02 November 2021 (Tue), 19:00 Chamber Stage Boris Pokrovsky Theatre on Nikolskaya Street - Opera Giacomo Puccini "Turandot" (Opera in three Acts)
Running time: 3 hours 50 minutes (till 21:30)
Schedule for Giacomo Puccini "Turandot" (Opera in three Acts) 2022
Composer: Giacomo Puccini Conductor: Alexander Vedernikov Stage Director: Francesca Zambello Set Designer: Georgy Tsypin Costume Designer: Tatyana Noginova Light Designer: Rick Fisher Dancer: Andrei Melanyin
Opera in 2 acts
Performed in Russian
Premiere of this production: 8 October 2002
Libretto: Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni after motifs from the story of the
same name by Carlo Gozzi
Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot was first produced at the Bolshoi Theatre
in 1931. The director, Leonid Baratov, was worried that, for ideological
reasons, the production might seem untimely. And indeed critics, judging it from
the perspective of the triumphant working class, hurried to slang the opera:
"This opera is alien to Soviet audiences and not needed by them. Who cares
whether Turandot does, or does not love Calaf?"
But this - would Turandot fall for him or not? - was a question that very
much interested Francesca Zambello, whom the Bolshoi Theatre invited to direct
Turandot in 2002. In her words, she tried to tell the story in such a way that
would whip up the curiosity of each and every member of the audience. And in
this she succeeded. "Virtually everyone is pleased by what Zambello has done
with Puccini’s exotic "exercise"… This production in no way owes a debt to
previous interpretations of the work - gripping, permeated by vital fluids, it
has laid bare the operatic roots of Carlo Gozzi’s tale - a magic tale of the
18th century…The designer, with whom Zambello worked, is worthy of her."
(Financial Times, 19.09.2002).
Presented with two intervals. Sung in Italian with Russian subtitles.
Synopsis
ACT
I A crowd assembled by the walls of the Imperial palace in Peking listens
to a Mandarin reading a decree - anyone who wishes to win the hand of Princess
Turandot must solve three riddles; whosoever cannot answer must die. The young
Prince of Persia is to be executed this night. The excited crowd rushes towards
the palace, but the guards keep the people back. An old man falls to the ground.
In anguish, a young girl calls for help. A young man rushes out from the crowd,
recognising the old man to be his father. Their unexpected meeting is not a
joyful occasion - old Timur’s enemies have usurped his throne and banished him
from his native land; his son Calaf has been forced to wander foreign parts,
hiding his name from everyone. Timur is accompanied everywhere by the faithful
slave girl Liu, whose love for Calaf is unrequited. Preparations
for the execution are underway on the square. Night descends. As the moon rises,
the crowd awaits the appearance of Turandot. A triumphal procession approaches.
It is met by a funeral procession - that of the Prince of Persia going to his
execution. The people feel pity for him and beg Turandot to have mercy on him.
Calaf vengefully curses the hard-hearted Princess. Finally, however, she
appears, and Calaf is blinded by her beauty. In vain, his father tries to
dissuade him: Calaf knows he must win Turandot’s heart. Suddenly the ministers
Ping, Pong and Pang bar his way. They warn the Prince and jeer at him, summoning
the spirits of those who have died from their love of Turandot. Liu begs Calaf
to leave - neither she nor his father could bear to see him die. Calaf is
touched by her entreaties, but cannot relinquish his love for Turandot. At his
signal, a servant strikes a huge gong three times, declaring Calaf’s decision to
attempt to win the Princess.
ACT II Scene I Ping, Pong and
Pang are pondering the fate of the unknown Prince who has decided to solve
Turandot’s riddles: what will dawn bring - a wedding or an execution? They dream
of returning to a peaceful and tranquil life, far, far away from the Imperial
palace. But madmen in love continue to try their luck, and their heads continue
to roll in honour of the Princess. When will the suitor come who will defeat
Turandot, who can transform her by love and put an end to these perpetual
executions in the country?
Scene II The crowd gathers on the square
before the palace. Timur and Liu are also there. At last, Emperor Altoum
appears. He tries to dissuade the Prince from the attempt. The Mandarin repeats
once again the dreadful conditions of the challenge. Turandot appears at the
head of a triumphal procession. She is consumed with hatred of all men: once,
many thousands of years ago, in this very palace, a foreign invader ravaged a
Chinese Princess and, centuries later, her cry resounded in Turandot’s heart.
She takes vengeance on all strangers for this evil act. No-one may marry her:
there will be three riddles followed by one death. But Calaf answers her proudly
that there will be three riddles followed by one life... Turandot announces
her first riddle: what bright, alluring vision is created at night and dies at
dawn, only to return the next night? The Prince answers that it is the hope that
will bring him to Turandot. The wise men confirm that hope is indeed the answer
to the first riddle - it is written thus in their scrolls. The second riddle is
announced: what is like a flame, yet is not a flame? What runs cold when a man
dies, but burns brighter than the sun if he succeeds? In his confusion, Calaf is
silent. The Emperor, Liu and the crowd encourage him and he finds the answer -
it is the blood that flows in his veins from his love for Turandot. The Princess
is struck with rage and fear and she hurries to pose her third riddle:
what is like ice but freezes in fire? What makes a man a slave if he wants to be
free and makes him a King if he becomes its servant. In triumph, Turandot mocks
the Prince. What kind of ice could he burn in? However, Calaf solves the third
riddle: it is Turandot , and the ice of her heart will melt in the fire of his
love. The crowd praises the victor. In terror, Turandot begs her father not to
marry her to the stranger, but the Emperor is unyielding - his word is sacred.
Calaf, however, will not accept Turandot’s hand against her will as he desires
the Princess’ love. He sets Turandot just one riddle which she must solve by
daybreak: in all Peking not one person knows his name. If the Princess can
discover it, he will die willingly.
ACT III Scene I The
sounds of far-off heralds can be heard in the garden of the Imperial palace -
Turandot has decreed that none shall sleep this night in Peking on pain of
death; the name of the unknown Prince must be discovered by daybreak. Calaf
dreams of Turandot’s love: she will only know the answer to his secret when he
holds her in his arms. Daybreak will bring his victory. Ping, Pong and Pang
tempt Calaf with the delights of love, wealth and ultimately compassion -
thousands will be tortured to death if Turandot does not know his name by dawn.
But Calaf firmly resists all their temptations: the entire world may perish, but
he will not be denied Turandot. Liu declares that she alone knows the Prince’s
name and nothing will make her reveal the secret. Turandot is confounded by the
slave girl’s courage. Where does she get her strength? It comes from the power
of love for which Liu is ready to die. Turandot will know it herself soon,
though Liu will not live to see this - snatching a dagger from Turandot, she
stabs herself. Timur and the crowd are broken-hearted at Liu’s death. With
ardent words and kisses, Calaf awakens the love in Turandot’s icy heart. The
stranger’s courage and passion have defeated her pride - now she is his. And so,
the Prince tells Turandot his name. Night passes and the sun begins to rise.
Scene II Before the assembled crowd and in the presence of the
Emperor, Turandot gives the answer to Calaf’s riddle: his name is... Love.
Everyone sings in praise of love, light and life. ”
Additional information
Characters and performers
Synopsis
A stamp depicting "The Government Inspector", from the souvenir sheet of Russia devoted to the 200th birth anniversary of Nikolay V. Gogol, 2009
The corrupt officials of a small Russian town, headed by the Mayor, react with terror to the news that an incognito inspector (the revizor) will soon be arriving in their town to investigate them. The flurry of activity to cover up their considerable misdeeds is interrupted by the report that a suspicious person has arrived two weeks previously from Saint Petersburg and is staying at the inn. That person, however, is not an inspector; it is Khlestakov, a foppish civil servant with a wild imagination.
Having learned that Khlestakov has been charging his considerable hotel bill to the Crown, the Mayor and his crooked cronies are immediately certain that this upper class twit is the dreaded inspector. For quite some time, however, Khlestakov does not even realize that he has been mistaken for someone else. Meanwhile, he enjoys the officials' terrified deference and moves in as a guest in the Mayor's house. He also demands and receives massive "loans" from the Mayor and all of his associates. He also flirts outrageously with the Mayor's wife and daughter.
Sick and tired of the Mayor's ludicrous demands for bribes, the village's Jewish and Old Believer merchants arrive, begging Khlestakov to have him dismissed from his post. Stunned at the Mayor's rapacious corruption, Khlestakov states that he deserves to be exiled in chains to Siberia. Then, however, he pockets still more "loans" from the merchants, promising to comply with their request.
Terrified that he is now undone, the Mayor pleads with Khlestakov not to have him arrested, only to learn that the latter has become engaged to his daughter. At which point Khlestakov announces that he is returning to St. Petersburg, having been persuaded by his valet Osip that it is too dangerous to continue the charade any longer.
After Khlestakov and Osip depart on a coach driven by the village's fastest horses, the Mayor's friends all arrive to congratulate him. Certain that he now has the upper hand, he summons the merchants, boasting of his daughter's engagement and vowing to squeeze them for every kopeck they are worth. However, the Postmaster suddenly arrives carrying an intercepted letter which reveals Khlestakov's true identity—and his mocking opinion of them all.
The Mayor, after years of bamboozling banter Governors and shaking down criminals of every description, is enraged to have been thus humiliated. He screams at his cronies, stating that they, not himself, are to blame. At this moment, the famous fourth-wall breaking phrase is uttered by the Mayor to the audience: "What are you laughing about? You are laughing about yourselves!" While the cronies continue arguing, a message arrives from the real Government Inspector, who is demanding to see the Mayor immediately.
Schedule for Giacomo Puccini "Turandot" (Opera in three Acts) 2022
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