Turandot - Puccini

Typical no holds barred Zeffirelli production. Shows its age a bit but the sound quality is OK. Far better than the lifeless Bejing version.

I didn't have high hopes for this - Eva Marton on disc sounds colourless, and her live Sony CD recording of Turandot has one of the flattest top Cs on record.But while it's true that neither she nor Placido is happy at the top (on one top C she stops and lets the chorus sopranos go on, and he sings a different line to avoid one) they are both in terrific form in every other way - for once, the truncated Alfano ending, where they give it all they've got, doesn't sound like an anticlimax. Leona Mitchell as Liu sounds quite a big voice - so you get a touch of Leontyne Price in the arias rather than the usual little girl sound. The fact that Puccini didn't finish the opera will always count against it, but what we do have is surely his finest inspiration, and the Met forces treat it as such. This production is still in the repertoire, and when it was shown in cinemas earlier this year, you could tell that they've worked on it since this filmed version, but it is still breathtaking - everything about it screams that a bottomless wallet has been thrown at the set and costumes. Wow!

I rented this to see how Turandot should be done, after attending an abysmal production from Ellen Kent (now understandably gone out of business). You don't expect the New York Metropolitan Opera to put a foot wrong, and they do not disappoint. Lavish - just the way you like it!

One of the best production (Zeferelli's) I have seen on DVD. Every thing was beautiful. The singing, costume and particularly the setting was wonderful and Placido Domingo gave it the magic touch. All opera lovers must see this one. What more can I say!