Londonist (Free subscription) | 23/11/2009
The question that always seems to arise before watching a production of Puccini's Turandot is 'What on earth are they going to do with all those extra heads?' The beautiful, yet icy cold Princess Turandot (Kirsten Blanck) will only marry the man who answers her three riddles. Anyone who attempts to do so and fails will be executed, which, needless to say, leads to a fair amount of death. Director...
The Fool and The Opera (Free subscription) | 23/11/2009
Out lesbian and award-winning soprano Patricia Racette proved to be an insightful, if not delightful, host of the latest presentation by The Met in HD, Puccini's mammoth Turandot. The production and set design is by the renowned gay director Franco Zeffirelli and it shows the possibilities of a large budget. Racette conducted intervews with all four principals, veteran bass Samuel Ramey (Timur),
I'll think of something later (Free subscription) | 22/11/2009
They told me Rupert Goold's new ENO Turandot was going to be set in a Chinese restaurant; I laughed. I saw the trailer; it looked as if it might work. I saw the show last night; I haven't experienced a more brilliant piece of totally reinvented music theatre since Richard Jones's production of Wozzeck . Sets by Miriam Buether, costumes by Katrina Lindsay, video art and design from Lorna Heavey and...
Opera Chic (Free subscription) | 12/11/2009
(photo credit Marty Sohl) How do you take a (literally) creaky, tarnished, 22-year-old, scene-stealing Zeffirelli production of Turandot and make...
The Rehearsal Studio (Free subscription) | 08/11/2009
The risk in trying to view music history in terms of how composers may have appropriated the models of their predecessors and put them to new use is that one may seek out associations where none exist. During yesterday's HDLive broadcast of Giacomo Puccini's Turandot , I found myself confronting that risk. In one of Turandot's few authentically poignant moments, I could have sworn that, behind her...
Underbelly (Free subscription) | 08/11/2009
I don't think I ever really got Turandot until today. I had seen it only once before, and that under inauspicious conditions. It was a David Hockney production at San Francisco, with some sort of bleachers/platform built up at the back of the stage. I was way back in the balcony and most of the performance took place way up in those bleachers, so I went through most of the evening seeing the cast only...
The Composed Gentleman (Free subscription) | 07/11/2009
The broadcast of Puccini's opera Turandot will be presented live for only one day on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT in select movie theatres. Director Franco Zeffirelli's breathtaking production of Puccini's last opera is a favorite of the Met repertoire.The Metropolitan Opera: TurandotLength: 3 hours, 25 minutesTurandot Synopsis from the Metropolitan Opera: ACT I. Peking,
Vancouver Opera Blog (Free subscription) | 04/11/2009
Although we won't let ALL the cats out of the bag, we can tell you who will be singing what at the Golden Anniversary Concert November 6. But you must be there to check out our very special guests! (shhhhhhh!) VO Golden Anniversary Concert Program Friday, November 6th, 2009 Orpheum Theatre - 7:00 PM Maestro Jonathan Darlington – Conductor/Host Michael Cavanagh - Director Guest Soloists Vancouver...
I'll think of something later (Free subscription) | 04/11/2009
The accepted custom on the money note of 'Nessun dorma' is to hold on to that top B for as long as you can. Franco Corelli (poutingly gorgeous above, in his Calafian Astrakhan) does, of course, and in extending my Monday 'Opera in Focus' class survey to see and/or hear more on YouTube, I found Alessandro Valente clinging to it so long that he drops off what ought to be the full bar of top A on the...
The Independent (Free subscription) | 04/11/2009
Now in its fourth season, The Met: Live in HD transmits live Metropolitan Opera performances in high definition to theaters around the world. On Saturday, November 7 at 1:00pm EST, the Met will present its third Live in HD broadcast of the season, of Puccini's Turandot .
Market Wire (Free subscription) | 03/11/2009
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Hollie Steel (Free subscription) | 31/10/2009
Hollie’s MySpace page has 2 tracks of Hollie singing: O mio (an aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi) and Nessun Dorma (an aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot). Hollie’s voice shines through in this operatic songs. The photo of Hollie is from her MySpace site. The site also includes a video of Hollie solving [...]
The New York Observer (Free subscription) | 29/10/2009
There was queasy anticipation leading up to last night’s season premiere of Puccini’s "Turandot" at the Metropolitan Opera. Maria Guleghina, who was to sing the title role, walked through the dress rehearsal without a full sing, apparently suffering from the same fluish symptoms as the rest of New York. Ms. Guleghina has lately attacked her roles—Lady Macbeth, Tosca, Adriana...
Opera Chic (Free subscription) | 29/10/2009
Earlier tonight, the Metropolitan Opera opened the 1987 Franco Zeffirelli revival of Puccini’s Turandot. Russian soprano Maria Guleghina was scheduled...
PlaybillArts.com (Free subscription) | 23/10/2009
Too much spice or was it just right? A brash new English National Opera production of Turandot has moved the setting from an imperial palace to a Chinese restaurant. Frank Cadenhead discusses Rupert Goold's new take on the Puccini classic.
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