GIACOMO PUCCINI

Turandot

LIVE RECORDING FROM THE GRAN TEATRE DEL LICEU, 2005

La principessa Turandot LUANA DEVOL

Calaf FRANCO FARINA

Liù BARBARA FRITTOLI

L’imperatore Altoum JOSEP RUIZ

Timur STEFANO PALATCHI

GRAN TEATRE DEL LICEU / GIULIANO CARELLA

Stage Directed by NÚRIA ESPERT

Set Design by EZIO FRIGERIO

The story of the beautiful but cruel princess Turandot has a unique place among Puccini‘s works, displaying the composer‘s ability to reflect the musical trends of his time more convincingly than any of his other operas. Despite its wealth of inspired melodies (among them Calaf‘s aria “Nessun dorma“ in the third act), even today the opera‘s chief fascination remains its imaginative tonality and subtle instrumentation.

The title role is performed by Luana DeVol, who has been on the international opera scene for more than three decades and whose versatile, dramatic soprano perfectly suits the character of the despising, yet vulnerable Turandot. Lirico-spinto soprano Barbara Frittoli, one of the best-known Puccini/Verdi performers on the current scene, presents her lyrical vocal qualities in the role of the slave Liù.

The director, Núria Espert, retained the lavish settings and magnificent sets traditionally associated with the opera. None the less, Espert‘s approach to the work is founded on the doubts that Puccini himself expressed about the final scene of the work. In Espert‘s conception, Turandot remains incapable of turning into an ordinary, docile woman defeated by male strength, and so she stabs herself to death.

BONUS: Luana DeVol – Following the Dream / Directed by Stephen DeVol

Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1

Picture Format: 16:9

DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC

Subtitles: IT (Original Language),

DE, GB, FR, ES, Catalan

Running Time: 132 mins + 19 mins (Bonus)

FSK: 0

Region Code: 0

Worldwide available excluding Japan

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Arthaus Musik DVD 107305