Amilcare Ponchielli completed his musical studies at the Milan Conservatory where he later taught himself, having Puccini among his students.

Among the roles he received, we cannot forget that he became director of the Civic Musical Bands of Cremona and Piacenza.

Among his lyrical works, almost all of which were performed with success, only the Gioconda has survived the oblivion into which the rest of his production, all of which were born in the tradition of Verdi's melodrama, has fallen....