Puccini: Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera

This is tremendous production. The singing (with the exception of the emperor) is top notch. The acting is emotional. The music and the chorus were all fantastic. Despite being recorded live, the sound quality is as clear as a studio recording. The first thing that is very gratifying about this DVD is the SUBTITLES!!! Holy s***! THE FIRST opera that I've watched, whether live or from a recording, that literally translate ALL of the librettos and follow closely with the singing. The English translation isn't perfect, some liberties were taken to make sure the non-Italian speaking audience understands, but they are close enough. This really made the viewing significantly easier and smoother. Because with the translation I can see just how beautifully written the libretto was. I never understood why people object to subtitles. But this time, it has been done right! The set is also fabulous, and unlike other versions of Turandot, the set and the acting pretty much all directly corresponded to the meaning of the libretto, so it makes it easier to understand and made the performance more natural. I only wished that Domingo had done this performance much younger than in this production. Here he is already entering the 50s, so age-wise not really suited for Calaf anymore. You can also tell that he has sung this role way too many times already because he has a bit of a smugness for the role. Whereas in his earlier year performances (e.g. 1982 in La Scala), there was a bit of uneasiness and more focus and passion, and also the acting is a little bit more physical, which suited the character of Calaf better. Whereas here Domingo has this smirk at times, which is fine but I just like his younger year performances better without it. But his singing is fantastic as always--gentle phrasing on the language, smooth transitions and powerful ring of voice resolves in velvet-like softness. Eva Marton is very good as Turandot, she also closely follows the character of Turandot as written. Her acting is not always natural but she does all of the emotional spectrum, unlike other performances of Turandot that I've seen which tend to be more stale. Marton's chemistry with Domingo is also smoking! Leona Mitchel is also great as Liu. The other main casts all sang their parts excellently. Especially to note are the three tenors who sang ping pong and pang. Best trio from any performances that I've heard. Top-notch singers who harmonized perfectly. A couple of minor complaints: Although I know that it's an opera set in a fictional China, I still wish that they at least stick to some fundamentally known style of costumes. Why is the emperor in black and wearing the clothes of an official? Is he supposed to be mourning or something? Which doesn't make sense since even the libretto tells you that the color of mourning in China is white not black. The emperor always wear golden color unless you are talking about extremely early dynasties, which then wouldn't match the rest of the set and costumes, or when the story supposedly has taken place. The set designer also seemed to confuse what the emperor is suppose to wear on his head. As two people (I'm not sure what they were supposed to be) standing slightly lower than the emperor actually wear the emperor's crown, whereas the emperor wears the official's head piece. It's just totally laughable to me, a Chinese, while watching this. The emperor's singing was just bad. The singer portrayed an emperor shaking in his boots the whole time. Okay, I know that it's fictional and that supposedly even the emperor is a bit wary of the princess, but still, seriously? The emperor of China acting like a weasel old man? Unless the libretto specifically mentions it (it doesn't), it's just not how it's supposed to be. The emperor of China is supposed to be glorious and divine. I like the La Scala version of the emperor, and even with that one the emperor still looks a bit too humbled. But the bottom line is, the way he acted in this production seriously compromised his singing, which I find to be the worst thing you can do. But if you like Turandot, I really do think that you should take a look at this one. It's quite a fantastic production overall. I wished that I would have seen it live. But I'm grateful for this recording to enter my collection.

Turandot is a beautiful opera with a happy ending. It was Puccini's final work, completed by his student Franco Alfano Puccini's death. The MET production is spectacular with beautiful costumes, great acting, great voices, and great ballet. It is staged to reflect Chinese culture very accurately. There is another opera performed at Forbidden City in China, which has even a grander scale. But, the Met production is more intimate with better singing and acting. I had purchased the VHS version of this opera, but the DVD has better fidelity of image, better sound, and a better English version of subtitles. It also has subtitles in other languages. The performances of Mitchell, Marton, and Domingo are impressive.

1. Hope...I hope you will buy this dvd. One of the best opera that I have seen on DVD. 2. Blood...This cast has passion. Levine is divine. Domingo is a strong Calaf with a dramatic voice that soars over Puccini's masterpiece. His acting is tremendous as usuall. Mitchell is the bonus of this great cast. She sings flawlessly and one of the best Liu I have heard. 3. Turandot...Eva Marton might not be the best Turandot, but that does not matter. When she and Domingo were singing in act III it was magic. When she was shedding tears while singing my heart palpitated to a renewed passion of why I loved Opera to begin with. My eyes and ears where glued to my home theater. For all I care Marton and Domingo could have cracked their voices and it would have not mattered to me a bit, cause folks the stars were alligned right over the Met that night. I have not seen Metha's version of the Turandot, but this is the best Turandot I have seen so far.

Tremendous production and wonderful casting. Leona Mitchell is astounding as Liu and her first act aria is spot on. I heard Domingo in the '70s sing Calaf with NYC Opera and it was much as it was on this recording - a bit disappointing in the 3rd act when he poops out at the end of Nessun Dorma. The Ping, Pang, Pong trio had their act together and sang the heck out of the opening of the second act. I loved the DTS 5.1 mix, which was an unexpected bonus. The video is a bit grainy at times but the audio more than compensates. The price is right so add this to your collection if you don't have it.

Never ever can you get a perfect DVD of this opera if all you can wish for is your favorite persons who have ever sung each of the lead roles. That being said, this DVD is the closest you'll ever get to the perfect production and cast to watch. Visually opulent, beyond 1st rate orchestra, wonderful singers, etc. Marton is generally fabulous except for the few short segments where the vibrato clouds the clarity of the written melody. Domingo is as good as he ever was in his prime -- great acting, beautiful singing, yet lacking thrilling greater high partials he never had in spades. Leona Mitchell is divine as Liu in singing, acting, and loveliness. The only problem I had on occasion was the "wobble-ato" of the Met chorus.

It is unfortunate that BlueRay did not exist then...but this still looks great even on my 65" hidef...and blueray player does enhance somewhat. I bought the Laserdisc back in the 80's...then the DVD when this came out. Still the best available...Marton's acting and singing is moving , Leona Mitchell's Liu is just stupendous; Domingo heroic...the final scene is stand up rave...If I had the choice for the Ideal cast of Turandot: Pavarotti, Sutherland and Price. The CD Pavarotti/Sutherland is a sonic blast of perfection.

Ever since my taste in music did a 180 and all I now listen to is classical music, I have been in love with nessun dorma. One of my newer recordings had this breathtaking climax of music that turned out to be the Turandot's first act closing. That sealed it for me, I had to see the opera. My PBS station aired it and I recorded it. In replaying it, just as Turandot entered for her first scene, a previously set program came on and that was the end of that recording of Turandot. All that was left to do was purchase it. Upon arrival I opened the DVD, trying not to use my teeth to get the wrapping off, then sat back in comfort to watch Turandot. It was everything I could have hoped for. My ruined recording was a Franco Zeffirelli production but all that was available was an earlier Zeffirelli production, but as a consolation prize, I got Placido Domingo. Sublime. As a plot line, Turandot's refusal to gracefully accept her loss and live up to her bargain made me want to somehow slap her silly face, but since one cannot do that, I tried to ignore that part of the story. When that happens I know the author has done well.

Good parts of this performance: James Levine and the MET orchestra. Amazing as always. Leona Mitchell... unbelievable. The Zefferelli production, wonderful as always. Bad parts: the quality. I swear to God this is the last DVD I ever buy. If it's not on Blu-Ray, then I must not need it. But mostly I was surprised at how bad Placido was in this. There are some roles he is made for, but Calaf simply is not it. Not only is it the worst rendition of Nessun Dorma I've ever heard, but he actually sung a part differently in the second act from how I've ever heard it sung and I swear he did it to avoid straining his voice so he'd be fresh for the 3rd act. None of the notes in the second act are held long enough by the way. In any case, find the Nessun Dorma from the MET that's on Blu Ray. That one is not perfect, but it's better than this. Oh how I wish I could have gotten a performance of Turandot on Blu Ray starring Joan Sutherland, Mirella Freni and most of all Luciano Pavarotti, but alas it simply does not exist.