Quantum cohomology and the periodic Toda lattice

We describe a relation between the periodic one-dimensional Toda lattice and the quantum cohomology of the periodic flag manifold (an infinite-dimensional Kaehler manifold). This generalizes a result of Givental and Kim relating the open Toda lattice and the quantum cohomology of the finite-dimensional flag manifold. We derive a simple and explicit "differential operator formula" for the necessary quantum products, which applies both to the finite-dimensional and to the infinite-dimensional situations.