Lucca has had an Music Institute since 1842, the year in which it was finally established by Giovanni Pacini, with the consent and the protection of the Duke Carlo Lodovico. Michele Puccini, Giacomo’s father, from 1843 onwards had performed various duties there and also held various teaching posts, until becoming Director in 1862, as well as a teacher of Counterpoint and Composition. Giacomo began his career there in 1868 as a student of violin (Augusto Michelangeli), piano (Alessandro Giovannetti) and vocalization (Carlo Angeloni) classes. Later he was also to attend classes of practical harmony (Fortunato Magi) and organ (Fortunato Magi, and later Carlo Giorgi), and finally composition and counterpoint (Carlo Angeloni). It is noteworthy that Michelangeli, Magi and Angeloni had been students of Michele Puccini. The course was to end in 1880 with a diploma in composition.

Contrary to the widespread stereotype of a poor and undisciplined student, we now know that the school career of Puccini at the Music Institute was studded with prizes.

The Music Institute (now “L. Boccherini”) retains many memories of Giacomo Puccini: the piano and the harmonium on which he took lessons, a valuable collection of early compositions (autographs and copies) and some curious notebooks used at the Milan Conservatory (where Puccini continued his studies from 1880 to 1883).

The Institute also owns most of the compositions of Giacomo’s ancestors, which in 1891 he generously “donated to the musical archive of the Pacini Institute […] wishing that this music be safe and under a watchful safeguard”. This far-sighted and generous gesture is certainly to be connected with the success of Edgar at the Teatro del Giglio and the recognition that the city attributed to the composer.

The Istituto Musicale “G.Pacini”, when Puccini attended it, was situated in Piazza S. Maria Forisportam, in the premises of the old monastery attached to the church, now the site of the primary school “G. Pascoli”.