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111053-54 Bk Bhmissa 111334-35 bk Turandot EU.qxd 2/11/08 13:23 Page 8 revealed. They end by threatening Calaf with their are left alone, she rigid as a statue and veiled. Calaf daggers. Shouting is heard, as soldiers drag in Timur calls on this Princess of death and of ice to descend to and Liù, two who must know the Prince’s name. earth. He rushes forward and tears off her veil, to 4 Turandot appears, and they bow down to the Turandot’s anger; he may tear her veil but not touch PUCCINI ground, except for Ping, who comes forward to tell her soul. The Prince takes Turandot in his arms, and her that they now have the means to discover the draws her towards the pavilion, kissing her, but she Prince’s name. Calaf claims that Timur and Liù know draws away, now seeking his pity. 0 Calaf declares nothing, but Liù steps forward and tells Turandot that his love for her, as dawn breaks; he has conquered Turandot she alone knows the stranger’s name and will keep it and her heart has melted. ! For the first time now secret. 5 Calaf tries to protect her and on Turandot’s she sheds tears, telling him of her first fear of him. orders is bound, while Liù is tortured 6 claiming Finally Calaf reveals to her his name. love as the reason for her strength in resistance. She is RIA CALL happy to suffer for her beloved Prince, as the Scene 2 A AS executioner is called for. 7 Eventually she agrees to @ The scene is outside the palace. The Emperor sits M answer the icy-hearted Princess, telling her that, as enthroned at the head of a wide marble staircase. she herself dies, so Turandot will be conquered by Around him are his courtiers, wise men and soldiers. love. She seizes a dagger from a soldier and stabs The crowds gather below, singing praise to the herself, staggering forward to fall dead at Calaf’s Emperor. Turandot now tells her father that she feet. 8 Timur hobbles forward and kneels down by knows the name of the stranger; his name is love. her, begging her to open her eyes, as dawn Calaf runs up to her, embracing her, while the crowd approaches. He prophesies divine vengeance, and scatters flowers and rejoices at the happy outcome. Liù’s body is carried away to the awe of the crowd, seeking pardon for this violence. Timur follows, as Keith Anderson the people lament Liù’s fate. 9 Calaf and Turandot 1 g 957 Recordin Maria Callas • Eugenio Fernandi Elisabeth Schwarzkopf • Nicola Zaccaria Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan Tullio Serafin 8.111334-35 8 111334-35 bk Turandot EU.qxd 2/11/08 13:23 Page 2 Great Opera Recordings further with his son. # Now Liù adds her own pleas, tortured and put to death at the hands of a man. She will tearfully begging him to desist, for her sake and that of have her revenge on the suitors that come to woo her his father. She falls to the ground in tears. $ Calaf and never yield to a man. Calaf is defiant, ready to solve Giacomo urges her not to weep and tells her to take Timur away Turandot’s riddles. § The trumpets sound, and with her into the country. % Timur begs him, for the Turandot proceeds. Her first riddle is of something that PUCCINI last time, and is joined by Liù, Ping, Pang and Pong in in the night hovers, a shining phantom, soaring above (1858-1927) his endeavour to save his son from certain death. Calaf the crowd, invoked by all, but vanishing at dawn to be is determined, and, breaking away, sounds the gong reborn in every heart. Calaf declares that the answer is three times. hope. ¶ Her second riddle is of something that is Turandot aflame and yet then cold, which Calaf guesses is blood. • Opera in three acts Act 2 Turandot descends further down the stairs to pose her third riddle of ice given by fire, and fire that Libretto by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni after Carlo Gozzi’s theatrical fairy tale Turandot Scene 1 produces ice, a force that would make you free, but yet Last duet and Finale completed by Franco Alfano ^ In a great pavilion Ping, Pang and Pong are enslaves and makes you king. Calaf sees that the answer preparing for whatever may happen, either a wedding or to this is Turandot. ª The crowd applauds his success. º Princess Turandot.........................................................................................Maria Callas (soprano) a funeral. & Saddened by Turandot’s behaviour, they In anguish Turandot ascends the stairs again, Calaf (The unknown prince).....................................................................Eugenio Fernandi (tenor) lament the fate of China. They sit and examine the demanding that her father, the Emperor, prevent her Liù................................................................................................Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano) scrolls for the numbers of victims. * Ping sings of his marriage to this stranger, but the Emperor has given his The Emperor Altoum ...................................................................................Giuseppe Nessi (tenor) house in Honan, and all three would like to be away oath and will not hear her pleading. Calaf, however, Timur.............................................................................................................Nicola Zaccaria (bass) from the palace in their own parts of the countryside. ( wants Turandot burning with love. ⁄ He now offers his Ping .........................................................................................................Mario Borriello (baritone) They lament the state of the world and the madness of own riddle, his name, which she must find before Pang.............................................................................................................Renato Ercolani (tenor) lovers, recalling those who have died, princes from morning; if she succeeds, he will die. Turandot assents Pong / Prince of Persia ..................................................................................Piero de Palma (tenor) Samarkand, from India, from Burma and other and Calaf ascends the stairs towards the Emperor ¤ A mandarin..........................................................................................Giulio Mauri (bass-baritone) countries. ) They long for an end to their difficulties whose praises the people now sing. First voice ...............................................................................................Elisabetta Fusco (soprano) and those of the kingdom. ¡ Trumpets are heard, Second voice............................................................................................Pinuccia Perotti (soprano) heralding the start of a new trial for the hand of Turandot. CD 2 Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan (Chorus Master: Norberto Mola) Scene 2 Act 3 Tullio Serafin ™ In the square in front of the palace the crowd gradually gathers. In the centre is a great marble Scene 1 1 Recorded 9th – 13th and 15th July, 1957 in the Teatro alla Scala, Milan staircase leading upwards, to end under a triple arch. It is night in the palace gardens. To the right is a First issued on Columbia 33CX 1555 through 1557 Mandarins arrive, dressed in blue and gold, and finally pavilion, with a richly embroidered curtain, the ante- the Emperor. £ He announces that he is bound by his chamber to Turandot’s quarters in the palace. Heralds Reissue Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn oath to honour the compact he has made with Turandot. announce the decree that none shall sleep on pain of Special thanks to Maynard F. Bertolet for providing source material Calaf steps forward, ready to try his luck, in spite of the death, as the search for the stranger’s name. 2 Calaf Emperor’s obvious reluctance to see more bloodshed. echoes the words, singing of love and of his name that ¢ The crowd honours the Emperor. A Mandarin steps none shall discover; at daybreak Turandot shall be his. forward and proclaims the royal decree. Turandot shall 3 Ping, Pong and Pang emerge from the bushes, Producer’s Note marry the one of royal lineage who can solve her three followed by other figures. They ask Calaf to say what riddles; the unsuccessful will die. The voices of children he wants; if it is love, then he offers girls that he now The principal sources for the complete recording of Turandot were two sets of first edition British LP pressings. are heard. ∞ Turandot, impassive as a golden statue, leads forward; if it is riches, then they can offer gold and Occasional pops, distortion during loud passages and extraneous noises appear to be inherent in the original master takes her place at the foot of the Imperial throne. She precious stones; if it is glory, he may escape to rule the tapes. looks coldly at the Prince and recounts the reason for Empire from afar. They fear for their own safety, since Mark Obert-Thorn her vow, the fate of Princess Lou Ling, captured, they face torture and death if the Prince’s name is not 8.111334-35 27 8.111334-35 111334-35 bk Turandot EU.qxd 2/11/08 13:23 Page 6 Provence, Edinburgh, Orange and Athens. He sang 1928, 1937, 1938, 1949, 1951), San Carlo, Naples CD 1 77:26 Act 2 rôles such as Zaccaria in Nabucco, Silva in Ernani, (1922-3, 1940-1, 1949-58), Metropolitan, New York Scene 1 Rodolfo in La sonnambula and Sarastro in Zauberflöte. (1924-34), the Rome Opera (1934-43, 1962), Lyric Act 1 ^ Olà, Pang! Olà, Pong! 1:32 For EMI he appears with Callas in recordings of Aida, Opera, Chicago (1955, 1957-58), and numerous other 1 Popolo di Pekino! 2:52 (Ministers) Un ballo in maschera, Il trovatore, La bohème, Il opera houses in Italy and abroad. His repertory was (Mandarin, Crowd, Liù) & O Cina, o Cina 2:07 barbiere di Siviglia, La sonnambula and Norma. vast. He conducted conventional and unconventional 2 Tullio Serafin (1878-1968), born at Rottanova di operas as well as introducing a variety of new works Padre! Mio Padre! 1:30 (Ministers) (The Unknown Prince [Calaf], Liù, Crowd, Timur) Cavarzere, near Venice, was one of the great and worked with numerous famous singers, including * Ho una casa nell’Honan 3:17 conductors of Italian opera.
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