At The Opera, Puccini: Turandot, November 1, 2014
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Turandot is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, completed by Franco Alfano, set to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni.
Though Puccini's first interest in the subject was based on his reading of Friedrich Schiller's adaptation of the play, his work is most nearly based on the earlier text Turandot by Carlo Gozzi. The original story is based on the epic Turan-Dokht from the book Haft-Peykar, work of 12th-century Persian poet Nizami. The opera's story is set in China and involves Prince Calàf, who falls in love with the cold Princess Turandot. To obtain permission to marry her, a suitor has to solve three riddles; any wrong answer results in death. Calàf passes the test, but Turandot still refuses to marry him. He offers her a way out: if she is able to learn his name before dawn the next day, then at daybreak he will die.
The opera was unfinished at the time of Puccini's death in 1924, and was completed by Franco Alfano in 1926. The first performance was held at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan on April 25, 1926 and conducted by Arturo Toscanini. This performance included only Puccini's music and not Alfano's additions. The first performance of the opera as completed by Alfano was the following night, 26 April. This 1958 recording stars Maria Callas, Eugenio Fernandi and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Tullio Serafin conducts the La Scala opera.
8:00 p.m.
Pietro Mascagni
Cavalleria rusticana, opera Intemezzo
Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony; Ondrej Lenard, conductor
8:09 p.m.
Maria Callas
Puccini
Turandot
La Scala; Tullio Serafin, conductor
10:43 p.m.
Amelita Galli-Curci
Gounod
Romeo Et Juliette: Je Veux Vivre Dans Ce Reve
10:46 p.m.
Amelita Galli-Curci
Auber
Manon Lescaut: C'est L'histoire Amoureuse
10:49 p.m.
Amelita Galli-Curci
Rossini
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Una Voce Poco Fa
10:53 p.m.
Amelita Galli-Curci
Meyerbeer
Dinorah: Ombra Leggiera
10:58 p.m.
Amelita Galli-Curci
Bellini
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11:03 p.m.
Giuseppe Verdi
I Puritani: Il rival salvar tu dei...Suoni la tromba
11:16 p.m.
Thomas Hampson / Samuel Ramey
Giuseppe Verdi
Attila, opera, Uldino, a me dinanzi...Tardo per gli anni
11:24 p.m.
Giuseppe Verdi
Don Carlo, opera, Restez!
11:34 p.m.
Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
La forza del destino, opera: Solenne in quest' ora -
11:39 p.m.
Rosa Ponselle
Puccini
Tosca, opera: Vissi d'arte -
11:42 p.m.
Enrico Caruso
Verdi
Rigoletto, opera: Bella figlia dell'amore -
11:46 p.m.
Victor Maurel
Verdi
Falstaff: Quand' ero paggio - Victor Maurel
11:48 p.m.
Ewa Mallas Godlewska and Derek Lee Ragin
Ricardo Broschi
Music from the Film Farinelli Arias Written by Ricardo Broschi brother of Farinelli
Ewa Mallas Godlewska and Derek Lee Ragin
11:53 p.m.
Christophe Rousset
Handel
Lascia ch'io pianga. Air de Almirena
11:57 p.m.
Pietro Mascagni
Cavalleria rusticana, opera Intemezzo
Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony; Ondrej Lenard, conductor