My Favorite Things To Look and Listen For When Seeing Turandot

-
Some things we loved while watching Turandot these past few nights:

- The unsteady steps of Reinhard Hagen's blind Timur as he navigates the stage. He's built like an ox, but inhabits his role so convincingly it looks like he could topple any moment.

- Ermonela Jaho's face. One could watch the whole opera on her face without looking at the supertitles and know what is going on each moment - she telegraphs her character's emotions so well.

- The xylophone in the first and second act and its distinct Chinese melody.

- The light on Altoum's face during In questa reggia.

- Perhaps the most memorable moment however is a moment that is so subtle at first we were not sure it was even happening - in the second act, as the children's chorus sings, the adult chorus hums at a level so low they blend in and out with the orchestra. It's a seductive moment, one that coaxes you to listen with new ears and is a perfect example of Puccini's mastery of music and stagecraft and a testament to how good our chorus is.

After you come and see Turandot, please share your favorite moments with us.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Opening night was packed, it was almost to perfect exept for a slight trip by the ice princess, sound was a little low, how fun was the dress at the end, red long and flowing.
January 30, 2011 at 9:00 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Are You Listening To This Weekend?

-
Image
When Thursdays are like Fridays things really get messed up... but since we're closed on Fridays in August it is time to ask, what are you listening to this weekend? Here at the Aria Serious tower we're going to listen to Lehar's The Land of Smiles . We wonder why this isn't performed that much -- it is a wonderful piece of music. Share your listening plans in the comments below and whatever you listen to this weekend, make it a good one!
Read more

10 Interesting Facts About Faust

-
A few weeks ago Dr. Nic shared with us 10 interesting things about Der Rosenkavalier , born out of an agonizing ride in the elevator where we stopped on every floor from the subterranean parking garage to the 18 th floor. Luckily we didn't have to recreate that experience to get 10 interesting facts about Faust ... 1. There is a well-known Christmas carol hidden in Méphistophélès ’ first aria, “Le veau d’or”, often called the “Golden Calf aria”. 2. The best known tune from Faust, Valentin’s aria “ Avant de quitter”, was added in 1864, a couple of years after the premiere of the opera (1859) for performances in London. It was sung in English at those performances and the French version followed later. 3. Although the story of Faust is based on Goethe’s original verse play (1806), it only covers Part I of the poet’s version, avoiding the more philosophical depths of Part II. 4. The source of the story of Faust was an actual person, a Doctor Johann
Read more

Five Things About La boheme You Don't Need To Know But Will Be Glad You Did

-
Getting ready with Dr. Nic last week for a TV interview he came up with five tidbits about La boheme to be used on air. Live TV being what live TV is, not all of them made it onto the show, but I thought they were interesting enough to be recycled here on the blog. Besides, I'm busy hammering away at the 2011 press release so pressed for time today. 2011 press release you say? You betcha. But, faithful readers, here's a tidbit: a certain married couple returns to us next season in another opera by Gounod. Without further ado, five things about La boheme you'll be glad to know 1) Giacomo Puccini’s opera La boheme is one of the three most popular operas ever written but it wasn ’t always that way. It was not an immediate success. An opera by a rival Italian composer, Ruggiero Leoncavallo, on the same subject (and also named Le bohème ) premiered about a year after Puccini’s and was quite successful. It’s possible that, in fact, Puccini actually stole the idea
Read more