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[Tassie Devil]

COMPOSER: PUCCINI

Disc Title: Turandot  

Disc catalog: Unitel  700404     Recording Date:  2008        Program Length: 120 mins + 36 mins extras Recorded live at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia

Cast: Turandot – Maria Guleghina;   Altoum – Javier Agulló;   Timur – Alexander Tsymbalyuk;   Calaf – Marco Berti;   Liù – Alexia Voulgaridou;   Ping – Fabio Previati;   Pang – Vincenç Esteve;   Pong – Roger Padullés;   Un mandarino – Ventseslav Anastasov ;Valencia Regional Government Choir (Cor de la Gegneralitat Valenciana);  Valencian Community Orchestra (Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana);   Zubin Mehta, conductor;   Chen Kai-ge, stage director

Video rating: 5/5 Audio type: PCM stereo,  DTS-HD Master 5.1 Audio rating: 5/5

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Summary comment: Excellent colourful costumes, stage setting & lighting but not matched by the singing from the main soloists

Author: Tassie Devil Date: May 16 2010

Detailed Comment: A top notch opera production demands a lot, particularly when most of the storylines are so unbelievable.  BUT if the production, acting and singing all come together then opera can be a truly sublime art form.  Sadly this does not happen with the disc under review.  The orchesral playing and the recording of it is first class but I was unmoved by Maria Guleghina in the role of Turandot and found it difficult to accept that men would risk their lives for her.  Her singing was certainly powerful, but that did not make it appealing to me.  Marco Berti the role of Calaf seemed OK until he attempted Nessun Dorma in Act 3 and he lost me after that poor effort.  The chorus was great and the minor roles came through ok but the overall effect was one of disappointment for me.  This is a pity because otherwise this production has a lot going for it.  But if the main roles are unimpressively sung then nothing much can save any opera, particularly when the tale presented is as fanciful as that in Turandot.  
Not recommended.

[pietro]

At least you can still watch Turandot. After all those years of bastardized attempts at Nessun Dorma I can't face it any more.