Steve writes of Puccini studying and trying to digest the techniques
of the cutting-edge composers of his time:

>Actually, Puccini stole from all those guys.  "La Fanciulla," "Schicchi,"
>and "Turandot" are modern works, or at least works that owe a great deal
>to early Modernism.

Yes, though I though that your point would be understood.  The Puccini
works *are* modern but certainly not cutting-edge.

My point was that his own voice was good enough, and has served him better
in the long-run than any of the "update patches" of others he stuck on to
modernize his works.

John Smyth