The 150th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini’s birth in December 2008 provides a very good reason to dedicate a release in the series „A Biographical Kaleidoscope“ to one of opera's most famous composers. This book is another first-class portrait of a composer by author Detmar Huchting. Four CDs combine the highlights of Puccini’s musical works with, amongst others, complete recordings or excerpts from operas such as Tosca, Turandot or Gianni Schicchi. Artists like Herbert Kegel, Anneliese Rothenberger and Reiner Süß or the Staatskappelle Dresden/Berlin as well as the Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester Leipzig guarantee top-class performances.