SAN DIEGO–The San Diego Opera’s 2011 production of Puccini’s Turandot is the gift that keeps on giving that found this opera lovers heart pounding from the first sounds of conductor Edoardo Müller’s detail to Puccini’s music in leading the San Diego Opera Orchestra, to the exceptional way the large chorus, including a long procession of children, under the direction of acting Chorus Master Charles Prestinari, moved and sounded with almost one voice to Lofti Mansouri’s deft direction of this great undertaking.
In no particular order David Hockney’s sprawling yet spectacular and eye popping sets are captivating, drenched in Michael Whitfield’s bright shades of red lighting. Ion Falconer’s costumes are a standout all around from the chorus’ iridescent blacks to the bright primary colors of Ping, Pang and Pong, not to mention the magnificent and glittering gowns worn by Lise Lindstrom’s “Turandot”. Visually this Turandot is just about the most breathtaking I’ve seen.
Turandot was the last opera written by Puccini. He was suffering from throat cancer as he continued to finish his masterpiece. Unfortunately he died before it was finished and at the request of Arturo Toscanini his colleague and composer Franco Alfano completed the final duet between Caláf and Turandot basing his work on the notes and sketches left behind by Puccini. Ultimately Toscanini, who was not happy with the results of Alfano’s work, edited it.
Turandot was first performed in 1926 at La Scala, in Milan. The story is based on an early text Turandot, by Carlo Gozzi. It’s the Persian word meaning “daughter of Turan”, a region of Central Asia. Set in legendary times in Peking with a proclamation announcing that any man who wants to marry Turandot must answer three riddles. If he fails, he will die. Turandot’s last suitor, the Prince of Persia died just the night before. And so the pomp and circumstance begin with the arrival of the slave girl and her blind master.
Mezzo soprano Ermonela Jaho’s Liù, the servant girl who has loved the Prince from the day he smiled down at her and German bass Reinhard Hagen as Timor, Calàf’s blind and long lost father are beautifully matched in their voices and movement although he towers over her. Jaho’s acting as well as possessing a sweet and lilting voice showed us a passionate side, compared to that of ‘the Ice Princess’, as she was willing to risk it all to save Calàf’s life.
Ms. Lindstrom, who got off to somewhat of a shaky start, quickly recovered and by evening’s end soared with her rich, vibrant voice. At times, however, she showed a tonal harshness in her soprano voice. As the Ice Princess “Turandot”, the demands on her character could be heard matching Ventre’s and rising over both chorus and orchestra.
Matching her note for note is tenor Carlo Ventre’s Calàf the Prince. He is obsessed with her beauty and insists on winning her heart, risking death if he fails to meet her challenge of answering her three riddles. And while his Nessun dorma in the last act was beautiful (With all due respect, this aria really belongs to Luciano Pavarotti) it lacked the compassion and urgency needed.
Comic relief comes in the bodies of Ping, Pang and Pong (baritone Jeff Mattsey, tenor Joel Sorenson and tenor Joseph Hu as they wrestle with the riddles Turandot will ask of her new suitor. They hope that ‘love will conquer her heart’. They dance and prance around throughout most of the second act adding the much-needed levity to all the death and bloodshed that came with every suitor before Prince Calàf.
Tenor Joseph Frank as Turnadot’s father, The Emperor Altoum, was difficult to be heard when he was first carried out making his presence known. There seemed to be a dead spot toward the back of the set that made his voice inaudible to this listener’s ear. I found that to be true as well when Ms. Lindstrom was in the very same place. This was a minor distraction in an otherwise magnificent and giving evening of opera at the Civic Theatre.
If this Turandot is any indication of what’s to come for the rest of the 2011 opera season count me in. It is on the not to be missed list.
See you at the theatre.
Dates: 7PM Tuesday: 8PM Friday: 2PM Sunday (sold out)
Organization: San Diego Opera
Phone: 619-533-7000
Production Type:
Where: 1100 Third Ave. Downtown
Ticket Prices: $35.00-$225.00
Web: sdopera.com
Venue: Civic Theatre
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Davis is a San Diego based theatre critic