The famous opera Turandot by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini with Chinese sequel hits Beijing again after its world debut at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) on March in Beijing.

The three-act opera about a Chinese princess in imperial Beijing was also performed at the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival in April.

On August 29th, Turandot wowed the audience at the NCPA with its cast of all Chinese opera singers.
 
Director Chen Xinyi invited tenor Warren Mok, "the prince of Hong Kong opera," to sing the part of Prince Calaf. Mok is a "Calaf" veteran who has performed the role in more than 10 different productions around the world.

[Photo: CRIENGLISH.COM]

"I think this is the first time that I have sung with an all Chinese cast in Turandot. When I sing around the world, usually I am the only Chinese. But this time, everybody is Chinese, and the level is very high. ... I think it's just as good as in any of the first-rate opera houses in the world."

Mok says he is impressed with the way the Chinese are performing Turandot.

"I saw this production in Shanghai in April, and I was very impressed, because the whole production, the sets and the designs are very Chinese, very original, also very glamerous."

Soprano Sun Xiuwei sings the part of Princess Turandot in the local production. Like Mok, has performed in many operas around the world.

Princess Turandot is usually considered to be cruel and cold-blooded. But this time, Director Chen Xinyi has tried to create a different Turandot.

Chen says he believes that the princess is a naive and pure girl who is just influenced by her ancestor. But when she falls in love, she is transformed into a girl with a warm heart.

"I think this is the first time that I have sung with an all Chinese cast in Turandot. When I sing around the world, usually I am the only Chinese. But this time, everybody is Chinese, and the level is very high. ... I think it's just as good as in any of the first-rate opera houses in the world."

Mok says he is impressed with the way the Chinese are performing Turandot.

"I saw this production in Shanghai in April, and I was very impressed, because the whole production, the sets and the designs are very Chinese, very original, also very glamerous."

Soprano Sun Xiuwei sings the part of Princess Turandot in the local production. Like Mok, has performed in many operas around the world.

Princess Turandot is usually considered to be cruel and cold-blooded. But this time, Director Chen Xinyi has tried to create a different Turandot.

Chen says he believes that the princess is a naive and pure girl who is just influenced by her ancestor. But when she falls in love, she is transformed into a girl with a warm heart.

"Turandot is a fairytale about China, a mysterious one. I am thinking that if this princess could be slimmer, it would feel totally different when she says, 'Kill,' compared with a 100-kg princess. So this time I will make Princess Turandot a mythic one."

Warren Mok agrees with Chen.

"Think about Calaf, as a prince and Turandot as the princess. They are actually human beings, not very brutal like the westerns think about the Chinese or about how Turandot is supposed to be. So this is a new element in the opera. Both Sun Xiuwei and Shen Na, wonderful singers, they look beautiful as well, not fat. Normally, the singers are like 100 kg, heavier than me, taller than me. Hey, man, why should I love them? Why shouldn't I love Liu? Liu is a beautiful slave. In this production, everything makes sense."

She Na, a very slim and tender soprano, will also sing the part of Princess Turandot. She is known by audiences for her performance in the French opera "Le Roi d'Ys."

"Since it's a story about an oriental princess, I think Chinese people are entitled to portray the Chinese princess and prince."

Mok is very confident that this production will be successful, especially with the excellent acoustics in the performance center.

NCPA also invited 30 Olympic volunteers to watch a performance of Turandot as a thank-you for their hard work during the Beijing Games.

Turandot will be performed at the NCPA until September 2nd.

On August 29th, Turandot wowed the audience at the National Centre for the Performing Arts with its cast of all Chinese opera singers. Turandot will be performed at the NCPA until September 2nd. [Photo: sina.com.cn]