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Great Performances at the Met: “Turandot” Premieres Nationwide Friday, March 20 at 9 pm
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Premieres nationwide Friday, March 20 at 9 p.m. on WOUB
Season 14 of Great Performances at the Met comes to primetime Friday, March 20 at 9 p.m. on WOUB with Franco Zeffirelli’s dazzling production of Puccini’s Turandot. Soprano Christine Goerke stars as the beautiful but brutal Princess Turandot alongside tenor Yusif Eyvazov as her suitor Calàf. Soprano Eleonora Buratto as Liù and bass-baritone James Morris as Timur complete the cast. Metropolitan Opera music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts and soprano Angel Blue—star of the Met’s current production of Porgy and Bess—is the program’s host.
Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera
Zeffirelli’s production of Puccini’s masterpiece is set in the mythic past in Peking, China. Outside the Imperial Palace, an announcement is made: any prince seeking to marry Turandot must answer three riddles. If he fails, he will die. The most recent suitor who failed at this task, the Prince of Persia, will be executed at the moon’s rising. Among the onlookers are the slave girl, Liù, her elderly master and the young Calàf, who recognizes the master as his long-lost father, Timur, vanquished king of Tartary. As the Prince of Persia goes to his death, the crowd calls upon the princess to spare him, but Turandot orders the execution to continue. Transfixed by the princess’ beauty, Calàf decides he’s going to win her. Three ministers of state try to discourage him, but Calàf is unmoved and strikes the gong that announces a new suitor.
Turandot’s father, Emperor Altoum, tries to persuade Calàf to reconsider his decision, but he will not be dissuaded. Turandot arrives and recounts the story of her ancestor who was abducted and killed by a conquering prince. She reveals this has turned her against men and her revenge is not letting any man marry her. Turandot then poses her three riddles to Calàf who answers them all correctly. The crowd erupts in joy and the princess begs her father not to give her to the stranger. Hoping he can win her love, Calàf presents Turandot with a challenge of his own: if she can learn his name by dawn, he will forfeit his life.
Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera
Notable Talent
- Christine Goerke – Turandot
- Yusif Eyvazov – Calàf
- Eleonora Buratto – Liù
- James Morris – Timur
- Carlo Bosi – Emperor Altoum
- Yannick Nézet-Séguin – Conductor
- Angel Blue – Host
Production Credits
- Yannick Nézet-Séguin – Conductor
- Franco Zeffirelli – Production
- Gary Halvorson – Director
- Franco Zeffirelli – Set Designer
- Anna Anni & Dada Saligeri – Costume Designers
- Gil Wechsler – Lighting Designer
- Chiang Ching – Choreographer
- Paula Suozzi – Revival Stage Director
For the Met, David Frost is Music Producer. Mia Bongiovanni and Elena Park are Supervising Producers, and Louisa Briccetti and Victoria Warivonchik are Producers. Peter Gelb is Executive Producer. For Great Performances, Bill O’Donnell is Series Producer; David Horn is Executive Producer.
Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera
Underwriters
Corporate support for Great Performances at the Met is provided by Toll Brothers, America’s luxury home builder®. This Great Performances at the Met presentation is funded by The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, Ellen and James S. Marcus, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold and public television viewers.
Websites: http://pbs.org/gperf, http://facebook.com/GreatPerformances, @GPerfPBS, http://youtube.com/greatperformancespbs #GreatPerformancesPBS