Museo Ruggero Leoncavallo

About the museum

The composer Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857–1919), creator of the opera "I Pagliacci", lived for several years between 1904 and 1914 in Brissago on Lake Maggiore, where he had a villa built in 1903. The idea of the foundation goes back to Hildegarde Baroness von Münchhausen: in the 1990s she acquired part of the composer's estate with the intention of founding a museum in Brissago and rescuing his work from oblivion.

The Fondazione Ruggero Leoncavallo was established in 1999; together with the municipality of Brissago it opened the museum in April 2002. It is housed in the Palazzo Branca-Baccalà, a Baroque noble house from around 1700, which the architect Livio Vacchini restored and which is regarded as one of the finest examples of aristocratic Baroque architecture on the upper Lake Maggiore. The composer's archive is kept separately in the cantonal library in Locarno.

The exhibition is divided into several areas: a biographical presentation with portraits and photographs, rare first editions and scores of the most important works such as "I Pagliacci", "I Medici" and "La Bohème", and a reconstructed study with original furniture and an Erard grand piano of 1841 that belonged to Leoncavallo. The composer's grave is in the neighbouring church, in the Renaissance portico.

Highlights

• Reconstructed study with the composer's furniture
• Erard grand piano from Paris, 1841, formerly owned by Leoncavallo
• Rare first editions and scores of "I Pagliacci", "I Medici" and "La Bohème"
• Baroque Palazzo Branca-Baccalà, restored by Livio Vacchini
• The composer's grave in the portico of the neighbouring church

Permanent exhibition

• Museo Ruggero Leoncavallo – Biography with portraits, rare editions of the main works, and a reconstructed study with original furniture and the Erard grand piano of 1841.

Founded

2002

Operated by

Fondazione Ruggero Leoncavallo und Gemeinde Brissago

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

From Locarno, Brissago can be reached by bus via Ascona and Porto Ronco; also by boat with Navigazione Lago Maggiore.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit