Orchestra Miami is set to honor the legacy of Giacomo Puccini with a 100th-anniversary concert led by conductor Elaine Rinaldi.

The event kicks off at 8 p.m. on Nov. 23, 2024 at the historic Miami Scottish Rite Temple. The performance has particular emotional resonance for Rinaldi, who credits the composer as the inspiration for her career.

“In 1992, I was hit by a car while biking in NYC; my collarbones were broken, and I had to have facial reconstruction surgery,” she said in an official press release. “The damage from the accident ended my aspirations for a career as a concert pianist. Afterwards when I was in recovery, I noticed that I wasn’t listening to piano music- I was listening to ‘Tosca.’ Puccini got me out of bed and out of my depression and gave me direction and inspiration. If it weren’t for opera and Puccini in particular, I’m not sure what I would be doing today.”

The showcase will feature Elaine Alvarez, Eglise Gutierrez, Maria Natale, Cong Cong Wang, Ben Gulley, Martin Nusspaumer, Minghao Liu, Joseph Lodato, and Nelson Martinez. They will be joined by the Puccini Choir.

The concert is made possible with support from the Miami Salon Group and a gift from Olga Melin. It is presented with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, as well as the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.