On the evening of 15 October, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization hosted a remarkable performance by the Compagnia Artemis Danza, an Italian dance company known for its expressive and evocative performances. The show, Voci di Donne, was a tribute to the four unforgettable female protagonists from the operas of Giacomo Puccini: Tosca, Madam Butterfly, Mimì, and Turandot. This was a celebration of Puccini’s music, and a visual and emotional exploration of the powerful women at the heart of his operatic masterpieces through dancing. Puccini’s Operas and the Women Who Defined Them Giacomo Puccini, one of Italy’s most renowned composers from the late Romantic era (1858 -1924), is famous for creating operas that revolve around complex and passionate female characters. His works, which have been a cornerstone of the opera world, delve deep into themes of love, loss, and sacrifice. In Tosca, the central character is a fiery and devout opera singer whose passion is weaponized against her. She is forced into a harrowing choice between submitting to a corrupt police chief or watching her lover, the painter Cavaradossi, face a firing squad. Her decision, between love and survival, spirals…
