Hope, Blood and the Princess: Puccini's Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera

(photo credit Marty Sohl)

How do you take a (literally) creaky, tarnished, 22-year-old, scene-stealing Zeffirelli production of Turandot and make it about the main character again? Bring in a princess that literally shakes the dust from the rafters, vibrates the windows, and cracks the foundation. Tuesday night's Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera was a stunner, the riveting voice of a Princess unhinged via Lise Lindstrom's powerfully precise soprano, which rose and blossomed over conductor Andris Nelsons's interpretation (or lack thereof) Puccini's last opera.

Based on Carlo Gozzi's 1762 play Turandotte about the daughter of the Chinese Emperor, Puccini's opera had its world premiere two years after the Italian maestro died in 1924, the opera unfinished. Franco Alfano picked up the ink where Puccini left off, scribbling the final duet and scene, notoriously revised by Toscanini. Turandot calls for a cruel and unwavering princess, who will only marry a royal suitor provided that he can answer three riddles set forth. If the suitors cannot answer correctly, the princess calls for beheading which will avenge her ancestors. Prince Calaf, despite the fact taht 26 potential lovers have suffered gory deaths is struck by Turandot's beauty (although dissuaded by Ping/Pang/Pong) and rises to the challenge. He even one-ups her, proposing a riddle to which the answer is, of course, Amore.

All the glitz and epic glamor of Frengo's over-the-top, 1987 Asian panorama remains, although the well-loved, claustrophobic sets sagged and groaned with the weight of its teeming extras. And as if the gold sets and glittering costumes weren't enough, sparkling confetti rained down at various intervals, a Golden Age of Hollywood epic love-letter at times bordering on ridiculous -- although the audience didn't care, breaking-out into spontaneous applause frequently at Frengo's incantations.

(credit: Beatriz Schiller)

The Turandot for the evening was California native, Lise Lindstrom -- who two weeks ago bravely stepped up to the plate and hit a grand slam despite 1.5 hours notice to cover Russian soprano Maria Guleghina's bronchial lungs during the October 28 premiere. Not that the soprano had anything to sweat, having already locked-down the same role recently at the Deutsche Oper, Cleveland Opera, Savonlinna and La Coruña.

Ms. Lindstrom exited her Metropolitan Opera debut to rave reviews, while her endearing excitement at the final curtain call melted the hearts of even the most jaded journalists. Lindstrom was the ice that sets you on fire! Confident and effortless, her huge voice rang through the cavernous MET, her succinct Italian pronunciation soaring easily over the orchestra. The tall, willowy soprano looked every inch the part, gracefully weaving her way across Frengo's obstacle courses in slippers. Lise captured the perfect balance of vulnerability and ruthless strength with a voice that brought Puccini-induced rapture at the caress of each soprano-killing note.

The rest of the cast performed well, considering that they had already put much stock in this past Saturday, November 7 matinée which was transmitted worldwide for The Met's Live in HD series (this broadcast-heavy opera will have a total of 6 live broadcasts before it finishes its Fall run on November 21 and then revives itself for the entire month of January). Sicilian tenor Marcello Giordani as Calàf gave a (surprise, surprise) uneven performance, where his pitch fluctuated at whim from sharp to flat, perplexedly wild. When he was on point, he showed-off a lovely color with lots of meaty interpretation. Nessun Dorma was thoughtful and thorough. Russian soprano Marina Poplavskaya's Liù was tender and delicate, a role which she sang with much beauty and emotion. The contrast between Poplavskaya's Liù and Lindstrom's Turandot was striking, a wonderful antithesis shared between the two singers. Bass Samuel Ramey's Timur was dignified and stern with a lingering introspection that worked to his advantage.

Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons made his Metropolitan Opera debut, a former trumpeter for the Latvian National Opera Orchestra. An oddly nasal, impersonal conducting gave way to syrupy, lethargic introspect when the score called for depth. We prefer Karajan's punctuated, stern version. The interaction between the orchestra and the chorus was a hot mess, many times gargling over Puccini's glowing, ethereal glissandi.

But with this distractingly gold-plated, bejeweled spectacle of dizzying Zeffirelli proportions, no one's really listening to the music, are they?

Comments

[Anne]

Turandot sucks. Most overrated opera ever. At 17, I somehow sat through the entire Ring, and then a few months later wanted to shoot myself during a production of Turandot.

[tempestrata]

Spot on, dear OC. When will they replace this crowded, old, tired production? I do find Zeffirelli endearing, especially in his bumbling old age, although his productions become about the pageantry instead of the singing or the music. Perfect for the Metropolitan audiences, actually.

[Raphael]

I was there and Lise indeed ROCKED! She is the perfect Turandot, outclassing Ghouleghina. I liked the part when clumsy Marcello knocked Lise's crown off her head at the big Act III kiss. It was nice of you not to mention it :)

[Carina]

Magnificent!!!
Congratulations to the administration of the MET for choosing Zeffirelli's production.
The MET at its best.
More Zeffirelli, please!

[Linda Smith]

I might have to run up to NYC and see this to check out the new Princess. We've been needing one since Birgit passed on.

[Linda Smith]

I don't like it when people applaud for sets.

[Tigerlilly]

Aw, I like this Turandot! I heard it with Guleghina on the broadcast but now I'm curious to hear Lindstrom's heroine. I love me a strong Turandot. You can keep your Liu, thanks.

[vale]

Was there... I only liked the Zeff part. She, as we used to say about shrill sopranos, "peels the paint off the walls". Unbearable at points. Keep the rest. Zeff at least, even though exaggerated, certainly gets the idea of a fable across.

[Victor]

If the conductor can't keep it together, Turandot falls completely apart. I think Chailly does a wonderful job with this very difficult piece.

[Les Mitchell]

I've heard not a word on how Guleghina is singing these days. Can she actually still "get through" this role?? Has anyone seen any reviews of Guleghina's Turandot? If someone has, I'd appreciate being enlightened.

[Linda Smith]

I saw Guleghina do a concert version in Baltimore not long ago and wasn't taken with her singing but I did like her facial expressions.

[walter]

@Linda Smith: Try looking at the audience's facial expressions while she's singing and that will give you a better idea of what's happening!

[Michael]

Nasal conducting?

[val]

This must be one of the kitschiest productions in the history recorded so far.

The Met cannot get lower than this, I suppose...

[Lisa]

Linving on the other side of the world, I have never seen that set but HOLY S T IT'S BUSY!

There seem to be quite a few Turandots around, I think couple here in the UK alone right now. I don't really understand why - as Anne said, it's the most overrated opera ever. But I'll be interested to hear more about Lise Lindstrom though.

[Linda Smith]

@Walter: I think I may have had one of those facial expressions myself!

[tommi]

I was in Vienna a few weeks ago and saw the most appalling performance of Butterfly conducted by Nelsons. The Vienna Phil could not read his beat, they were all over the place and he could not keep the singers and the orchestra together. He was beating wrong meters, etc....does not surprise me that his Turandot would be shaky. How do these people get to conduct in the top houses???????!!!!!