Nobody sleeps in Bob Wilson's cold and nightmare-like world: Turandot at the Teatro Real.

Madrid, July 7, 2023.

Summers, like Christmas, are key dates for the Teatro Real,  since repertoire titles are staged, with A-class casts. This year, it's Turandot's turn. The story of the cold, cruel Chinese princess and the fugitive Tartar prince, loved by a slave who sacrifices for him, with one of the most famous arias of all time, also repeated ad nauseam, Nessun Dorma, but  on the other hand capable of raise the spirit of those who listen to it; returns to delight the Teatro Real audiences, who are enthusiastic about this music.

There are many things that make Turandot special. It is, probably, the last great Italian opera. It presents a love story different from the archetypes of lyrical characters up to that moment: the female main character is a cold, distant, cruel princess, jealous of her independence, and the hero only follows the  his obsession towards her. Liù, the third one in this love triangle, is the only one who does sacrifice her life for love. And it is also a work that makes contact with the modern musical tendencies of the moment, somewhat playing with dissonances without reaching atonality, since by the 1920s Schoenberg, Strauss and Mahler had already left their mark. Giacomo Puccini died on November 29, 1924, without having finished it. As for Mozart with his Requiem, Turandot had become Puccini's last great concern, and he was worried to finish it until almost the end. Shortly before leaving for Brussels for medical treatment, he asked the master Arturo Toscanini not to let it remain unfinished. Even after Puccini's death, it remained a difficult task: the composer appointed by him to finish it, Riccardo Zandonai, was discarded. Furthermore, the one chosen to finish the titanic task, Franco Alfano, had to create two endings, because Toscanini disliked the first one, and the second one finally was the one performed in the second performance after its World Premiere in 1926, as we all know, Toscanini stopped conducting after Liù's death scene. 

Today, the question about the ending of this opera is still the subject of debate between the public and critics. Several alternative endings have been composed, even more and more major theaters perform the work until Liù's death, sticking only to what Puccini left behind. However, tradition has accepted Alfano's second Finale, and the chorus celebrating the triumph of love with the Calaf's theme music closes the work with a flourish.

Like Turandot, Robert Wilson's stahing returns, which in 2018 was liked by many and disliked by many more. Wilson applies his Kabuki aesthetics to all of his productions. This is something which fits into some operas but there another ones who it doesn't. How could Wilson's minimalism fit in with a work full of colorful music, exoticism, like the tale that it is? The result is that this beautiful minimalism remarks the darkest and the coolest side of the work, as cold as the princess herself. The dream-like imagery of Wilson's world here results in a beautiful nightmare. Five years later, this staging remains as the main attraction. Wilson may repeat himself, but his version is completely Asian, whose  aesthetics does not renounce the essence of the work even if it reduces it to a minimum. The powerful Gira la Cote chorus, in which choristers and soloists back and forth all the way, manages to be visually thrilling. However, the absence of decorations and the omnipresent blue light give it a feeling of statism that even gets boring in the first act. 

There has been an important change: in the premiere of this production in Toronto, the three ministers Ping, Pang and Pong, had their names changed to the very Asian Jim, Bill and Bob, since the company alleged racism and possible ofenssive to the Asian community, the way how the work portrays them. In addition they were deprived of their mandarin costumes, replacing them with western black suits. That costume change has been kept in this Madrid revival, although at least the Chinese names have been preserved. The second act keeps its beauty, both with the dancing armor in the background in the trio of ministers, and then the riddle scene, where the removal of decorations intensifies the tension of the scene. It is true that the fact that the singers do not look at each other during the most intense scenes and have very reduced movements means that the work loses the passion that Puccini would have wanted for it. The finale remains a mystery: Calaf disappears, so  Turandot, alone, reveals the name of the stranger to the town, which brings her great joy. Meanwhile, the stage lights up red and a neon light descends bisecting the stage. With the last chord, Turandot's smile turns to sudden surprise. Will Calaf have sacrificed himself like all princes, while Turandot has maintained her untouchable status?

Nicola Luisotti conducts the Teatro Real Orchestra in this opera, just as he also did in 2018. Luisotti conducts this work with Wagnerian intensity and volume, which is enormously difficult for most singers, especially the leading couple, to be heard. Strings gave a beautiful rendition in "Perchè Tarda la Luna", intensifying the trance in which the choir finds itself when contemplating the moon, and from there it remained at an outstanding level. The trumpet had good moments in the second act, although the brass had some ups and downs. Another moment of great beauty was the death of Liù, where string and woodwind gave a moving performance. The Teatro Real Chorus, however, despite its high level, lost its pulse in front of the orchestra: it had to fight to be heard in the first act, precisely where it has the most prominence. It improved in the following acts, however, especially in the respective finales of the second and third acts, in the latter highlighting what was his best moment, in the death of Liù. This is the last production in which Andrés Máspero, the chorus master, will collaborate. He has raised the chorus level towards excellence, since he began his career with this group during Gerard Mortier's tenure at this opera house. 

This Turandot has suffered cancellations and cast changes, which have angered the audience. In this cast, Elena Pankratova would have had to sing the main role, but after canceling her participation, she was replaced by the Polish soprano Ewa Płonka, who had already made her debut in Madrid last year as Abigaille in the third cast. Płonka is an emerging soprano, being Turandot one of her signature roles. However, her voice is lighter for the role, sometimes strident. Płonka even had trouble making herself heard in parts of the duets with Calaf, although at least she does have  nice high notes, as well as an imposing stage presence.

Singing in Madrid every season since 2019, the American tenor Michael Fabiano, who will sing Madama Butterfly next season, sings Calaf, the unknown prince. Fabiano has a voice with touches of heroic tone, which initially suits into this role. However, like Płonka, he has had trouble making himself heard in front of the huge orchestra, especially in the first act.  Fabiano has stated on his Facebook fan page that the makeup used in this staging, makes it difficult for him to sing. However, the tenor's resistance and tone, can save the performance. The moment for which he reserved his vigor and stamina is the famous aria Nessun Dorma, in which his voice did surpass the orchestra, and in which he sang with his usual vigor, and a well-projected voice. He also shone in the scene immediately after, in which he confronts the ministers. 

Ruth Iniesta sang Liù. This lyric soprano was able to win the pulse of the orchestra, with a lyrical voice and delicious tone, achieving a prolonged and moving final high note at the end of Signore Ascolta, and in the same way her great final scene of the third act was one of the most moving moments of the night.

The biggest voice was Chinese bass Liang Li as Timur, a powerful dark bass voice, with an impressive low end and a volume that comfortably surpassed the orchestra. The best voice of the night.

The ministers Ping, Pang and Pong, in charge of Germán Olvera, Moisés Marín and Mikeldi Atxalandabaso respectively, who carried out the hard task of portray them in this show, by constantly moving their hands and heads, and in addition to keep a comical look , a challenge that they manage to overcome. Olvera sang in pianissimo "Ho una casa nell'Honan" with exquisite tenderness. Atxalandabaso stood out once again with his brilliant tenor voice of character.

Viçenc Esteve and Gerardo Bullón were at the same good level as Altoum and the mandarin, respectively. 

Despite the disapproval of several people  for the staging, the public warmly welcomed the show, and the cast, and even did not hold back their desire to applaud after the Nessun Dorma, despite the fact that Luisotti did not pause for it. I will not make any more conclusions because next week I will see the first cast, so I'll report back. See you then!

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