The omnipotent princess: First Cast of Turandot at the Teatro Real.

Madrid, July 19, 2023.

From the 2021 Tosca with superstar casts to the 2023 Turandot with several cancellations.

This could have been thought by some Madrid opera goers, when noticing all the ups and downs that this production has gone through, specially cancellations that did angered the audience. In the second cast, the Russian soprano Elena Pankratova was scheduled, but she was replaced firstly by Angela Meade and finally by Ewa Płonka, who is to sing this run of performances. As for the first cast, it can be said that, after Robert Wilson's production, the main attraction of these performances was the debut in the role of Liù by the American soprano Nadine Sierra, especially after her triumph at La Sonnambula last December in this stage. However, the soprano canceled her performance to take a break from her busy schedule. Finally, Serra has been replaced by the Italian soprano Salome Jicia who plays the long-suffering slave. In last days, Maribel Ortega has replaced Ewa Płonka, in the second cast, and Kristen Benedikt has replaced Martin Muehle in the third one.

Last week, the Teatro Real was devoted to its Opera Week, which for the first time broadcasts several shows on a giant screen, at the Isabel II square, in one week. The show on Friday the 14th has been screened to various cultural centers throughout Spain, and was telecasted in Spanish TV last Sunday. In addition, taking advantage of the fact that Javier Camarena gave a concert on the July 12 with the Granada Orchestra, the Teatro Real Chorus and Orchestra and the first cast performed this opera at the Granada Festival, in a concert version.

Italian soprano Anna Pirozzi is the foremost  dramatic soprano from her country nowadays,  and one of the major interpreters of Turandot today. Pirozzi has a considerable vocal flow, as well as being able to project a powerful treble, although the low voice isn't as much as powerful. This voice is authoritative, and during the riddle scene, it impacts with its strong volume. During the In Questa Reggia, one of the highlights of the night, the high voice in the fearsome line "Quel grido e quella morte" was a display of that  stage authority and impact. Those powerful high notes could even be heard at the end of the second act. In the third, she remained at a good level, although during the duet with Calaf she lost her pulse with the orchestra, which came to eclipse both her and the tenor, although she recovered again for her famous final intervention,  showing again her amazing high voice and notes.

Jorge de León, returns to the Teatro Real with his massive voice to interpret another of his siganture roles, Calaf. De León is already in a period of vocal maturity, but despite everything, he strives to sing with all his stamina on stage, even though the tone has moments that are not exactly beautiful, especially in the first act and in the final duet of the third. However, when the moment requires it, the voice is able of  to show a remarkable level, especially in the most important arias such as Non piangere Liù and Nessun Dorma, in the latter demonstrating all his vocal power. During the duet with Turandot he also had the same problem as Pirozzi, being overshadowed by the orchestra at times. The high voice continues to have an impact, although some high notes are better achieved than another ones.

With the enormous responsibility of replacing the expected superstar, Salome Jicia sang  Liù,  in an increasing performing level. The voice is has a darker tone for this role. In addition, her rendition of Signore, Ascolta was the only one that received applause that night. She performed much better in her big Third Act scene, where her performance was moving at a vocal and acting level (mostly with her expressions, since this staging doesn't allow much movement).

Adam Palka sang a Timur with enough vocal volume but rather correct singing.

The rest of the cast repeated their devoted performances.

The orchestra conducted by Nicola Luisotti once again brought out its strength, with a Wagnerian sound. Strings showcased during Act One, and so did the trumpet in the chorus O, Giovinetto. At the end of the second act, the orchestra did sound less refined, although in the rest of the work it continued with its usual spectacularity. There was also exquisite tenderness during the scene of the three ministers, to be followed by an intense performance of the orchestral interludes. In the final duet, the orchestra overcame the singers. I wonder if the fact that the orchestra overshadowed the choir in the performance of July 7, was due to my seat, because now, in a seat further away from the orchestra, I was able to enjoy the Teatro Real Chorus, which sang an anthological first act. They maintained their big level in the remaining acts, but the female section sang in a tender and sad way the final lines after Liù's death scene.

Having seen it again, I start to think that my theory that, according to Bob Wilson's staging, Calaf dies at the end of the play might be bolstered by something I hadn't realized before: that when Turandot discovers his name, he disappears, leaving only her illuminated. Interesting to see how when he kisses her (in this staging he only touches her from a distance), the ubiquitous blue turns red. Nothing will be the same for her. It is a very beautiful scenic resource.

Puccini died when he was still in his creative prime, as evidenced by this brilliant score in which he takes a step forward in his own style, taking several of the musical tendencies of that time as a reference; surpassing himself in every act. That is why it is a pity that the third act, the most important musically and dramatically, was interrupted by the death of the composer, although he did not know very well how to solve it either, and his delay because this confussion contributed to leave this work unfinished. In a way, Liù's final scene and Timur's aria and chorus that follow her death are so genius-inspired that it seems that,like Mozart with his Requiem, this music seems to have been composed for Puccini's own funeral.

Arturo Toscanini stopped the premiere performance of Turandot at La Scala with this scene. Some consider it the best ending. Had it not been for the fact that tradition has already accepted Alfano's ending (which doesn't stand up to comparison with Puccini's music, despite the fact that it does close the work with a flourish by having the choir celebrate love by singing Calaf's leitmotif) ; maybe it could be an ideal ending. But Puccini did want a change for Turandot's character, from a cruel, cold, insensitive princess to a passionate, sensitive woman who discovers love, and Alfano did the best he could under the circumstances.

The performance was welcomed with a standing ovation for the entire cast, once again tickets sold out, such is the passion of the audience in Madrid for this opera. And so ends the 2022-2023 Teatro Real season, with an important Chinese presence in it: the meeting of two worlds in John Adams' Nixon in China, and this distant and exotic fairy tale, where women are the ones who carry the weight of the story. Now we can rest, make a balance of the season, what we liked the most and the least, now is the time for enjoying the summer festivals, and wait for Cherubini's Medea to open the 2023-2024 Teatro Real season in September.

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