# Turandot



## PseudoYousef (Jul 13, 2020)

Hello everybody,

I am new here and this is my first post on TC. Any recommendation for a high quality Turnadot performance ?

Thanks.

Edit: Audio performance.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Hey hello there, glad to meet another Turandot fan on this forum!

I think you should first define "quality".
I.e. "I do not care if singing is awful as long as it's been captured in hi definition". 
Or, "High quality singing and acting, do not care about the rest".
Also, are you looking for audio or video performance?


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

For audio only I recommend the Mehta recording and Molinari-Pradelli recording:

View attachment 141131


View attachment 141132


Mehta has good singers and better sound, but I prefer Nilsson as Turandot (by a lot) and Corelli as Calaf in Molinari-Pradelli even if the sound isn't the greatest. Both casts are solid though. You can't go wrong with either.

For video, I don't know as I don't have this opera on video.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

First of all, a hearty welcome.
Anything that has the stamp of Nilsson-Corelli on it has to be a total winner. Go for the gold!


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Unbeatable.

For DVD: try finding Dimitrova in Verona, it's as cold / cool as you can get


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

Granate said:


> OMG Time has passed so fast
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Welcome to Talk Classical PseudoYousef. I tried to act as the police in this thread and warn you like every beginner to please look up on Google if a thread like this has been created before. I've done it and I've failed to find a thread about Turandot recordings here. The thing we should do now is request an admin to rename the thread to "Turandot on CD". "Turandot recordings" or "Puccini on CD: Turandot" and move the thread to Opera on CD and DVD section.

The recordings above are my personal requests. There are plenty of great Turandot recordings. But my overall favourites are these:



















Leinsdorf in Rome (fav Turandot) and Lombard in Strasbourg (fav Calaf).


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

Granate said:


> I've done it and I've failed to find a thread about Turandot recordings here.


Same! How in the world was there no thread on this?


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

For all round great sound and some fabulous performances then I like the Mehta with Sutherland, Pavarotti and Caballé.










Even more orchestrally and sonically glorious is the Karajan, but there are some questionable casting choices ... well one really. Ricciarelli really had no business singing Turandot. That said, I listened to the recording recently and liked her better than I expected. It's an intellgent portrayal even if she can't muster the requisite power. Hendricks is superb as Liu.










The other set I wouldn't want to be without is the mono Serafin, which unfortunately captures Callas a few years too late. Sonically it can't hope to compare with the other two above, but Callas presents the most pychologically complex heroine. Fernandi is no Corelli, Pavarotti or Domingo, but acquits himself well and Schwarzkopf sings a beautifully nuanced Liu, though there are some who do not respond to her exquisitely shaded singing as well as I do.


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## PseudoYousef (Jul 13, 2020)

Thanks, the reason I made this thread is to see if there are any recommendations for audio performance. Some recording the pace is quite fast to my ears especially in the middle of Tre enigmi m’hai proposto (which is my fav part). For example, I just checked Mehta, it is fast there in a sense the glorification and the greatness of the scene is not achieved at least "again" to my ears. However, the recording has an excellent sound reproduction.

Thank you all who participated in replying. I will check your recommendation . I didn't expect this much of replies in this short time.

\love


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

PseudoYousef said:


> Thanks, the reason I made this thread is to see if there are any recommendations for audio performance. Some recording the pace is quite fast to my ears especially in the middle of Tre enigmi m'hai proposto (which is my fav part). For example, I just checked Mehta, it is fast there in a sense the glorification and the greatness of the scene is not achieved at least "again" to my ears. However, the recording has an excellent sound reproduction.


Check out 1984 Vienna video with Carreras/Marton/Maazel - this particular section is taken quite slow, you might like it.
It's available on DVD, the sound is good but (surprisingly) not Stereo. Still, this is a very important document, very recommended. Carreras is handsome Calaf, Marton is powerful Turandot and Maazel rules the score, such an exciting performance!






P.S. Few opera fans realize there's actually a pipe organ in the score, but not after listening to this one.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

PseudoYousef said:


> Thanks, the reason I made this thread is to see if there are any recommendations for audio performance. Some recording the pace is quite fast to my ears especially in the middle of Tre enigmi m'hai proposto (which is my fav part). For example, I just checked Mehta, it is fast there in a sense the glorification and the greatness of the scene is not achieved at least "again" to my ears. However, the recording has an excellent sound reproduction.
> 
> Thank you all who participated in replying. I will check your recommendation . I didn't expect this much of replies in this short time.
> 
> \love


The Karajan might be more to your taste then. The Serafin is also slower here. I often find Serafin's conducting just unobtrusively right. It's a terrible shame that all but two of his complete recordings with Callas were mono.


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## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

I don't care for what is probably generally considered the reference recording, which is Mehta. I find his conducting totally uninspired and shallow (same for his _Fanciulla_). Take the concertato at the end of act one. He speeds up tremendously, even though the effect Puccini wanted was much more like the slow buildup Karajan gives. The piece should maintain the tempo of Non piangere Liu, but instead Mehta barrels forward almost instantly, destroying tension. Furthermore, one can't really hear many, many details of the orchestration, and it sounds much less colorful than it should. I also do not care for many of the casting choices.

No one recording is completely satsifying. Erede with Borkh and Del Monaco is quite good, though it unfortunately follows what were at the time standard cuts to the opening scene of act II, which is the best part of the opera.

There's a very good performance with a video component on YouTube, which has Nilsson as Turandot, Cecchele as Calaf, and Tucci as Liu. It's an old RAI broadcast. The Ping Pang and Pong are excellent too.

I keep Karajan's performance to hear the orchestral details and some tempo choices. The singing of a number of roles is pretty much useless, though the PPP are fine.

For a live performance, I like the 1958 recording with Nilsson, di Stefano, and Carteri, though again I disagree with conducting choices.

Finally, there's a German recording with Joseph Keilberth conducting, and Maria Cebotari, Carl Hauss, Trude Eipperle, and Georg Hann that is very worth listening to despite the awkwardness of the text in translation.

And then of course all recordings use the standard ending, which is, unfortunately, almost totally inadequate dramatically and musically.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I'll leave detailed reviews to others who are more devoted to Puccini, but I find this opera quite fortunate on recordings. None of those I've heard have been bad.

I own three (which rather surprises me; where did they all come from?): the Nilsson/Bjorling/Tebaldi under Leinsdorf, a live Nilsson/Corelli/Vishnevskaya under Gavazzeni, and the Callas/Fernandi/Schwarzkopf under Serafin. I suppose I continue to favor the first of these, simply because I can't live without Bjorling in virtually anything he chose to sing. He quite reasonably avoided singing Calaf live, but he's uniquely glorious in the studio. The Gavazzeni recording has the very passionate Liu of Vishnevskaya, and Nilsson and Corelli create a vocal hurricane that will blow your house down around you. The Serafin is unusual for both Callas and Schwarzkopf; not a first choice for the opera but worth hearing.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

vivalagentenuova said:


> the opening scene of act II, which is the best part of the opera.


:tiphat:
For me, not the best, but one of the highlights definitely! Thanks for mentioning this!


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> I own three (which rather surprises me; where did they all come from?): the Nilsson/Bjorling/Tebaldi under Leinsdorf, a live Nilsson/Corelli/Vishnevskaya under Gavazzeni, and the Callas/Fernandi/Schwarzkopf under Serafin. I suppose I continue to favor the first of these, simply because I can't live without Bjorling in virtually anything he chose to sing. He quite reasonably avoided singing Calaf live, but he's uniquely glorious in the studio. The Gavazzeni recording has the very passionate Liu of Vishnevskaya, and Nilsson and Corelli create a vocal hurricane that will blow your house down around you. The Serafin is unusual for both Callas and Schwarzkopf; not a first choice for the opera but worth hearing.


No Molinari-Pradelli?!? This is a must-have recording! And Scotto works better than Vishnevskaya for me (I own both versions though).


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Azol said:


> No Molinari-Pradelli?!? This is a must-have recording! And Scotto works better than Vishnevskaya for me (I own both versions though).


No doubt it's fine. I just don't need any more _Turandot_s. I don't find it to be an opera that cries out for - or maybe even permits - varied interpretations. I do wish there were a recording with Nilsson/Bjorling/Corelli-level singing that used the full Alfano ending. I think a bit more highly of Alfano than some people do.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Must confess Turandot sticks in my craw these days because of Puccini’s attitude towards women. The fact that a slave is tortured so she takes her own life then the so-called ‘hero’ goes n with his courting is not my idea of gallantry. But it is obviously how Puccini viewed women. 
But getting to recordings. The best conducted is Karajan’s no question, but with a Turandot that is interesting but not up to the vocal demands.
The Nilsson / Corelli under Pradelli is all you would expect from them but how anyone could love her is beyond me. But for sheer vocal heft this is the one.
Sutherland / Pavorotti is superbaly sung and she makes the melting of the ice more believable.
Callas is nothing but interesting but the voice is wrong and so are the other leads


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

You must have *Turandot* with Nilsson and Corelli, with the studio EMI in the best sound. The live performances with Corelli are essential for me, for the visceral excitement of his great voice in performance. Most of the live ones also include Nilsson. The ones from the Met and La Scala have decent sound, too.









I also have the Mehta, for Sutherland's unusual venture out of her usual bel canto operas.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

adriesba said:


> For audio only I recommend the Mehta recording and Molinari-Pradelli recording:
> 
> View attachment 141131
> 
> ...


These would be my studio choices (with the Nilsson/Corelli in the lead). There is one other recording I would recommend which has only been mentioned once. Nilsson and Corelli live with Freni as Liu. (It's one of the ones in the post above.)

N.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

I’m not at all sure how Puccini viewed women in general but he certainly knew how to write dramatic operas. It’s a bit presumptuous to base Puccini’s world view on women on Turandot alone!


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

I don't like the idea that members, other than moderators, _police_ the threads and newcomers should never be _warned_ merely advised!

New members should never be made to feel that they have transgressed by starting any thread on any subject. There will always be duplication of threads and really, who cares?


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

I can see you guys want to do the same thing you did 6 years ago. And I bet you haven't changed your positions.

*2014 Turandot:* Thread about the opera

Please, continue the discussion there and leave this thread just for recordings.

Moderators aren't so often checking fast-growing threads to see if members are following the TOC. It's often some people who warn when they see the topic is turning the way *certain* members want and have wanted for a decade, and it doesn't follow the OP's question.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

We just use this as an excuse to discuss all things Turandot and the OP is getting wealth of information he/she hasn't asked for  Everyone wins.


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## Russell Chee (Dec 3, 2019)

In case you don't like Corelli (and I know I must be in a tiny minority on this one - I just don't like his swooping and his vibrato) there's an excellent Orfeo recording with Nilsson and di Stefano - di Stefano isn't the best Calaf, admittedly, struggling especially in the high duet notes of In questa reggia, but his voice is wonderful in Non piangere liu. Also, Leontyne Price as Liu is a serious treat.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I always wished I could have heard Ewa Podles sing In Questa Reggia with her gigantic voice. She could have done it as an isolated event as she did have a C, despite being a contralto. I heard her live at her peak and it was a monumental sound and she could soar thrillingly with it. I like the b/w version with Nilsson for a video version.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Watched this one last night, stunning in open air.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

I was lucky to watch Ghena as Turandot performing live, she was the powerhouse.
The above video is another must have.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Barbebleu said:


> I'm not at all sure how Puccini viewed women in general but he certainly knew how to write dramatic operas. It's a bit presumptuous to base Puccini's world view on women on Turandot alone!


Butterfly? Another example? But of course we also have details of Puccini himself


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

Azol said:


> We just use this as an excuse to discuss all things Turandot and the OP is getting wealth of information he/she hasn't asked for  Everyone wins.


Tell me that everyone wins when this site allows members to "silence" the threads they want from their notifications.










Or else I may think about switching to the three-letters forum where they "miss to talk about anything else than recordings". They don't know what they are missing, more like avoiding.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Granate said:


> Tell me that everyone wins when this site allows members to "silence" the threads they want from their notifications.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This would be a great way not to have to see the 'Daily YouTube Post' threads for those of us who aren't interested in them. I guess it would need the forum to be coded differently though and probably too big a task (even if possible).

N.


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

^^

What bugs me the most is that the New Posts page shows and highlights with a shiny green circle the threads where I've made a single post. That could include those I don't want to see again because the conversation has turned to a more controversial topic. And that's why I choose carefully the threads I want to post in, *doing my research beforehand.*

But if we have to follow the rule of members posting happilly the conversation they want in threads with a really generic title given by a beginner member, even if the question of the OP is precise as it's here, then I'll avoid these generic threads in wrong places and just limit myself to help out the OP with a DM. As long as I don't see that green circle again.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Granate said:


> ^^
> 
> What bugs me the most is that the New Posts page shows and highlights with a shiny green circle the threads where I've made a single post. That could include those I don't want to see again because the conversation has turned to a more controversial topic. And that's why I choose carefully the threads I want to post in, *doing my research beforehand.*
> 
> But if we have to follow the rule of members posting happilly the conversation they want in threads with a really generic title given by a beginner member, even if the question of the OP is precise as it's here, then I'll avoid these generic threads in wrong places and just limit myself to help out the OP with a DM. As long as I don't see that green circle again.


There's a Thread Tools - Subscribe to this Thread option, you can use it to subscribe to only those threads that interest you and completely ignore the "New Posts" page instead. I think there was an option (in your forum settings) to auto-subscribe to all the threads where you post messages, then it will boil down to unsubscribing from those you are not interested anymore.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Azol said:


> Check out 1984 Vienna video with Carreras/Marton/Maazel - this particular section is taken quite slow, you might like it.
> It's available on DVD, the sound is good but (surprisingly) not Stereo. Still, this is a very important document, very recommended. Carreras is handsome Calaf, Marton is powerful Turandot and Maazel rules the score, such an exciting performance!
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for this . Marton and Carerras were great. She was in fabulous voice here. What is weird is she mostly never quite makes C, but I have heard her do a sensational C#. She is terrifying here and her voice is still beautiful at this point in her career. Carerras is one of the best Calafs.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Granate said:


> ^^
> 
> What bugs me the most is that the New Posts page shows and highlights with a shiny green circle the threads where I've made a single post. That could include those I don't want to see again because the conversation has turned to a more controversial topic. And that's why I choose carefully the threads I want to post in, *doing my research beforehand.*
> 
> But if we have to follow the rule of members posting happilly the conversation they want in threads with a really generic title given by a beginner member, even if the question of the OP is precise as it's here, then I'll avoid these generic threads in wrong places and just limit myself to help out the OP with a DM. As long as I don't see that green circle again.


What does the green circle signify. I've seen it against my name too. I've never known why.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

Barbebleu said:


> What does the green circle signify. I've seen it against my name too. I've never known why.


I think you and Granate might be talking about different things. Do you mean the green circle by your username like you can see in your post?


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

adriesba said:


> I think you and Granate might be talking about different things. Do you mean the green circle by your username like you can see in your post?


Granate was referring the green circle with an arrow marking all the posts you ever replied to on "New Posts" search page:
http://www.talkclassical.com/search.php?do=getnew&contenttype=vBForum_Post


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

adriesba said:


> I think you and Granate might be talking about different things. Do you mean the green circle by your username like you can see in your post?


That's what I was referring to! Sorry about the preposition!


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

Barbebleu said:


> That's what I was referring to! Sorry about the preposition!


OK. That circle tells if you are online. Green means you are online. Gray means you are offline or have your settings set to invisible.


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## Hele (Aug 26, 2020)

I have no "Turandot" CD (yet), because there's always something missing for me... I guess, at the moment I prefer Nilsson/Corelli version. Although coldness is an essential part of Turandot's "image", I still miss some legato line and warmth in Nilsson's singing Though, I have to say, she is a phenomenal singer and as a a person, I just adore her!!! Also Sutherland is very good in this role (usually I'm not very fond of her, but her Turandot is extraordinary), Pavarotti is like always ... pure perfection, excellent sound, but this is not a role for his voice and I have to say, I always loved to watch operas rather than just listen to them. 
My vote goes to Marton/Domingo (DVD, MET1987) I just love Marton, her voice, technique, warmth and round sound. She is a real dramatic soprano, who doesn't shout, but who sings! Also, she is a very convincing actor, the more I watch her, the more I find little, interesting details. And yes, Calaf is not perfectly sung by Domingo, but his voice has truly beautiful timbre (at least, for my ears) and he IS Calaf. And for me that's far more important then few not so perfect notes here and there (yes, even the cracks!). Domingo is fearless, stubborn, dashing and like Marton, there are hundreds of different shades in his portrayal. Plus, Marton and Domingo really have some chemistry together. And there's another reason, why I like live perfomances, you can't manipulate anything, no recording "tricks", no rest, additional takes and so on. What happens, happens. And that's really normal, singers are not machines, also opera is not a sport or only the perfect high notes. And if I see a performance, where the character is REALLY alive, with soul ... aaahh, this is magic!


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Hele said:


> I have no "Turandot" CD (yet), because there's always something missing for me... I guess, at the moment I prefer Nilsson/Corelli version. Although coldness is an essential part of Turandot's "image", I still miss some legato line and warmth in Nilsson's singing Though, I have to say, she is a phenomenal singer and as a a person, I just adore her!!! Also Sutherland is very good in this role (usually I'm not very fond of her, but her Turandot is extraordinary), Pavarotti is like always ... pure perfection, excellent sound, but this is not a role for his voice and I have to say, I always loved to watch operas rather than just listen to them.
> My vote goes to Marton/Domingo (DVD, MET1987) I just love Marton, her voice, technique, warmth and round sound. She is a real dramatic soprano, who doesn't shout, but who sings! Also, she is a very convincing actor, the more I watch her, the more I find little, interesting details. And yes, Calaf is not perfectly sung by Domingo, but his voice has truly beautiful timbre (at least, for my ears) and he IS Calaf. And for me that's far more important then few not so perfect notes here and there (yes, even the cracks!). Domingo is fearless, stubborn, dashing and like Marton, there are hundreds of different shades in his portrayal. Plus, Marton and Domingo really have some chemistry together. And there's another reason, why I like live perfomances, you can't manipulate anything, no recording "tricks", no rest, additional takes and so on. What happens, happens. And that's really normal, singers are not machines, also opera is not a sport or only the perfect high notes. And if I see a performance, where the character is REALLY alive, with soul ... aaahh, this is magic!


Great post, welcome aboard TC, Hele!

My favourite studio recording of the opera is the one with Nilsson and Corelli as Corelli is by far my favourite Calaf and Nilsson is the only vocal match for him. I agree with you about a certain lack of legato, she wasn't an italianate soprano and that is why I only like a few of her recordings (the other main one being her Elektra). However, there is something inherently right about her and Corelli in this opera. If you like live recordings over studio ones, I would suggest the live Turandot from the Met under Mehta with Nilsson, Corelli and Freni as a wonderfully sympathetic Liu. The riddle scene is jaw dropping in this account. It's somewhat difficult to find, but it is available in a box set of live performances from the Met that include some other great portrayals.

N.


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## Hele (Aug 26, 2020)

The Conte said:


> Great post, welcome aboard TC, Hele!
> 
> My favourite studio recording of the opera is the one with Nilsson and Corelli as Corelli is by far my favourite Calaf and Nilsson is the only vocal match for him. I agree with you about a certain lack of legato, she wasn't an italianate soprano and that is why I only like a few of her recordings (the other main one being her Elektra). However, there is something inherently right about her and Corelli in this opera. If you like live recordings over studio ones, I would suggest the live Turandot from the Met under Mehta with Nilsson, Corelli and Freni as a wonderfully sympathetic Liu. The riddle scene is jaw dropping in this account. It's somewhat difficult to find, but it is available in a box set of live performances from the Met that include some other great portrayals.
> 
> N.


Happy to be here, because I have run out of people, who can take my endless talks about opera ...  I totally agree, that basically Corelli was the only one who could match Nilsson. And most of the people, who have heard Nilsson in a live performance, were just blown away. She herself was very unhappy with her recordings, the voice seemed to lose some of its power and colour also. Few days ago I listened the live performance with Nilsson and Domingo (Arena di Verona, 1969), amazingly, all Domingo's high notes were there, but it's really tough for a tenor to cut through the heavy orchestration AND the dramatic soprano, who sings an octave higher with much more overtones. Somehow Corelli managed to do it  The only thing I'm no so happy about Corelli, is his pronunciation and vibrato sometimes, but high notes ... just pure heaven!


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## Andjar (Aug 28, 2020)

I've started consuming opera seriously only recently. Puccini is also my favourite opera composer and I've been going through quite a few Turandot recordings. 
This might sound like blasphemy to the opera gurus here but my favourite recording and performance is the 2013 Covent Garden production with : Lise Lindstrom, Marco Berti and Eri Nakamura. I think it's a great experience on Blu Ray.
I'm familiar with the Corelli, Pavarotti,Bjorling,Domingo,Del Monaco recordings but for me Marco Berti is the best Calaf compromise. I know many opera aficionados hate the guy but I can't understand why. The thing is for me nobody has ever given an ideal Calaf interpretation.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

This guy?
Oh God.
He might have some vocal power as a gift from the Mother Nature but boy does he require lots of schooling before even thinking about touching roles like Calaf.


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## Andjar (Aug 28, 2020)

Don't judge a Turandot by its Nessun Dorma.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

I'm not judging Turandot, I'm judging a tenor


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

Andjar said:


> I've started consuming opera seriously only recently. Puccini is also my favourite opera composer and I've been going through quite a few Turandot recordings.
> This might sound like blasphemy to the opera gurus here but my favourite recording and performance is the 2013 Covent Garden production with : Lise Lindstrom, Marco Berti and Eri Nakamura. I think it's a great experience on Blu Ray.
> I'm familiar with the Corelli, Pavarotti,Bjorling,Domingo,Del Monaco recordings but for me Marco Berti is the best Calaf compromise. I know many opera aficionados hate the guy but I can't understand why. The thing is for me nobody has ever given an ideal Calaf interpretation.


I'm curious...

Why is Corelli not ideal?

When you say Berti is the best compromise, what do you mean - a compromise between what and what?

By the way, welcome to the forum!


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## Andjar (Aug 28, 2020)

I'm aware it's all very personal and subjective.
My problem with Corelli is the lisp which for me makes him sound like a singing old man with a bad denture. I know it's just me.

Domingo in the 1982 audio recording and Antonenko in the La Scala video recording are just too nasal.
About Pavarotti and Careras now.During " Non Piangere Liu" , which is one of my favourite arias ,their interpretation is too lacrimosic, pathetic,sugary pitiful for my taste and my vision of Calaf. Bjorling is also a much too angelic Calaf . Pavarotti sings-shouts "Lasciatemi!" like a little girl while Berti does it like a man. Many would say Berti's acting is wooden especially in that aria but I take it as a more modern rendition, more restrained but stil empathic and heartbreaking as it should be.

I know taken on its own,Berti seems just like an average ,just competent enough Calaf, but I like his voice and all his flaws put together don't annoy me as much as the singular problems I have with tenors of the "historical" recordings. However I also really enjoy the Del Monaco /Tebaldi/Borkh recording.
I like the 2013 ROH video production a lot also because the great Nakamura as Liu and the Andrei Șerban's stage direction which for me is the most imersive ,dark and atmospheric vision of the opera. Lindstrom is quite good and a good match for Berti.

It will be my go to Turandot disc probably until Pappano and Kaufman will decide to do their own together...one of the same quality as their 2018 Otello.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

For anyone interested in hearing Berio's Turandot completion in a complete performance, look for the Chailly / La Scala from 2015 with Nina Stemme and Aleksandrs Antonenko. There is a YouTube video of act 3 (it actually starts at 1:13) It may not be what Puccini would have written but it makes somewhat more sense than the rather over-the-top revised Alfano...


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

My favorite In Questa Reggia disappeared for many years but is back on Youtube. Alessandra Marc at the Tucker Gala. That first high B is truly astonishing and thrilling beyond belief. I heard her live and her high notes were jawdropping:



 It was the role she was most famous for.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Becca said:


> For anyone interested in hearing Berio's Turandot completion in a complete performance, look for the Chailly / La Scala from 2015 with Nina Stemme and Aleksandrs Antonenko. There is a YouTube video of act 3 (it actually starts at 1:13) It may not be what Puccini would have written but it makes somewhat more sense than the rather over-the-top revised Alfano...


Berio's and Alfano's treatments of Puccini's final scene, however satisfactory or unsatisfactory we find them, may give us some clues as to Puccini's intentions by the bits they have in common, where we recognize a similar use of material heard elsewhere in the opera. But neither composer tries to fulfill Puccini's hope for a grand love duet, which is just as well. Of the endings we have, I prefer the original, long Alfano ending for it's shameless over-the-topness, with the voices of Turandot and Calaf soaring over the chorus and orchestra. Hollywood never did anything more gloriously, garishly grand. I doubt that anyone's reservations about Calaf's and Turandot's lovemaking over the corpse of Liu can really be assuaged by Berio's restrained ending, so I say bring on the trumpets and let 'er rip.

P.S. It appears that only a few La Scala souls have the guts to boo these days. Fifty years ago Antonenko and Stemme would have needed bodyguards.


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