In 1898, Puccini was looking – as was his habit – for a villa to spend the Summer, and took into account the possibility of some villas in Mutigliano, but then chose the Villa Mansi di Monsagrati where, between July and September, he composed part of Act I and II of Tosca and orchestrated almost the entire Act I (many nearby residents remembered that they had learned to love the melodies of Tosca before it went on stage!). On 31 July he wrote to Giulio Ricordi: “I am in a bad, hateful location, between woods and pine trees where one is suffocated for a view, barred by mountains and illuminated by the darts of the sun, without a bit of wind. The evening, however, is delightful, and the night, lovely … I hope to stay here until October (I say hopefully, because I do not know if I can resist, not so much for me, but for my family who are really sacrificed”.

A plaque commemorates this stay:

IN THIS VILLA IN THE SUMMER OF 1898
GIACOMO PUCCINI
GUEST OF THE MARQUIS RAFFAELLO MANSI
LIVED AND COMPOSED THE FIRST ACT OF TOSCA
FOR ART IS SUBSTANTIATED WITH VARIOUS BEAUTIES.
THE HIDDEN HARMONY OF THESE ROMANTIC SLOPES
RANG OUT MAYBE IN THE MIND AND HEART OF THE MAESTRO
WITH NOTES OF PASSION AND GAVE TO THE WINGS OF
THIS MASTERPIECE THE FIRST TREMOURS FOR ITS IMMORTAL FLIGHT.

R.SARDI