WNO Ends 2008-2009 Season With Puccini's TURANDOT 5/16-6/4

Washington National Opera (WNO), under the leadership ofGeneral Director Plácido Domingo, concludes its 2008-2009 season with Puccini's Turandot. Originally from Royal Opera House, Andrei ?erban's visually arresting and highly acclaimed production, which celebrates 25 years this season, runs in eight performances from May 16 to June 4 at the Kennedy Center Opera House.

The classic tale is brought to life by an internationally acclaimed double cast,including sopranos Maria Guleghina and Sylvie Valayre in the title role.

Conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson leads the WNO Orchestra and Chorus in her company debut, and Maestro Domingo himself conductsthe final performance on June 4. Set in Ancient China, Turandot is full of soaring melodies, including the beloved "Nessun Dorma," among the best known arias in the operatic repertoire. Turandot is performed in Italian with English supertitles.

Leading the double cast in the title role are Russian dramatic soprano Maria Guleghina, widely acclaimedfor her performances of Italian opera, and French soprano Sylvie Valayre, whose portrayal of Turandot has been described as a "powerful spin to soprano melting beautifully into lyrical ardor" (Opera News).

Opposite Turandot are tenors Darío Volonté (company debut) and Franco Farina, sharing the role of thefearless Prince Calaf. In the role of the faithful yet tragic servant Liù are Slovenian soprano Sabina Cvilak,who most recently appeared with WNO as Mimì in La Bohème (2007) and Micaëla in Carmen (2008), and 2006 Operalia winner Maija Kovalevska, who makes her company debut in this production.

Also making her WNO debut is conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson. In addition to Mr. ?erban and Ms. Wilson, the creative team features Sally Jacobs and her original Turandot sets and costumes, lighting designer F. Mitchell Dana and choreographer Kate Flatt (WNO debut).

Among the leading stage directors of his generation, Andrei ?erban makes his WNO debut with his classic production of Turandot.

The production was originated by the Royal Opera House as anemergency staging for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and starred Plácido Domingo as Calaf andGwyneth Jones in the title role. Celebrating 25 years this season, ?erban's Turandot has been revived 15times by Royal Opera House and staged more than 50 times by opera houses around the world, making it one of the most-revived productions in recent history.

Based on a Persian fable, Turandot tells the story of the coldhearted Mandarin princess who declares that she will marry the man who can answer three riddles. Drawn to Princess Turandot's incomparable beauty, countless suitors vie for her hand, despite the fact that those who fail are mercilessly beheaded.

Appearing before a crowd of peasants, proclaiming that she will never be possessed by a man, Turandotis horrified when a mysterious stranger-the exiled Prince Calaf in disguise-answers each riddle correctly. The stranger offers a compromise: he will give up his life if Turandot can discover his name before dawn. The kingdom is kept awake all night as the people try to discover the stranger's name. In the end, Calaf kisses the Princess, whose icy heart is melted, and she announces that she at last knows the stranger's name - "Love."

Turandot was the last opera of great Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, who died in 1924, leaving hisscore incomplete. It was completed by Franco Alfano, and readied for its premiere on April 25, 1926 at La Scala in Milan. Along with Madama Butterfly (another Asian-inspired Puccini opera), Tosca and LaBohème, Turandot is also one of Puccini's most popular and widely performed operas, thanks to its grand fairytale plot, majestic locale, and unforgettable music including one of the most famous arias ofall time.

Famously sung at the 1990 World Cup and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, "NessunDorma" has achieved pop status, even becoming the highest ranking classical recording ever on the UKSingles Chart, thanks in part to performances by The Three Tenors, including WNO General Director Plácido Domingo.

TICKETS AND PATRON INFORMATION
Tickets range from $45 to $300 and are currently available through WNO Audience Services, 202.295.2400 or 800.US.OPERA, or online at www.dc-opera.org.

Patrons ages 18 to 35 are eligible for Generation O, a young audience program which offers special events and discounted tickets for select performances. For more information or to join Generation O, visit www.dc-opera.org.

All performances of Washington National Opera's Turandot are held in the Kennedy Center Opera House, located at 2700 F Street NW, Washington, D.C.

Casting, program, schedules and pricing are subject to change without notice.

 

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