The Persian fairy-tale Turandot from the dervish Mokles’s 17th-century collection The One Thousand and One Nights has inspired numerous poets and composers. Giacomo Puccini worked on Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni’s libretto, based on Carlo Gozzi’s play, in the final years of his life, when he was fighting cancer of the larynx. Just as in the case of Madama Butterfly, he diligently strove to gain thorough knowledge of the culture and songs of an exotic, faraway land (in this case China). Puccini died before he managed to complete the opera: the task was undertaken by his friend and pupil Franco Altano, who drew upon the 36 pages of sketches left by the composer.
The opera was premiered on 25 April 1926 at Milan’s La Scala, conducted by Arturo Toscanini, who paid tribute to the late Puccini when in Act 3, after the words “Liu, poesia!”, he laid down his baton, turned to the audience and announced: “Here the opera ends, because at this point the maestro died”. Alfano’s finale was only included in the next performance. The cruel and beautiful Princess Turandot tests her wooers with riddles and when they fail they are duly executed. Only Prince Calaf succeeds, and his love ultimately overwhelms Turandot’s coldness.
Orchestra and Chorus of the State Opera
The opera is staged in Italian original version and Czech and English surtitles are used in the performance.
Cast and Creative Team for Turandot at The State Opera
Libretto: Giuseppe Adami, Renato Simoni
Conductor: Jaroslav Kyzlink
Stage director: Václav V?žník
Sets: Ladislav Vychodil
Chorus master: Tvrtko Karlovi?, Adolf Melichar
Choreography: Otto Šanda
Turandot
undefined
Anda-Louise Bogza
Kalaf
undefined
Michal Lehotský
Timur
Milan Bürger
Liu
Simona Procházková
Emperor Altoum
Nikolaj Višnjakov
Ping
Old?ich K?íž
Pang
Tomáš Ko?ínek
Pong
Martin Šrejma
Mandarin
Miloš Horák
Prince of Persia
Tomáš Ko?ínek
