Giacomo Puccini's final, very grand opera "Turandot," arguably his masterpiece, written, but left uncompleted, in 1924 and given a posthumous premiere in 1926, returned to the Metropolitan Opera repertory, in the spectacular 1987 Franco Zeffirelli production, on October 28, with a slate of principals new to their roles here, and direction by David Kneuss. I heard the November 3 performance, the third of the 16 scheduled. A hearing of "Turandot" should be a special event, but this was a decidedly mixed affair.
To start with the new Latvian conductor, Andris Nelsons, he held the opera together more successfully than did the routiniers I remember from the bad old pre-James Levine days, moving the score along and bringing out some of the orchestral color. But this was hardly a Levine "Turandot," lacking the inspired dynamism and crispness with which the Music Director has spoiled us.
Maria Guleghina, the new Turandot, ceded opening night to Lise Lindstrom for the American singer's early company debut, but was back in the cast by the time I attended, offering an imperious presence, which would, I had hoped, be enhanced by, at the very least, fearless singing, but 'twas not to be. The Ukrainian dramatic soprano sounded uncustomarily cautious, at first, in "In questa reggia," the fiendish and formidable commencement to an enormously challenging assignment. By the end of the aria, she had resorted to belting and the climactic high C was shrill and short. Guleghina began the subsequent riddle scene carefully as well, but conveyed general uneasiness with the high tessitura, making little of the two high Cs sung over the chorus, late in the scene. She projected greater assurance in the part of Act Three composed by Franco Alfano, only to sound overwhelmed once again in the high phrases of the brief final scene.
It was a pleasure to hear Marcello Giordani, the new Calaf, bring Italianate warmth to "Non piangere, Liù" and brightness to the high passages, though one wonders if taking on music requiring this much heft may come to blunt his virtuoso singing in bel canto opera. In Act Two, his top C with Guleghina, at the end of her aria, outshone hers, though when she abruptly cut off, he graciously followed suit, only to show her up again, after her high notes over the ensemble, with his ringing interpolated high C in the line "Ti voglio ardente d'amore!" Although a bit shy of low range resonance, Giordani thrilled listeners nonetheless with his impassioned "Nessun dorma" in Act Three.
Marina Poplavskaya, the new Liù, hailing from Moscow, brought pathos to "Signore, ascolta!" and the third act arias, as well as substantial chiaroscuro lyric soprano tone, boasting light and dark vocal colors on the order of those of an Adriana Maliponte or Teresa Stratas. In Act Three, when she and Guleghina had their sole exchange, Poplavskaya proved much more in her element.
It was good to have Samuel Ramey, a voice of experience, singing Timur, the older, blind King of Tartary and Calaf's father. Keith Miller, the pro-football player-turned-operatic bass, started the evening off right as a solid mandarin. Charles Anthony, a 55-year veteran of the company, as the Emperor Altoum, showed that he can still capably project into the vast auditorium. Canadian newcomer Joshua Hopkins, and Tony Stevenson and Eduardo Valdes, completed the cast with aplomb as ministers Ping, Pang and Pong. The Met chorus, as the people of Peking, was in fine fettle for its important contribution.
Remaining performances of "Turandot" are on November 7 at 1 p.m., to be broadcast worldwide in high definition; 10 at 8 p.m., 14 at 8:30, 18 at 8, 21 at 1, and January 4 and 7, 2010 at 8 p.m., 9 at 8:30, 13 at 8, 16 at 8:30, 20 at 8, 23 at 1, and 28 at 8. At this writing, Lindstrom is scheduled for November 10 and 14 and January 9 and 28, and Guleghina, for all other dates; Giordani is spelled by Frank Poretta on November 18 and 21 and January 28, and by Salvatore Licitra and Philip Webb on other January dates; and Poplavskaya, by Grazia Doronzio on January 28 and Maija Kovalevska for the rest of January. Hao Jiang Tian, Bruno Taddia, Bernard Fitch and Patrick Carfizzi replace Ramey, Hopkins, Anthony and Miller after the New Year. Julien Salemkour (debut) conducts the final hearing. For tickets, priced from $15 to 375, telephone 212/362-6000, visit www.metopera.org, or go the Met box office at Lincoln Center. Rush tickets, for $20, are available at the box office on the day of performance, from Monday through Thursday.
