DETROIT – Michigan Opera Theatre opens its 2007 Spring Opera Season, sponsored by Cadillac, with Giacomo Puccini's "Turandot," a timeless opera of sacrificial love, secret identity and heartless beauty, with six performances, April 21-29. Michigan Opera Theatre has previously presented "Turandot" three times, most recently in 1998. The spring 2007 production of "Turandot" will be performed in Italian, with English surtitle translations projected above the stage.
Puccini's final masterpiece, and the last true manifestation of Italian opera in the romantic 19th Century style, "Turandot" is known for its exotic orchestration and lavish production values. The opera, which has been an audience favorite for more than eight decades, features some of Italian opera's most powerful music, including Calaf's "Non piangere, Liu" and "Nessun Dorma" as well as Liu's touching aria "Tu, che di gel sei cinta."
"Turandot" is a romantic three-act opera that tells the story of Turandot, an ice princess forced by her father to choose a suitor. As potential suitors ask for her hand, she ruthlessly eliminates those that fail to correctly answer her three puzzling riddles, and all have failed. Prince Calaf decides in a moment of passion, immediately after meeting the princess, that he has fallen in love with Turandot, and will doom himself to the riddles and almost certain death. Tragedy does not overtake the young prince, but his serendipitous love with princess Turandot is not without a few battles.
Michigan Opera Theatre's production of "Turandot" features an illustrious cast of international stars, including several who will make their company debut. The role of Turandot will be sung alternately by two of opera's up-and-coming leading ladies: Ukrainian soprano Anna Shafajinskaia and Canadian soprano Othalie Graham. Shafajinskaia is a former winner of the Luciano Pavarotti competition and has developed a reputation as one of the world's foremost dramatic sopranos. Graham has performed with many of the nation's leading companies and is also a frequent performer on the concert stage.
"Turandot" also includes returning artists Yu Qiang Dai, from 2005's "Tosca" and Eduardo Villa, who last appeared in the Company's 2003 production of "A Masked Ball." Dai and Villa will alternate in the role of the daring Calaf. Other returning artists include Armenian bass Arutjun Kotchinian in the role of Timur and American baritone Michael Mayes in the role of Ping.
Tickets for Michigan Opera Theatre's production of "Turandot" at the magnificent Detroit Opera House range from $28-$120, and are available at the Detroit Opera House ticket office (1526 Broadway, Detroit, 48226), by phone at 313-237-7464 and online at http://www.MichiganOpera.org.
MOT opens spring season with 'Turandot'
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