Simonetta Puccini (bornGiurumello; 2 June 1929 inPisa[1] – 16 December 2017 inMilan[2][3]) was the last surviving acknowledged descendant of the composerGiacomo Puccini. She dedicated her life to her grandfather's memory, and owned and restored the composer's home, Villa Museo Puccini.[2]
Simonetta Giurumello was born in 1929 as an illegitimate daughter of Giacomo Puccini's only son, Antonio, who had no children by his wife. She graduated from theUniversity of Milan and was a teacher until 1973.[4]
The composer had died in 1924, leaving a large fortune in property and royalties. In 1995, after a legal battle that started in 1980, Simonetta was declared to be Antonio's daughter and was assigned one-third of her grandfather's (now greatly diminished) estate, which included his villa inTorre del Lago, and took his name.[2] The remainder of the estate remained in possession of its original heirs, who were not related to the Puccini family.[5]
Another claimed heir, Nadia Manfredi, believed her father Antonio to be Puccini's illegitimate son, but her case was not proven, and was opposed by Simonetta.[6]
After taking ownership of theVilla Puccini, she established a non-profit "Friends of the Homes of Giacomo Puccini" to restore and maintain it. She established the Puccini Foundation in 2005 to help restore the home to appear still inhabited, and to promote other causes associated with the composer.[4][7] By 2016, she had also opened the composer's rooms to the public.[8]
She was also known for attending performances and exhibitions associated with the composer around the world.[4] According to a statement on her death by the Fondazione Simonetta Puccini, she "dedicated her life with passion and devotion to the memory, protection and enhancement of the image of her grandfather and the places he loved".[2]
Among works written or co-written by Simonetta Puccini are:
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