Opera Turandot: synopsis and impressions.
A)
There are many famous operas, and the opera Turandot is one of them.
The aria "Nessun Dorma (No one sleeps!) " (sung by the soloist) is famous, but here is a summary of its scenes and plot.
B)
The opera Turandot was the last opera composed by the Italian composer Puccini.
Last but not least, it is unfinished, as he died before it was completed.
However, it was supplemented by Alfano, who was recommended by Puccini's son, based on 23 pages of sketches that had been left behind.
Several versions exist, but the Alfano version is currently the most popular.
It would be interesting to know what the music would have been like if Puccini himself had been able to compose the entire work.
C)
Synopsis of the opera Turandot and highlights, including 'Nessun Dorma (No one sleeps!) '.
The following is a synopsis of the opera Turandot!
The main characters are as follows. The figures in brackets are the register of responsibilities. Plus, there is a mixed chorus in the position of the general populace.
Princess Turandot (soprano)
Artum, Emperor of China: father of Turandot (tenor)
Timur: the blind abolitionist king who was forced to leave the Dattan kingdom (bass)
Calaf: conceals his identity and name but is Timur's son and prince (tenor)
Liu: a servant in the service of Timur and Calaf. She secretly has feelings for Khalaf (soprano)
Ping: eunuch in the service of the Emperor, minister of finance (baritone)
Pong: eunuch in the service of the chief chef (tenor)
Pan: eunuch, minister of the interior (tenor)
Synopsis in three lines:
Princess Turandot, who doesn't want to get married, makes a crazy pretence that she will marry the person who can answer three riddles. However, if other countries' princes make a mistake, they will be beheaded.
D)
The story is about Calaf, who loves Princess Turandot and tries his hand at a riddle. Calaf tries his hand at the riddle and answers three questions correctly.
When Princess Turandot is upset by this, Calaf asks her a riddle in reverse: "Guess my name by dawn". The famous aria, "Nessun Dorma (No one sleeps!) ", is sung by the triumphant Calaf.
Timur and Liu are captured by Princess Turandot, who tries to find out his name in every possible way, but Liu says: "I am the only one who knows his name! I can show my love for him by dying keeping the secret!" and then she kills herself.
...... Puccini seems to have run out of steam when he has composed so far: .......
What is love? Princess Turandot is even more upset, and Calaf finally seduces her to a grand climax.
E)
Many of Puccini's operas have bad endings, but Turandot has a pleased ending, one might say. But Liu dies.
The song "Nessun Dorma (No one sleeps!)," which Shizuka Arakawa used when she won the gold medal in figure skating at the Turin Olympics, is very famous. So is Ping Pong Pang's "I can't do this kind of work; I want to go back to my beautiful home."
The melancholy of middle management, the dignity, beauty, and arrogance of Princess Turandot, and Liu's healthiness are also highlights of the opera.
The impression of the opera performance changes considerably depending on the direction. Still, in the performance I saw, Princess Turandot was worshipped initially. She seemed to regain her grounded humanity as the riddle was solved gradually and, conversely, as she became in a position to solve the riddle.
Also, although the sketches were left behind, I feel that the tone of the supplementary parts differs from that of the previous parts.
It is pretty challenging for the performers to play the supplementary parts.
First Mystery
Born at night and gone at dawn
What do humans seek in the darkness?
Second Mystery
When we lose our power, we become cold
When we dream of conquest, we become hot
What is like fire, but not fire?
Third Mystery
If you seek freedom, he will make you his slave
If you become his servant, he will make you his king
What is the ice that gives fire?
Opera Turandot: synopsis and impressions.
https://loveclassicmusic.com/turandot-36
Add info No1)
[Opera] Turandot (Royal Opera Japan Tour 2024)
Opera Review
https://mishimashikahika.hatenablog.com/entry/2024/06/27/142923
Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 18:30
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Large Hall
Royal Opera Japan Tour 2024
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Turandot
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Princess Turandot: Maida Handling
Calaf: Brian Jade
Liu: Masabane Cecilia Langwanasya
Timur: John Lelie
Ping: Hanson Yu
Pang: Aled Hall
Pong: Michael Gibson
Choir: Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra: Royal Opera House Orchestra
Children's Choir: NHK Tokyo Children's Choir
1)
The blog post is a detailed review of the Royal Opera House's 2024 performance of "Turandot" in Japan. The author, Mishima, attended the performance on June 26, 2024, at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. Key points include:
2)
Overall Impressions: He enjoyed the performance, noting the unique and engaging atmosphere created by the set design and lighting. They felt transported to another world and appreciated the high musical quality.
3)
Notable Performances:
Brian Jagde as Calaf: He was praised for his powerful and stable voice and impressed by his natural projection and expressive singing, especially in the famous aria "Nessun Dorma."
Maida Hundeling as Turandot: Despite being a substitute, she delivered a strong performance, though her high notes were sometimes piercing, and her low notes lacked resonance.
4)
Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha as Liù: He noted her stable lower register but felt her high notes were less impactful.
John Relyea as Timur: He is commended for his deep, resonant voice, which contributed to the emotional weight of the performance.
5)
Ping, Pang, and Pong trio are noteworthy for their robust, harmonious singing and lively stage presence.
Music and Direction: Antonio Pappano conducted the music, which was highlighted for its precision and emotional depth. He appreciated the balance between the intricate and bold elements of the score.
6)
Stage Design and Production: The set was described as extensive and immersive, with innovative elements like hanging masks representing decapitated heads adding to the eerie and fantastical atmosphere.
Substitution Announcement: Sondra Radvanovsky, cast initially as Turandot, could not perform due to illness, and Hundeling took her place.
7)
Final Thoughts: He concluded by expressing their satisfaction with the performance and a growing fondness for the Royal Opera House. They hoped for the continued success of the remaining performances in the festival.
Add info No2)
1)
Today, I felt like I was on an attraction rather than watching an opera. I was transported to another world, even though I was only sitting in the audience.
The oriental and mysterious music, the slightly eerie choirs, and the dancers singing and dancing in masks gave a sense of fiction in a different space.
Due to the power of the music's perfection, I was able to experience the unusual feeling of seeing a familiar opera in a theatre I know very well. I could concentrate on the other side of the world because there was little to distract me musically or song-wise.
2)
Brian Jade, who sang the Calaf, had to laugh (a compliment) as he sang at high pressure but with plenty of room to spare. He was already great from the first note.
He sang so loudly that I wanted to ask him, "Do you have a microphone in there? It was not a made-up loud voice but one that came out from the bottom of his stomach and flew straight into the theatre, which was nothing but a pleasant feeling.
It was so convincing that I thought that Calaf needed Jade's voice. It was wonderful.
3)
Everyone loves "Nessun Dorma", which he sings lightly. Could you sing it with more difficulty? You're coming to make the tenor singers out there cry.
You can sing the high notes without feeling high. You can produce high notes with the same feeling as in the middle register without doing anything special.
You do not produce high notes on the edge. The voice always felt spare and spacey in the mouth. It is a rule not to clap during a song, but there was applause. I know what you think. But let's not.
4)
The singing was almost perfect, but as for "Nessun Dorma", I was concerned about the shortness of the vowels. The following consonant came before the vowel was sung sincerely, and the musical line was thin.
The orchestra was playing a lot of music, so there were some parts where the jades were sung too early, cutting off the vowels early. He has a lovely voice, so it would be great if she could sing with more extension.
5)
He sang with tremendous volume and was not affected by the orchestra's thick walls—I lied about that. The lower register didn't sound so good, which may be an issue for Jade.
It's great that he has a big voice but a beautifully shaped mouth and doesn't open her mouth unnecessarily wide in favour of volume. In Act 2, when he sings "Let Me Try" to the Emperor, he turns his head entirely backwards, but it doesn't make any difference when he sings facing forward. It doesn't matter where you sing; you can still sound and deliver it.
6)
Ping, Pang, and Pong trio are noteworthy for their robustness.
They move around a lot, but it doesn't affect their vocal performance. They move so much that you would think they had brought in dancers who could sing well.
In particular, Hansung Yu, who played Ping, has a beautiful voice but sings with a careful singing style that doesn't take advantage of it. Her Italian was more straightforward to understand than anyone else's, and Yoo's voice kept the three of them from becoming cluttered and rooted in the chaotic atmosphere.
7)
Masabane Cecilia Langwanasha, who played Liu, was not perfect for singing, but her concentration on the role covered it, so there was no stress.
Her lower register was so stable that I wondered if she was a soprano. Her voice, which was not forced out, jumped over the orchestra and reached the audience. The upper register's ceiling was low, and the voice lacked substance. I think it would be better if the high register had the added depth of singing in the lower register.
8)
The third act of singing was very carefully sung. It is good that her voice is rounded and not harsh, but I am concerned that it is spread out and unfocused.
Her singing skills will continue to develop. I hope we will meet again somewhere.
9)
Despite being a substitute, Maida Hundeling as Turandot delivered a strong performance.
It's a role that almost becomes a scream if you don't sing it right. How hard it must be.
Hundering has some kink in his voice, but it's not a vocal effect; it's something she has. I didn't feel like my throat would come up and kink. Your stamina is also impressive, as you don't feel your voice tired until the end.
10)
After the high notes, the low notes are not nearly as vocal. It doesn't resonate. Is this the price for singing the high notes with tremendous power? I meditate on it because the power was so great.
It's not that the bass range is not present. The phrases that started with low notes sounded remarkable, so they must be uneven depending on the note pattern. The bass had a very calm voice. "Sì, la speranza che delude sempre!" was especially scary because it was full of anger. I think we will hear more audible bass when it is better controlled.
11)
This is also true of Rigoletto, which we present simultaneously, but the clarity of Italian pronunciation has disappeared. Most singers do not want to improve their Italian pronunciation. Whether that idea is good or bad, it was clear that the Royal Opera does not look for Italian pronunciation to be that good. If you're not a native Italian speaker, it's like that. First, you don't want to be asked to pronounce Italian correctly, as you are on the verge of screaming like in Turandot.
Add info No3)
A new interpretation of Turandot about the 'Female Disposability' of the power-hungry?
1)
After returning from France, I enjoyed three performances of the same production of Puccini's posthumous opera "Turandot" in just under two weeks.
2)
Kazushi Ohno is the music director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, based at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra in the Autonomous Region of Catalonia, Spain, and the artistic director of the New National Theatre Opera.
3)
The first year of the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan and New National Theatre's first joint production project, "Summer Opera Festival 2019-20," launched in anticipation of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, was Puccini's (1858-1924) posthumous work "Turandot" (1926).
4)
At the end of the play, having mastered "Puccini's tragic heroine" and considering the ruthlessness of those in power, Olier came up with a new interpretation of Princess Turandot.
5)
"Inspired by Liù's death, she awakens to true love, and with the second woman (the princess herself) also showing signs of being disposable, she resolutely rejects the loveless, power-hungry man (Calaf).
Finally, Turandot commits suicide." This is the bold ending he gave.
6)
Because the ending was the heroine's suicide, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
However, as a director, I believe this interpretation has some truth.
7)
However, instead of starting the music abruptly at the beginning of Act 1, it begins with a scene of a young Turandot playing with her "grandmother" (who must have been her ancestor several generations ago), Princess Lourin.
8)
An invading king bursts in and beats up the grandmother, causing her granddaughter to run away crying.
In other words, the original trauma of the "Icy Princess" is shown as a skit, but I found myself "disagreeing" until the end.
I would have preferred it to start abruptly with "Da-da-da-daan!"
Add info No4)
Puccini's last aria, a posthumous work in memory of a maid who supported his medical treatment
https://www.j-cast.com/trend/2016/07/05271619.html?p=all
1)
His love of cars led to an accident, and he was involved in a significant incident.
Puccini was an Italian born in Pesaro. Even today, Italy is known for its fast cars, such as Ferrari and Lamborghini, but Puccini was also passionate about automobiles. Italian cars are said to have good styling, but conversely, they are prone to malfunctions.
2)
The most distinctive feature is that they are "made to run fast". Due to EU regulations, you can't drive at unlimited speeds like in Germany, but many manufacturers still make exciting cars. Many cars have a device that allows you to drive quietly in normal mode and switch to sports mode when necessary to feel like you're driving at full speed.
3)
Like most Italians, Puccini drove too fast and caused a major accident, even though traffic was light then. He was in the middle of writing the opera Madame Butterfly when he broke his leg in an accident and was forced to live in a wheelchair. Since living daily without being able to stand was inconvenient, he decided to hire a maid. The maid who came to help him was a girl named Doria Manfredi.
4)
Meanwhile, Puccini's wife, Elvira, was a very jealous woman. She suspected Puccini and Doria were in a relationship and fiercely criticized Doria for months. Then, this so tormented poor Doria that he tried to commit suicide by taking poison. Elvira was also prosecuted. The whole thing developed into a significant incident.
5)
Still, this major incident around Puccini, a composer at the peak of his popularity in Italy at the time, shocked everyone involved. Puccini was unable to compose for about two years.
6)
Liu, a servant close to Calaf's fallen father, Timur, is captured by officials and brought before the princess. Princess Turandot tortures her, saying, "She must know the prince's name since she was seen with him." However, she never confesses, and when she finds an opportunity, she takes the sword of a guard and commits suicide.
7)
Before that, she sings an aria to the princess, "The icy princess too." Let the icy princess's heart also succumb to the flames of his passion and fall in love... I will close my eyes before he wins again and never have to see him again.
8)
As expected, Princess Turandot opens her heart to Liu's hidden love in the lyrics and her strength and integrity in choosing to die. She marries Calaf, and the story ends happily. But Liu, who dies alone, is a brave and pitiful woman.
9)
Puccini's health was deteriorating. His cancer was deemed incurable by surgery, and as a last resort, he underwent radiation therapy in Brussels, Belgium. Unfortunately, the treatment was unsuccessful, and he passed away in a foreign land.
10)
Ultimately, Turandot remained an unfinished opera, and his students completed the work. Still, perhaps Puccini had a premonition of his death, as despite being in poor health, he finished the final aria for Liu and the suicide scene before leaving for Brussels.
Perhaps Puccini saw the shadow of the late Doria in the character of Liu.
Add info NO5)
About Puccini's "Turandot"
https://ameblo.jp/754403/entry-12592492220.html
Opera "Turandot"
http://pietro.music.coocan.jp/storia/puccini_turandot.html
Puccini / Turandot Jose Cura
https://blog.goo.ne.jp/ree201408/e/e0f5110f6a4bd83230f93c8f309a8e33
A shocking ending born from the structure of the text: Turandot, directed by Alex Olier
https://tarot-ballet.jugem.jp/?eid=255
UK General Election 2024: What is the support rate for each party? Latest opinion polls explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22En_4Fhw64
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqVSOFtFiSY
With the general election on July 4th just a week away, political parties in the UK are actively campaigning. In the latest opinion polls, the largest opposition party, Labour, has a 40% approval rating, far ahead of the other parties. Meanwhile, the ruling Conservative Party (20%) lags behind Labour and seems concerned about the catch-up of Nigel Farage's new party, Reform UK (16%). In addition, the opposition Liberal Democrats are at 12%, and the Scottish National Party (SNP), the ruling party in Scotland, is at 3%. BBCVerify reporter Nick Ardrey explains the latest trends. Click here for articles on the BBC News site.
