Emma Duckett
•May 29, 2025•4 min read
Ah, opera - an art form where stories come alive through live orchestras, unamplified vocals, and lavish sets and costumes. Whether you adore it or avoid it, the sheer power of a soaring soprano or a resonant bass will blow pretty much any mind.
At the forefront of this world in the late 1800s was Giacomo Puccini, a composer whose operas are celebrated for their timeless melodies, emotional depth, and modern sensibility. While each of his works offers something distinct, a select few have shaped the operatic landscape for generations.
To bring you up to speed, here’s a ranking of Puccini’s most significant operas - judged by their popularity, innovation, and dramatic impact.
Best for: Light romance and charm
Originally written as an operetta, La Rondine lacks the dramatic intensity of Puccini’s major works, but it is a charming, light opera about love, social class, and the fleeting nature of romance. Its music is elegant and refined, though less emotionally charged than La Bohème or Madama Butterfly.
Best for: Western-themed opera and orchestration
This ‘Wild West’ opera is set during the California Gold Rush, making it one of Puccini’s most unusual settings. La Fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West) follows Minnie, a saloon owner, as she navigates love and lawlessness. While the opera was groundbreaking in its use of modern harmonies and large orchestral forces, it has not achieved the lasting fame of La Bohème or Tosca. Still, it’s admired for Puccini’s ability to adapt his style to a new, American frontier context.
Best for: Range in storytelling and emotion
Il Trittico is a trio of one-act operas that showcase Puccini’s versatility. Each piece - Il Tabarro (a dark tragedy), Suor Angelica (a lyrical religious drama), and Gianni Schicchi (a comedic farce) - offers a different tone and subject matter. Together, they create a varied operatic experience, with Gianni Schicchi being the most frequently performed, largely thanks to the beloved aria ‘O mio babbino caro’.
Best for: Passionate romance and early Puccini charm
Manon Lescaut was Puccini’s first major success and the opera where his mature style began to take shape. It tells the story of Manon, a young woman torn between true love and a life of luxury. The opera is filled with lush, romantic music, particularly in the final acts where Manon’s tragic fate plays out. Although it lacks the polish of his later works, Manon Lescaut paved the way for Puccini’s later masterpieces.
Best for: Grand spectacle and powerful choruses
Turandot was Puccini’s final, unfinished work, completed by Franco Alfano after Puccini’s death. Set in ancient China and centers on Princess Turandot, who challenges her suitors with deadly riddles, the opera is best known for the iconic aria ‘Nessun dorma’ and showcases Puccini’s ability to blend Eastern and Western musical traditions.
Best for: Tragic love stories and cultural reflection
In Madama Butterfly, Puccini explores themes of love, betrayal, and cultural clash. The opera follows Cio-Cio-San, a young Japanese geisha who is abandoned by her American husband, only to face tragic consequences. The soaring aria “Un bel dì vedremo” is one of the most famous in all of opera, capturing Butterfly’s unwavering hope and heartbreak. Puccini’s use of Japanese musical elements, combined with his orchestration, creates a deeply moving and unique soundscape.
Why it ranks third: The emotional arc of Cio-Cio-San and the opera’s reflection on colonialism and cultural intersection make it a profound, tear-jerking experience.
Best for: Political intrigue and high drama
La Tosca is a quintessential verismo opera, where heightened realism meets intense emotion. Set against the backdrop of political turmoil in Rome, the story follows the fiery diva Floria Tosca as she navigates love, betrayal, and murder. With a score that perfectly matches the opera's dramatic twists, Tosca delivers some of Puccini’s most gripping music, including the famous aria ‘Vissi d’arte’ and the goosebump-inducing ‘E lucevan le stelle’.
Why it snaps second place: Tosca is pure drama from start to finish, and its emotional depth makes it a favourite of audiences and performers.
Best for: Romance, tragedy, and unforgettable arias
La Bohème is often considered Puccini’s masterpiece. This opera tells the story of young, struggling artists in Paris, focusing on the love between the poet Rodolfo and the seamstress Mimì. It’s a tale of fleeting passion, poverty, and tragic loss, blending moments of lighthearted joy with heartbreaking sadness. The music, particularly arias like ‘Che gelida manina’ and ‘Si, mi chiamano Mimì’, is lush and deeply emotional, making it one of the most accessible operas in his collection.
Why it takes the crowning spot: Its combination of poignant storytelling, relatable characters, and iconic arias makes it one of the most performed operas worldwide.
Streaming now: Giacomo Puccini 'Tosca' with Anna Netrebko.
Conducted by Bertrand de Billy, this storied 2-hour production continues with internationally acclaimed artists making their Viennese role debuts - Anna Netrebko as Tosca, Yusif Eyvazov as Cavaradossi, and Wolfgang Koch as Scarpia.
Think classical music is only for older generations or elite concert halls? Think again. From TikTok trends to Bridgerton-style remixes, Gen Z and Millennials are bringing new life to the orchestral world in 2025.
