History Theatre / Turandot

* KarmaHoudini: Turandot has a fancy for torture (as her three ministers tell us), she has executed 27 suitors in the past 3 years (and probably many more people in the past) and has driven [[IncorruptiblePurePureness a loving, caring and innocent girl]] [[DrivenToSuicide to suicide]]. And what does she get in the end? A [[HappilyEverAfter Happy Marriage]], no less.

At this point, ''Turandot'' suffered a minor delay in writing, as [[DiedDuringProduction Puccini died of a sudden heart attack while recovering from chemotherapy]] to try and remove the laryngeal cancer he was afflicted with (he was a heavy smoker). After he gave up on the opera nine months before, he visited the conductor Arturo Toscanini and begged him: [[PosthumousCollaboration "Don't let my Turandot die!"]] It was left to his disciple Franco Alfano to finish the opera, although Puccini and Toscanini initially wanted the experienced opera composer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riccardo_Zandonai Riccardo Zandonai]] according to his notes. [[ExecutiveMeddling But the publisher Ricordi chose Alfano]] because they assumed [[MoneyDearBoy he'd be more popular with audiences and generate more money]] -- which proved to be wrong.[[note]]What we think of as "Alfano's ending" was laboriously stitched together from Puccini's outlines -- in places so illegible that Alfano was using a magnifying glass, and went temporarily blind with the effort. It isn't even the complete ending Alfano wrote; it's what Toscanini chose to ''include'' from what he wrote.[[/note]] [[https://youtu.be/VgTkzN1fETU?t=5886 The ending]] is [[http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jun/08/artsfeatures still wildly debated]] [[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-10-11/features/1992285147_1_turandot-manon-lescaut-puccini to this day,]] and some other composers, most recently [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPblqEspFEw Luciano Berio]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQx5shLxLUc Hao Weiya]] have written their own versions, while the most recent recording of the opera uses Alfano's uncut ending, which was never performed in his lifetime. American composer Janet Maguire says a shorthand version of Puccini's complete ending is actually present in his sketches and has put together an ending using those, but this has yet to be performed. On the flipside, as recently as 2017, Anton Coppola composed a decidedly somber conclusion in which Calaf [[DeathByAdaptation is executed on the orders of Turandot]].

At this point, ''Turandot'' suffered a minor delay in writing, as [[DiedDuringProduction Puccini died of a sudden heart attack while recovering from chemotherapy]] to try and remove the laryngeal cancer he was afflicted with (he was a heavy smoker). After he gave up on the opera nine months before, he visited the conductor Arturo Toscanini and begged him: [[PosthumousCollaboration "Don't let my Turandot die!"]] It was left to his disciple Franco Alfano to finish the opera, although Puccini and Toscanini initially wanted the experienced opera composer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riccardo_Zandonai Riccardo Zandonai]] according to his notes. [[ExecutiveMeddling But the publisher Ricordi chose Alfano]] because they assumed [[MoneyDearBoy he'd be more popular with audiences and generate more money]] -- which proved to be wrong.[[note]]What we think of as "Alfano's ending" was laboriously stitched together from Puccini's outlines -- in places so illegible that Alfano was using a magnifying glass, and went temporarily blind with the effort. It isn't even the complete ending Alfano wrote; it's what Toscanini chose to ''include'' from what he wrote.[[/note]] [[https://youtu.be/VgTkzN1fETU?t=5886 The ending]] is [[http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jun/08/artsfeatures still wildly debated]] [[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-10-11/features/1992285147_1_turandot-manon-lescaut-puccini to this day,]] and some other composers, most recently [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPblqEspFEw Luciano Berio]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQx5shLxLUc Hao Weiya]] have written their own versions. American composer Janet Maguire says a shorthand version of Puccini's complete ending is actually present in his sketches and has put together an ending using those, but this has yet to be performed. On the flipside, as recently as 2017, Anton Coppola composed a decidedly somber conclusion in which Calaf [[DeathByAdaptation is executed on the orders of Turandot]].

* TheBigDamnKiss: What Calaf gives Turandot, really more of a ForcefulKiss. Last-scene rewriter Hao Weiya makes it a gentle TrueLovesKiss.

* LargeHam: You ''have'' to be this to pull off Turandot. Or for that matter Calaf.

* MaybeEverAfter: Luciano Berio's ending makes Calaf and Turandot's love more ambiguous...
* MessianicArchetype: Liu. Often lampshaded with a CrucifiedHeroShot in Act 3.

* TheseQuestionsThree: Turandot's challenge to her suitors, with death as the penalty for not answering correctly.

%% This is a zero context example. Please do not unhide until further context has been added. * Captain Obvious: The three ministers Ping, Pong and Pang.

%%* DeadpanSnarker

In ancient [[ImperialChina Beijing]], the beautiful [[WinterRoyalLady ice princess]] Turandot executes any potential suitor who can't answer her three riddles. Nevertheless, the poor lads seem to come to the city in droves, and among them our [[TheHero Hero]], the Unknown Prince Calaf. Upon his arrival on stage, he meets his long-lost father, the old and blind King Timur, and with him his guide, the slave girl Liu.[[note]]They are [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartary Tartars]], who suffered a crushing defeat from the Chinese years ago, thus why the royals are WalkingTheEarth.[[/note]] Cue the last of Turandot's unhappy suitors, the Prince of Persia (no, not ''[[VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia that]]'' one), being sentenced and beheaded. Calaf sees Turandot for the first time and immediately [[LoveAtFirstSight falls in love with her]] (duh). Everyone, including Turandot's three ministers, tries to talk some sense into the enamored prince, but he, of course, is determined to win Turandot's hand [[{{Determinator}} no matter what]]. He manages to answer her riddles correctly, and theoretically, he's the winner, but Turandot still refuses to marry him. Calaf, being a prince and a gentleman, offers his conditions: if she learns his name before sun rises, she can add his head to her palace's [[NightmareFuel fancy decorations]]. If not, however, she must shut up and become his wife.

Turandot gleefully tells her people they must learn the Unknown Prince's name before night ends or she'll kill them all [[CruelAndUnusualDeath in most horrid ways imaginable]]. Cue Calaf, singing his famous aria [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3kpbPv2vPo "Nessun Dorma."]] The Beijing folks try to bribe Calaf to get himself out of there and thus save their arses, but he's a [[IdiotHero Heroic Tenor]], so he won't listen. Then Timur and Liu are brought on stage, tied up and beaten. They've been noticed speaking to Calaf in the beginning of the opera, so they're supposed to know his name. Turandot comes and mass torture is about to ensue, when Liu says she alone knows his name but won't tell. She then [[HeroicSacrifice kills]] [[DrivenToSuicide herself]], fearing she might give Calaf's name away under the [[ColdBloodedTorture horrible tortures]]. Followed by the epic TearJerker when everyone mourns the brave little Liu and carries her body off the stage.

At this point, ''Turandot'' suffered a minor delay in writing, as [[DiedDuringProduction Puccini died of a sudden heart attack while recovering from chemotherapy]] to try and remove the laryngeal cancer he was afflicted with. After he gave up on the opera nine months before, he visited the conductor Arturo Toscanini and begged him: [[PosthumousCollaboration "Don't let my Turandot die!"]] It was left to his disciple Franco Alfano to finish the opera, although Puccini and Toscanini initially wanted the experienced opera composer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riccardo_Zandonai Riccardo Zandonai]] according to his notes. [[ExecutiveMeddling But the publisher Ricordi chose Alfano]] because they assumed [[MoneyDearBoy he'd be more popular with audiences and generate more money]] -- which proved to be wrong.[[note]]What we think of as "Alfano's ending" was laboriously stitched together from Puccini's outlines -- in places so illegible that Alfano was using a magnifying glass, and went temporarily blind with the effort. It isn't even the complete ending Alfano wrote; it's what Toscanini chose to ''include'' from what he wrote.[[/note]] [[https://youtu.be/VgTkzN1fETU?t=5886 The ending]] is [[http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jun/08/artsfeatures still wildly debated]] [[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-10-11/features/1992285147_1_turandot-manon-lescaut-puccini to this day,]] and some other composers, most recently [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPblqEspFEw Luciano Berio]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQx5shLxLUc Hao Weiya]] have written their own versions. American composer Janet Maguire says a shorthand version of Puccini's complete ending is actually present in his sketches and has put together an ending using those, but this has yet to be performed. On the flipside, as recently as 2017, Anton Coppola composed a decidedly somber conclusion in which Calaf [[DeathByAdaptation is executed on the orders of Turandot]].

** By Liu as played by Barbara Frittoli in ''Turandot at the Forbidden City''. If you know the story, you're aware that she kills herself, but even the [[SeenItAll most jaded viewer]] might be shocked at her badass move. Most Liu's grab a dagger from one of the guards behind them and stab themselves in the breast or stomach. In this production, having finished her plea to Turandot, she lunges ''forward'', snatches a long hairpin[[note]]traditionally, this was the only sharp object you could ''have'' at the imperial court[[/note]] from the Princess' coiffure, and stabs herself in the throat.

Turandot gleefully tells her people they must learn the Unknown Prince's name before night ends or she'll [[KillEmAll kill 'em all]] [[CruelAndUnusualDeath in most horrid ways imaginable]]. Cue Calaf, singing his famous aria [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3kpbPv2vPo "Nessun Dorma."]] The Beijing folks try to bribe Calaf to get himself out of there and thus save their arses, but he's a [[IdiotHero Heroic Tenor]], so he won't listen. Then Timur and Liu are brought on stage, tied up and beaten. They've been noticed speaking to Calaf in the beginning of the opera, so they're supposed to know his name. Turandot comes and mass torture is about to ensue, when Liu says she alone knows his name but won't tell. She then [[HeroicSacrifice kills]] [[DrivenToSuicide herself]], fearing she might give Calaf's name away under the [[ColdBloodedTorture horrible tortures]]. Followed by the epic TearJerker when everyone mourns the brave little Liu and carries her body off the stage.

* IncrediblyLongNote: LOTS of these. Both the loud and soft varieties. Two famous portrayers of the roles of Turandot and Calaf, Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli, used to have friendly competitions over who could hold the famous High C the longest in their synchronised phrase in Act 2.

-------

At this point, ''Turandot'' suffered a minor delay in writing, as [[DiedDuringProduction Puccini died of a sudden heart attack while recovering from chemotherapy]] to try and remove the laryngeal cancer he was afflicted with. After he gave up on the opera nine months before, he visited the conductor Arturo Toscanini and begged him: [[PosthumousCollaboration "Don't let my Turandot die!"]] It was left to his disciple Franco Alfano to finish the opera, although Puccini and Toscanini initially wanted the experienced opera composer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riccardo_Zandonai Riccardo Zandonai]] according to his notes. [[ExecutiveMeddling But the publisher Ricordi chose Alfano]] because they assumed [[MoneyDearBoy he'd be more popular with audiences and generate more money]] -- which proved to be wrong.[[note]]What we think of as "Alfano's ending" was laboriously stitched together from Puccini's outlines -- in places so illegible that Alfano was using a magnifying glass, and went temporarily blind with the effort. It isn't even the complete ending Alfano wrote. It's what Toscanini chose to ''include'' from what he wrote.[[/note]] [[https://youtu.be/VgTkzN1fETU?t=5886 The ending]] is [[http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jun/08/artsfeatures still wildly debated]] [[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-10-11/features/1992285147_1_turandot-manon-lescaut-puccini to this day,]] and some other composers, most recently [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPblqEspFEw Luciano Berio]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQx5shLxLUc Hao Weiya]] have written their own versions. American composer Janet Maguire says a shorthand version of Puccini's complete ending is actually present in his sketches and has put together an ending using those, but this has yet to be performed. On the flipside, as recently as 2017, Anton Coppola composed a decidedly somber conclusion in which Calaf [[DeathByAdaptation is executed on the orders of Turandot]].

At this point, ''Turandot'' suffered a major case of AuthorExistenceFailure, because Puccini died of a sudden heart attack while recovering from chemotherapy to try and remove the laryngeal cancer he was afflicted with. After he gave up on the opera nine months before, he visited the conductor Arturo Toscanini and begged him: [[PosthumousCollaboration "Don't let my Turandot die!"]] It was left to his disciple Franco Alfano to finish the opera, although Puccini and Toscanini initially wanted the experienced opera composer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riccardo_Zandonai Riccardo Zandonai]] according to his notes. [[ExecutiveMeddling But the publisher Ricordi chose Alfano]] because they assumed [[MoneyDearBoy he'd be more popular with audiences and generate more money]] -- which proved to be wrong.[[note]]What we think of as "Alfano's ending" was laboriously stitched together from Puccini's outlines -- in places so illegible that Alfano was using a magnifying glass, and went temporarily blind with the effort. It isn't even the complete ending Alfano wrote. It's what Toscanini chose to ''include'' from what he wrote.[[/note]] [[https://youtu.be/VgTkzN1fETU?t=5886 The ending]] is [[http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jun/08/artsfeatures still wildly debated]] [[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-10-11/features/1992285147_1_turandot-manon-lescaut-puccini to this day,]] and some other composers, most recently [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPblqEspFEw Luciano Berio]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQx5shLxLUc Hao Weiya]] have written their own versions. American composer Janet Maguire says a shorthand version of Puccini's complete ending is actually present in his sketches and has put together an ending using those, but this has yet to be performed. On the flipside, as recently as 2017, Anton Coppola composed a decidedly somber conclusion in which Calaf [[DeathByAdaptation is executed on the orders of Turandot]].

* RiddleForTheAges: What did Puccini intend for the opera's ending? Because of combined AuthorExistenceFailure and ExecutiveMeddling, we would never know for sure.

In ancient [[ImperialChina Beijing]], the beautiful [[IceQueen ice princess]] Turandot executes any potential suitor who can't answer her three riddles. Nevertheless, the poor lads seem to come to the city in droves, and among them our [[TheHero Hero]], the Unknown Prince Calaf. Upon his arrival on stage, he meets his long-lost father, the old and blind King Timur, and with him his guide, the slave girl Liu.[[note]]They are [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartary Tartars]], who suffered a crushing defeat from the Chinese years ago, thus why the royals are WalkingTheEarth.[[/note]] Cue the last of Turandot's unhappy suitors, the Prince of Persia (no, not ''[[VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia that]]'' one), being sentenced and beheaded. Calaf sees Turandot for the first time and immediately [[LoveAtFirstSight falls in love with her]] (duh). Everyone, including Turandot's three ministers, tries to talk some sense into the enamored prince, but he, of course, is determined to win Turandot's hand [[{{Determinator}} no matter what]]. He manages to answer her riddles correctly, and theoretically, he's the winner, but Turandot still refuses to marry him. Calaf, being a prince and a gentleman, offers his conditions: if she learns his name before sun rises, she can add his head to her palace's [[NightmareFuel fancy decorations]]. If not, however, she must shut up and become his wife.

* AdaptationalHeroism: Liu is partially based [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/742429?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents on the character of Adelma from the original Gozzi story.]] Both are slave girls in love with the prince. However, whereas Liu kills herself rather than betray the prince, [[http://www.operametro.com/addenda/182016the-three-ps-in-turandot Adelma gladly divulges his name out of jealousy.]] It's actually Turandot who then has a change of heart about the whole deal.
** Arguably inverted with Calaf; the original story points out that Calaf is at least partially motivated to outwit Turandot in the hopes of avenging the slain suitors (and presumably preventing further deaths). Also, Calaf rejecting Adelma's advances were a bit more forgivable when compared to his operatic counterpart's treatment of Liu, since Adelma was a BitchInSheepsClothing he barely knew.

* WhamShot: By Liu as played by Barbara Frittoli in ''Turandot at the Forbidden City''. If you know the story, you're aware that she kills herself, but even the [[SeenItAll most jaded viewer]] might be shocked at her badass move. Most Liu's grab a dagger from one of the guards behind them and stab themselves in the breast or stomach. In this production, having finished her plea to Turandot, she lunges ''forward'', snatches a long hairpin[[note]]traditionally, this was the only sharp object you could ''have'' at the imperial court[[/note]] from the Princess' coiffure, and stabs herself in the throat.

At this point, ''Turandot'' suffered a major case of AuthorExistenceFailure, because Puccini died of a sudden heart attack while recovering from chemotherapy to try and remove the laryngeal cancer he was afflicted with. After he gave up on the opera nine months before, he visited the conductor Arturo Toscanini and begged him: [[PosthumousCollaboration "Don't let my Turandot die!"]] It was left to his disciple Franco Alfano to finish the opera, although Puccini and Toscanini initially wanted the experienced opera composer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riccardo_Zandonai Riccardo Zandonai]] according to his notes. [[ExecutiveMeddling But the publisher Ricordi chose Alfano]] because they assumed [[MoneyDearBoy he'd be more popular with audiences and generate more money]] -- which proved to be wrong.[[note]]What we think of as "Alfano's ending" was laboriously stitched together from Puccini's outlines -- in places so illegible that Alfano was using a magnifying glass, and went temporarily blind with the effort. It isn't even the complete ending Alfano wrote. It's what Toscanini chose to ''include'' from what he wrote.[[/note]] [[https://youtu.be/VgTkzN1fETU?t=5886 The ending]] is [[http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jun/08/artsfeatures still wildly debated]] [[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-10-11/features/1992285147_1_turandot-manon-lescaut-puccini to this day,]] and some other composers, most recently [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPblqEspFEw Luciano Berio]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQx5shLxLUc Hao Weiya]] have written their own versions. American composer Janet Maguire says a shorthand version of Puccini's complete ending is actually present in his sketches and has put together an ending using those, but this has yet to be performed. On the flipside, as recently as 2017, Anton Coppola composed a decidedly somber conclusion in which Calaf [[DeathByAdaptation is executed on the orders of Turandot]]. Whichever ending you prefer [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment is all up to you]].

At this point, ''Turandot'' suffered a major case of AuthorExistenceFailure, because Puccini died of a sudden heart attack while recovering from chemotherapy to try and remove the laryngeal cancer he was afflicted with. After he gave up on the opera nine months before, he visited the conductor Arturo Toscanini and begged him: [[PosthumousCollaboration "Don't let my Turandot die!"]] It was left to his disciple Franco Alfano to finish the opera, although Puccini and Toscanini initially wanted the experienced opera composer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riccardo_Zandonai Riccardo Zandonai]] according to his notes. [[ExecutiveMeddling But the publisher Ricordi chose Alfano]] because they assumed [[MoneyDearBoy he'd be more popular with audiences and generate more money]] -- which proved to be wrong.[[note]]What we think of as "Alfano's ending" was laboriously stitched together from Puccini's outlines -- in places so illegible that Alfano was using a magnifying glass, and went temporarily blind with the effort. It isn't even the complete ending Alfano wrote. It's what Toscanini chose to ''include'' from what he wrote.[[/note]] [[https://youtu.be/VgTkzN1fETU?t=5886 The ending]] is [[http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jun/08/artsfeatures still wildly debated]] [[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-10-11/features/1992285147_1_turandot-manon-lescaut-puccini to this day,]] and some other composers, most recently [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPblqEspFEw Luciano Berio]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQx5shLxLUc Hao Weiya]] have written their own versions. American composer Janet Maguire says a shorthand version of Puccini's complete ending is actually present in his sketches and has put together an ending using those, but this has yet to be performed.

* GoOutWithASmile: The Persian prince. As the crowd begs Turandot for mercy, he walks calmly to his death.

At this point, ''Turandot'' suffered a major case of AuthorExistenceFailure, because Puccini died of a sudden heart attack while recovering from chemotherapy to try and remove the laryngeal cancer he was afflicted with. After he gave up on the opera nine months before, he visited the conductor Arturo Toscanini and begged him: [[PosthumousCollaboration "Don't let my Turandot die!"]] It was left to his disciple Franco Alfano to finish the opera, although Puccini and Toscanini initially wanted the experienced opera composer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riccardo_Zandonai Riccardo Zandonai]] according to his notes. [[ExecutiveMeddling But the publisher Ricordi chose Alfano because they assumed he'd be more popular with audiences and generate more money]] -- which proved to be wrong.[[note]]What we think of as "Alfano's ending" was laboriously stitched together from Puccini's outlines -- in places so illegible that Alfano was using a magnifying glass, and went temporarily blind with the effort. It isn't even the complete ending Alfano wrote. It's what Toscanini chose to include from what he wrote.[[/note]] [[https://youtu.be/VgTkzN1fETU?t=5886 The ending]] is [[http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jun/08/artsfeatures still wildly debated]] [[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-10-11/features/1992285147_1_turandot-manon-lescaut-puccini to this day,]] and some other composers, most recently [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPblqEspFEw Luciano Berio]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQx5shLxLUc Hao Weiya]] have written their own versions. American composer Janet Maguire says a shorthand version of Puccini's complete ending is actually present in his sketches and has put together an ending using those, but this has yet to be performed.

* CostumePorn: The page picture is a mild example of how ostentatious Turandot's costumes get. And typically, the whole company is decked out in fancy looking Oriental clothing. [[http://mariaguleghina.com/img/uploadedimages/2010022494902_BS-Turandot2.jpg See here.]] Not to mention the heavy makeup everyone usually wears to make them [[YellowFace look (supposedly) Asian]].