The I-Hate-Opera-Guide to Turandot - by Philip Eisenbeiss

The I-Hate-Opera Guide

By Philip Eisenbeiss ©

© Philip Eisenbeiss 1

There are two things I truly hate about Turandot: Firstly, everyone mis-pronounces the title: It is “Turan-doh.” The final “t” is silent!

Secondly, Turandot features an aria that is so famous, it eclipses the rest of this fantastic opera. And that’s a shame, because Giacomo Puccini’s last opera is a masterpiece with lots to enjoy: • Great sets and costumes of ancient China (and we at Opera Hong Kong really know how to do those) • Huge crowd scenes with spectacular chorus music • Some of the toughest singing for a dramatic soprano, Turandot • Some of the most beautiful singing for a lyrical soprano, Liù • Ah yes, and Nessun Dorma, which is so famous it’s nearly annoying

Basic Facts Puccini never travelled to China and his image of the Middle Kingdom was informed by literature, art and the popular Orientalist influences. It’s a grander and bigger opera than La Boheme or even Tosca and was written by a mature Puccini. As a matter of fact, the composer died in 1924 before finishing Turandot, so another composer, Franco Alfano, actually wrote the final section.

Turandot is considered Puccini’s musically most adventurous opera, and he includes many elements from traditional Chinese music. At times even jarring, the themes are easy to learn and are quite stunning. You can learn the music of the opera in just over 20 minutes!

Characters and Plot As in most great operas, the plot is slightly ridiculous.

• Turandot is the cold Chinese princess who has decided she will not take a husband. But she has many suitors. She kills all her suitors when they fail to answer her three riddles • Emperor Altoum is her father, who is saddened by his daughter’s merciless attitude and would prefer if she just got married • Timur is the deposed King of Tartary, who is old and blind and has secretly arrived in Peking where nobody knows him • Calàf, a Prince of Tartary, is Timur’s son. He is also in town incognito. He will fall head-over-heels in love with Turandot, just by looking at her • Liù is Timur’s loyal slave, and she is secretly in love with Calàf © Philip Eisenbeiss 2

2.37 minutes of sheer lyrical soprano beauty In the first act Calàf sees the Princess Turandot and immediately decides he wants to pursue her. As he rushes for the gong to announce his intention, everybody tries to hold him off, especially the slave Liù.

Watch Giovanna Casalla do an excellent job (though she fails to deter Calàf) in the legendary performance in the Forbidden City of Beijing in 1998 directed by Zhang Yimou. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J79QzJG8BCs

5.47 minutes of a tenor’s defiance Calàf tries to calm her down but he still goes ahead and hits the gong, defying Liù, his father and the three (unimaginatively named) court officials Ping, Pang and Pong.

Watch legendary Spanish (ok, I guess we should now say Catalan) tenor Jose Carreras telling Liù not to cry “Non piangere Liù”. In this recording Carreras is at the peak of his vocal powers, taking control of this scene which ends the first act. Note his subtle singing without compromising power where needed. And note the Chinese instruments that Puccini intersperses in the music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9pusxyUU70

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6.09 minutes of spine-chilling singing We only get to hear Turandot sing in the second act, but boy, is it a challenging entrance. In “in questa reggia” (in this kingdom…) the princess explains her reason for being as cold and cruel as she is. It turns out she is standing up for an abused historical woman. Though calling her a feminist would be stretching it.

This single aria demonstrates why this role is such a shocker to sing. Some of the finest sopranos of our time have refused to perform the part due to its difficulty, volume and scary high notes.

Watch an excerpt with Ukrainian soprano Oksana Dyka who just triumphed as Turandot at the Met. But wait, there’s more: Oksana will sing in the OHK production! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSo9xVDckYw

You get maximum merit points if you watch this absolute treasure of a clip of the full aria: It features Swedish dramatic soprano Birgit Nilsson blowing out the lights.

Nilsson was probably the greatest Wagnerian soprano of the 20th century, but she loved doing Turandot, just for fun. And here she is matched with Italian uber-tenor of the 70s Franco Corelli. Sorry folks, opera doesn’t get better than this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-GV5t5XLjg

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After this exchange Calàf presents himself for the test of the three riddles. They are musically simple, but highly effective. Calàf has the right answers, shocking Turandot, but delighting her father and the crowd. But as this is opera, the tenor does stupid things, and he puts his life back in Turandot’s hands provided she manages to find out his name by the next morning. Bad idea!

In Act 3, as can be expected, the princess orders the citizens of Peking to find out the stranger’s name overnight.

3.13 minutes of what a “Nessun Dorma” should really sound like Calàf, coolly observes the city where of course nobody is sleeping, and sings the afore-mentioned “Nessun Dorma” (Nobody shall sleep). Too many tenors perform this crowd-pleaser, so watch the youngish Placido Domingo show how it should really sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpN5xAHvAH8

And take note, this is not a stand-alone song, as the entire opera is throughcomposed, i.e. no breaks after the aria.

4.30 minutes about how love can melt a frozen heart The hero Calàf’s very dumb idea now has bad consequences. Turandot’s men find Timur and Liù and torture them to release the stranger’s name. Liù won’t give up the man she loves so she kills herself, but not before singing this classic rebuttal to Turandot, delivering the great message of the opera: you who are so cold, will never know the true power of love.

Watch American soprano Leona Mitchell and Placido Domingo. It has no subtitles, but it’s perfectly clear what is going on, and you won’t find better singing. © Philip Eisenbeiss 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOUwVz4D1B0

In the final scene everybody expects Turandot to reveal his name and execute Calàf.

But no, she declares his name is “love” and everybody rejoices.

That’s the part I truly hate. I feel Calàf is too stupid and careless. She could have chosen better. But this is opera, and her final choice is stunningly sung. So: much as I'd like to hate Turandot, I cannot. It is simply one of the greatest operas ever! And I know you will love this Opera Hong Kong production!"

Enjoy Opera Hong Kong’s Turandot Date: October 10,11,12,13,14 Time: 7:30pm Venue: Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Details: http://operahongkong.org/turandot/

© Philip Eisenbeiss 6