T in Turandot at Royal Opera House

Another year, another Opera that my son T was acting / singing in. From Rossini (La Boheme) at Christmas to Pucinni. Today was the dress rehearsal for an opera that has one of the most famous opera songs of all time, Turandot. I am sure you all know what it is (revealed later).

On the morning of the performance, I hopped on the bus, hoping for a smooth journey in. As always, the bus took longer than expected, even waiting at one stop while the gap between buses was corrected! All this meant a manic run / walk from Trafalgar Square to ROH, just about making the final call!

The amazing grandeur and resplendence of the entrance greeted me as I hurried in. 

Originally opened in 1732. The current version is the third iteration after disastrous fires in 1808 and 1856. The facade, foyer and auditorium is from 1858 and the rest is from the 1990 reconstruction. The main auditorium seats 2,256 and is Grade I listed.

Relieved that I had made it, I took my seat and absorbed the calming and luxurious site of a packed Opera House and fully immersed myself into the excitable hum of conversations and orchestral warm ups before the start. 

Act I: The stunning setting of the Forbidden City in Pechino (Peking) reveals itself on stage and the main protagonists are introduced. Prince Calaf and his attraction to the powerful and cold hearted princess Turandot, translated as daughter of Turan in Persian (Turan being a region of the Persian Empire in Central Asia). Other protagonists include Calaf’s long lost, ex ruler, father, who is blind, and Liu, his loyal servant who is in love with Calaf. The main characters, from my point of view, was the ever present group of child singers, who represented the peasants of the region, beautifully singing Là, sui monti dell'Est (There, on the mountains of the east) at various parts of the Opera - one of the only traditional Chinese melodies in the Opera!

Interval:  During the interval I enjoyed views of Covent Garden from the rooftop bar whilst chatting with some of the other proud parents, grateful to see their child (or not) on stage.

Act II: As we took our seats after what seemed to be the briefest of intervals we were ready for some brain teasers from Turandot who challenges Calaf if he wants to marry her. The cost of getting one answer wrong…death! Not sure I would go for that kind of deal.

Riddle 1: “What is born each night and dies each dawn?” Answer: “Hope.” 

Riddle 2: “What flares warm like a flame, yet it is no flame?” Answer: “Blood.” 

Riddle 3: “The ice that gives you fire, what can it be?” Answer: “Turandot!” 

Clever guy that Calaf, and with that Turandot is conquered, but foolishly, he gives her another chance by asking a riddle of his own: “If before morning you can discover the name I bear, I shall forfeit my life.”…..what a wally!

Interval II: More amazing views of the first floor bar and restaurant and just enough to finish my drink from the first interval. After more small talk back it was for the main event.

Act III: Nessun Dorma (“None shall sleep”) - could Calaf (Tenor Seokjong Bank) pull this aria off? (made globally famous, of course, by Luciano Pavarotti during the World Cup in 1990!). Although not as intense as the great man himself, it is a very capable attempt. And so the drama continues where it left off. Because of Calaf’s reverse challenge to Tarandot, she arrests Liu and his father as they were seen talking to Calaf. Her plan was to make them tell her what Calaf’s name (as I said, what a wally). Making them talk involved torturing Liu, and rather than tell her she (spoiler alert!) takes her own life to show love for Calaf (who, cringe, once smiled at her - lol!). This was also the point of the opera where the great man Puccini contributed his last, he died leaving his son to chose another to finish it (Franco Alfano). A fact that PVs dad had excitedly revealed to me during the interval, to my amazement.

The finish is a complex play of trust, with Calaf eventually revealing his name to Tarandot, putting his own life at risk, with the hope that by doing this, Tarandot will trust him and possibly love him. A dramatic finish to a wonderful performance. With a final beautifully sung version of Là, sui monti dell'Est, the boys do us proud. A well deserved applause at the end for this wonderful operatic escape to the East.

With that, it was back down earth and the pick up at the side of the Opera House, where T was in a hurry to get back to his computer.