(Photos: Hans Joerg Michel & Andreas Etter) To think of “Turandot,” Giacomo Puccini’s swan song, inevitably means evoking the Orient – and more specifically China – not only because of its plot, but above all because of its sonic universe. The premise of the production under review is particularly intriguing precisely because it arises from the encounter between East and West. {…}
(credit: Andy Wilkinson) The ending of “Turandot” recording has always been a point of contention for opera goers. The opera is traditionally performed with an ending constructed by Alfano following Puccini’s death, but over the years, composers and librettists have taken a stab at reconsidering this iconic and controversial work. That list includes the likes of Luciano Berio, Derrick Wang, {…}
(Photo credit: Keith Saunders) Puccini famously left the score of “Turandot” incomplete at his death in 1924, and its last minutes have been completed by other composers such as Franco Alfano (1926) and most recently Luciano Berio (2002). Arturo Toscanini conducting the premiere a century ago simply put down his baton at the point where Puccini had stopped composing and {…}
On Tuesday Jan. 27, the Royal Opera and Ballet experienced one of the most dramatic scenes in opera history. After the second act of “Turandot,” tenor Roberto Alagna fell ill and was forced to cancel the rest of the evening. Having no cover, the company was forced to call in Richard Hetherington, the theatre’s head of music. He omitted the {…}
Opera Carolina announced that Stefano Vignati, the company’s Music Director and Principal Conductor, has been selected to conduct performances of “Turandot” as part of the global Puccini Centennial celebrations in China. Puccini’s final opera will be presented starting from Dec. 30, 2025 to Jan. 1, 2026 at Xiamen Banlam Grand Theatre, followed by performances at the Wuhan Qintai Grand Theatre {…}
(Photo: Camilla Greenwell) The Puccini opera where he gets the girl. But is she worth having? Is HE? The more I see Puccini’s final opera, “Turandot,” the more I’m left wondering if, had he not expired before its completion, he might have taken a long hard look at it and elected to make some seriously drastic, if not complete, changes. {…}
Opera Australia is set to present a new production of Puccini’s “Turandot.” The new production will mark 100 years since it first premiered and will directed by Ann Yee, who makes her Australian debut as director. The production will star Rebecca Nash and Anna-Louise Cole in the title role alongside Young Woo Kim, Diego Torre and Rosario La Spina as {…}
This week, the Semperoper Dresden opened a revival of “Turandot,” one of Puccini’s most popular works. However, what made this revival special was the birth of a new interpreter of the title role. Camilla Nylund made her role debut as Turandot, returning to Puccini after singing Tosca to great acclaim. In a statement to OperaWire regarding her role debut as {…}
(Photo credit: Klemens Renner) On Friday, Nov. 14, the Semperoper Dresden experienced a workplace accident. According to the Press Office of the Dresden Fire and Rescue Service in consultation with the Semperoper Dresden, “During the midday rehearsal for ‘Turandot’ on the main stage, a workplace accident occurred in which five members of the production team fell from a platform approximately {…}
The documentary “Ai Weiwei’s Turandot” is set to open in cinemas on Sept. 26 at the Laemmle Monica Film Center in Los Angeles. The thought-provoking feature documentary follows the journey of Ai Weiwei, the renowned Chinese revolutionary artist and activist, as he embarks on his operatic directorial debut at the iconic Rome Opera House. The documentary shows how Ai Weiwei {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Puccini’s “Turandot” for 17 performances. The opera will be presented between Sept. 23 and June 6 in Franco Zeffirelli’s iconic production. The opera will first be shown in September and October for seven performances with Carlo Rizzi conducting. The cast includes Angela Meade in the title role, Michael Fabiano as Calaf, and Masabane {…}