9, 1857 – died December 16, 1919) was a famous Italian writer. He wrote the stories and words for many operas. These stories are called libretti. He worked with important Italian composers like Giacomo Puccini, Pietro Mascagni, and Umberto Giordano.

Some of his most well-known opera stories include La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Andrea Chénier.

Luigi Illica

Illica was born in a town called Castell'Arquato. His real life sometimes seemed like the dramatic stories he wrote for operas! For example, he lost his right ear in a fight over a woman. This is why he is often photographed with his head turned slightly.

When silent movies were made based on Illica's operas, his name was shown in very large letters in advertisements. This was because movie companies could only promise that his exciting stories would be used. They couldn't promise that the original music by the composers would be played with the film.

Honoring Luigi Illica's Legacy

Luigi Illica was a very talented writer of plays. Today, he is remembered through one of Italy's oldest awards, the Luigi Illica International Prize. This award started in 1961. It is given to famous opera singers, conductors, directors, and writers from all over the world.

The award is now given out every two years. It takes turns with another event called the Illica Opera Stage International Competition. This competition helps young singers by offering them prizes and chances to perform in operas for the first time.

Famous Opera Stories by Illica

Luigi Illica wrote many libretti, which are the texts or stories of operas. He often worked with other writers, especially Giuseppe Giacosa, when writing for Puccini. Here are some of his most famous works:

• La Wally (for Alfredo Catalani, 1892)
• Manon Lescaut (for Giacomo Puccini, 1893)
• La Bohème (for Puccini, 1896)
• Andrea Chénier (for Umberto Giordano, 1896)
• Iris (for Pietro Mascagni, 1898)
• Tosca (for Puccini, 1900)
• Germania (for Alberto Franchetti, 1902)
• Madama Butterfly (for Puccini, 1904)
• Isabeau (for Mascagni, 1911)

Movies Based on Illica's Stories

Many of Luigi Illica's opera stories have been made into movies over the years. This shows how popular and timeless his tales are. Here are some of the films based on his famous libretti:

• La Wally, directed by Guido Brignone (Italy, 1932)
• Tosca, directed by Carl Koch and Jean Renoir (Italy, 1941)
• Madame Butterfly, directed by Carmine Gallone (Italy, 1954)
• Andrea Chénier, directed by Clemente Fracassi (Italy, 1955)
• Tosca, directed by Carmine Gallone (Italy, 1956)
• La Bohème, directed by Franco Zeffirelli (West Germany, 1965)
• La Bohème, directed by Luigi Comencini (Italy, 1988)
• Madame Butterfly, directed by Frédéric Mitterrand (France, 1995)
• Tosca, directed by Benoît Jacquot (France, 2001)
• La Bohème, directed by Robert Dornhelm (Austria, 2008)

See also

In Spanish: Luigi Illica para niños