Turandot – Fact Sheet

COMPOSER: Giacomo Puccini, last duet & final scene completed by Franco Alfano
LIBRETTISTS: Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni

FORT WORTH OPERA DATES / TIMES / LOCATION

Saturday, May 24, 2008 at 8pm
Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 2pm
Friday, June 6, 2008 at 8pm
All Performances will be held at Bass Performance Hall, downtown Fort Worth, Texas

CHARACTERS & PRIMARY CAST

Turandot — Elizabeth Bennett
Calaf — Dongwon Shin
Liù — Sandra Lopez
Timur — Christian Van Horn
Ping — Ryan Taylor
Pang — Jamin Flabiano
Pong — Keith Jameson
Mandarin — Thomas Forde
Emperor Altoum — Adam Sattley

Conductor — Joseph Illick
Director — Daniel Pelzig

PRODUCTION

Performed in Italian with projected English subtitles.

TICKETS

Season Tickets: Include Lucia di Lammermoor, Turandot and Of Mice and Men. Complimentary vouchers to Angels in America will be included in all Friday, Saturday and Sunday Series packages. Weekend Packages include guaranteed seating to Angels in America. $50-$412 each. Call 817.731.0726, toll-free 1.877.FWOPERA (396-7372) or go online at www.fwopera.org

Single tickets: $19 - $145. Students & military half-price with ID. Student rush pricing is $5 for any available seat starting 30 minutes prior to curtain with ID. Call 817.731.0726 or toll-free 1.877.FWOPERA (396-7372) or go online at www.fwopera.org.

BACKGROUND

Turandot was Puccini’s final opera and perhaps contains his most extraordinary score. He did extensive research into Chinese music, weaving five authentic themes into the music. It took close to four years to compose, but the score was left unfinished at his death. A younger composer, Alfano, completed the score from his notes.

STORY

Peking, legendary times. In a quarter near the Forbidden City, a Mandarin reads an edict: any prince seeking to marry Princess Turandot must answer three riddles - and if he fails, he will die. Her latest suitor is executed at Turandot’s command. In the crowd, Calaf is smitten with the princess’ beauty and goes before the princess to answer the riddles, which he does to her great distress. Calaf generously offers Turandot a riddle of his own: if she can learn his name by dawn, he will forfeit his life. After a bloody night with Turandot desperately trying to discover his identity, he kisses her and tells her his name. As the crowd looks on, Turandot approaches the throne, announcing that the stranger’s name is - Love.