"Between the cobblestones, il lupa waited alone, whispered, "Renew your love. Restore your heart. Come into this wide world, this stream of clarity."" The mysteries of the heart continue to intrigue, surprise, and warm the soul of Sophia Puccini-a woman who once dreamed of marrying The Gypsy Kings and running away with flamenco dancers. In her second collection of love poems, Puccini shares her reflections on love written in both the United States and Italy during a three-year period. Puccini has loved many men in her lifetime, including Nietzsche, Kafka, Thoreau, Krishnamurti, Jung, Lorca, Jesus, Cervantes, God, Puccini, Chopin-and even President Bush. In her new compilation of eighty-eight poems, written while she was tending her sheep, sweeping her floors, and traveling in Europe, she proves that through it all, she is still a simple woman who enjoys daydreaming about love. Puccini peppers her poetry with lavish imagery while her words explore a passionate relationship that led her to ask questions, solve dilemmas, and eventually seek the truth. "Il Lupa" is not a collection of clichd love poems, but rather, a deep, personal glimpse into a very profound-sometimes confusing-sensual relationship.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

"Tosca," one of Puccini's greatest and most popular operas, is a supreme example of music's power to enthrall the audience. In his introductory essay to this guide, Bernard Williams discusses the enduring quality of its appeal. Bernard Keeffe, in his article, analyzes different aspects of the score, noting Puccini's special genius for orchestration and the subtle effects that give the opera its irresistible vitality, while Stuart Woolfe's survey of the historical background reveals its political and nationalistic undertones. Enriched by 25 iconic archive photographs, a detailed thematic analysis, the original libretto with the facing literal translation, and a section containing up-to-date discographical and bibliographical information, this guide will prove an invaluable companion for opera-goers and anyone wanting to delve deeper into the genesis, history, and significance of Puccini's work.