Giacomo Puccini’s (Italian 1858-1924) will be featured in the NCO West inaugural Opera Classics Performance showcasing the leading exponent of the verismo, or realism style. Originating from the Post Romantic Italian literary movement circa 1875-early 1900s, verismo portrays the world in greater realism using subject matters not previously thought of as being fit for literature but now written about, including the lives of the poor. Also known as naturalism, the genre does away with epic quests and mythological beasts, centering instead on ‘human’ drama, illness, lost loves and marital problems as seen in Puccini’s three greatest successes, La Bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly. Featuring NCO West Artistic Director Valerian Ruminski, international opera tenor Eric Fennell, Mexican soprano Carla Portillo and Los Angeles based soprano Shirley Wang.