Is that for live streaming from ROH on March 22nd? We’ve just booked to see that as a trial of our local venue that does live screenings - an intimate little school studio theatre with just 184 seats…. It’s my favourite opera, the one that hooked me.
We are seeing it too. It’s Mrs QS’ favourite as well. I took her to see it at the ROH back in 1994 as her first Opera and she’s loved it ever since.
The Karajan recording is our favourite version on record.
For both my wife and myself Turandot was our conversion to liking opera, Welsh National Opera in Cardiff:
A couple of years earlier we had gone to see WNO do a performance of Carmen. although I disliked all opera singing I had heard before then, but really liking some opera music - Carmen being one - my thinking was that I loved live theatre, and liked the music, so it made sense to go and see what this thing called opera was all about. It did nothing magical for either of us, though I found I did not dislike the singing, able to put it in its place in the context of the performance, and we had a pleasant night out - but nothing more.
However, something must have played on my brain, because a couple of years later I decided it was perhaps worth one more go. Looking at what was in the WNO programme I was intrigued by Turandot, although I’d never heard any Puccini. So that’s what we went to see - and I was well and truly caught, hook, line and sinker! Tears unashamedly streaming down my face in a public place (something that had never happened since single figure years), I had a most wonderful experience, with the magic of live theatre plus fantastic music, plus the stunning effect of raw emotion in singers’ voices, all bound together by a tragic tale. As an art form discovered like that it is second to none.
While we lived in South Wales there followed several years grabbing every opera opportunity we could, primarily with the benefit of WNO being on our doorstep. so far I very much prefer tragic opera to comedy, and to work for me it must be with sur- (or sub-) titles because otherwise the concentration needed o follow the diction with that style of singing seriously detracts from the experience, preventing full immersion.
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Have you heard Jussi’s version of Nessun Dorma?
It doesn’t get any better than this. 
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No, but I will find time to do so this week now🙂
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We saw Turandot live from ROH at a local studio theatre this eve. Quite enjoyable, and emotionally stirring as Turandot always is, it was nothing like actually being at a live opera.
I’m sure it must have been better at some venues, but the sound was just OK not great - a tad muffled, and in particular the dynamics of the orchestra were largely lost as if there was some sort of limiter, though not knowing what it was like at other venues I don’t know if it was at the capturing or replaying end. If anyone else can answer on whethe similarly dynamically restricted I’l know who to raise with. Added to that, unfortunately the local audience was dead - I was highly conspicuous by my applause at the end of each act : the only person who did (my wife went to but stopped herself joining in when the lack of others became obvious. I’m not sure I’m going to bother going again, at least not until looking more into what I can stream at home on a screen that is bigger relative to me and with better sound *if the transmission or recording is good, and can have wine if I don’t fancy tea during the interval!
As for the performance, I thought the part of Lieu was particularly well sung - very believable. Calef was excellent as well, and I thought this particular production presented Ping, Pang and Pong very well, and sung to match.
I’ve just started a new thread on opera and classical live & live video streaming, which I’ve put in the Home Theatre room by its nature its focus is on the performance not just the music.
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