The two one-act operas were first performed in 1918.

In Il Tabarro, one act of the Triptych, Puccini brings to the stage the stories of a decaying society, featuring people who are searching for a reason to endure their miserable lives. Betrayal and clandestine love serve as a shock to this life of sacrifices. The story, set on a barge on the Seine, culminates in a dramatic ending—the death of the lover at the hands of the betrayed husband.

The Castle of Duke Bluebeard, composed by Bela Bartók with a libretto by Béla Balázs, is a short drama inspired by the fairy-tale character Bluebeard. The story unfolds in the dimly lit hall of a castle with seven closed doors and features Bluebeard and his new wife, Judith. Bartók was prompted to compose the opera for a competition for a one-act opera, announced in 1911 by the Ministry of Fine Arts in Budapest.
However, the opera was not well received in the competition, and Bartók had to wait until 1918 to see its premiere at the Budapest Theatre.