Italian maestro dies of Puccini’s disease RIPnorman lebrecht August 05, 2026The prolific opera conductor Bruno Campanella died yesterday at the age of 83. He had endured a long struggle with throat cancer, the condition that killed Giacomo Puccini. Originally from Bari, Campanella guested at the Met, Covent Garden, La Scala and most leading opera houses. From 1993 to 1997, he was principal conductor at the Teatro Regio di Torino. La Scala has issued this tribute:At the Scala, he left a deep mark by directing productions that helped to reaffirm the centrality of the operatic repertoire between the 17th and 18th centuries and beyond: La cambiale di matrimonio (1972/73 and 1973/74, Piccola Scala), Il matrimonio segreto (1979, Piccola Scala), Le Comte Ory (1990/91), Fra Diavolo (1991/92), Il capello di paglia di Firenze (1997/1998) and La Cenerentola (2000/01 and 2004/05).