Cheap Turandot (Chandos Opera in English) (Music) (Giacomo Puccini, Jane Eaglen, Dennis O'Neill, Nicolai Gedda, Clive Bayley, Mary Plazas, Peter Sidhom, Mark Le Brocq, Peter Wedd, Simon Bailey) Price
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| ARTIST: | Giacomo Puccini, Jane Eaglen, Dennis O'Neill, Nicolai Gedda, Clive Bayley, Mary Plazas, Peter Sidhom, Mark Le Brocq, Peter Wedd, Simon Bailey |
| CATEGORY: | Music |
| MANUFACTURER: | Chandos |
| TYPE: | Classical, Italian Romantic Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta |
| MEDIA: | Audio CD |
| TRACKS: | People Of Proud Peking, When All Was Lost, Sharpen The Axe!, Is The Moon Never Rising?, How Young To Die!, Son, Are You Mad?, What Do You Want? Who Are You?, Why So Much Noise?, Nights Without A Gleam Of Starlight, I Beg You, Hear Me, Don't Cry For Me, Liu, Ah! How Can You Ignore Us?, Hallo Pang! Hallo Pang!, I've A House In Fair Honan, Do You Remember When The Royal Prince Of Samarkand Came?, With The Three Enigmas Ready, I Am The Pris'ner Of A Ghastly Promise, People Of Proud Peking!, Within This Palace A Story Lives Forever, O Princes Who In Caravans Of Splendour, O Stranger, Now Listen!, Emp'ror And Father! Son Of Heaven!, Three Enigmas That You Asked Me, The Princess Turandot Commands, None Shall Sleep Now!, These Girls Should Please You!, How Pale You Look, O Stranger!, Yes, I Love Him So Deeply!, You Who With Ice Are Shrouded, Liu!... Liu!... Wake Up!, Deathly Princess, So Heartless!, What Have You Done?, I Never Wept Before, Glory To Our Emp'ror! |
| # OF MEDIA: | 2 |
| UPC: | 095115308622 |
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Customer Reviews of Turandot (Chandos Opera in English)
Introduction To Turandot For Starters The Chandos Opera In English series are perfect introductions to opera for beginners. This Turandot features the great talents of Dennis O'Neill as Calaf, Jane Eaglen as Turandot, Mary Plazas as Liu and as the Emperor is Nicolai Gedda. Sung in English, it does not sacrifice the dramatic content, nor the original melodic beauty of Puccini's Italian opera style. What a splendid intro to opera for novices. Among other operas in the English-sung series are Mozart's Don Giovanni, Wagner's Ring Cycle, Puccini's Tosca and Bizet's Carmen, all popular and mainstream operas that are performed in major opera companies in our current day. <
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>Turandot was Puccini's final masterpiece, opening night was in Italy in 1926 directly after Puccini's death. It is said every noted celebrity and big wig was there, except for Mussolini who hated the opera's mix of patriotism and emphasis on the triumph of love. Turandot is set in ancient Peking, China, in a time of legend. The Princess Turandot (Jane Eaglen) the virgin daughter of the Emperor, has been decreed by law to wed the man who answers three riddles. Every suitor has failed so far and executed. As the opera begins, the Prince of Persia is being executed. Calaf (Dennis O'Neill)is the son of Timur, the Tartar King, who is nearly crushed in the milling crowd. He meets up with his father and with his slave girl Liu, who is in love with Calaf. Upon first sight of the cold and proud Turandot, he vows he will answer all three riddles and strikes the gong. The three Ministers Ping Pang and Pong provide comic relief and melodic trios as they try to reason with Calaf. Turandot appears and tells the story of her wronged ancestor, Princess Lo-u-Ling, who was killed (and possibly raped) by the armies of the Tartar enemy. She asks the three riddles and each time Calaf answers correctly. She begs her father to change the law but her father insists the law is sacred. Calaf does not want to have her by force so he makes a deal with Turandot. If she discovers his name by dawn the next day, she will not have to marry him. Liu is in love with Calaf and attempts to keep his name a secret, even under torture. She stabs herself. Calaf finally kisses Turandot and breaks the spell. She is now in love with him and decides to keep his identity as a Tartar enemy a secret, proclaiming his name is "Love" to the public. The finale is one of the most renowned in opera history. Jane Eaglen is the reason you should purchase this recording. She is first and foremost a Wagnerian soprano, in the tradition of Birgit Nilsson who also sang the role of Turandot. Turandot is an icy Empress, whose high tessitura and sustained high notes are not flexible, but pretty static, yet powerful, cutting through the orchestra. This kind of voice is the definition for Wagnerian vocals and it is perfect that Jane Eaglen's mighty voice is suited for Turandot. She has also sang the role of Brunhilde in Wagner's Ring operas.
Eaglen disappoints
Jane Eaglen has often been touted as the coming great dramatic soprano. However, her recorded work doesn't give people any such impression. Her Turandot on this set is underpowered, unsteady and unfeeling. It's just a cardboard protrayal without any real vocal or interpretative distinction. The other members of the cast perform adequately.
A mediocre performance
I don't find this recording to be at all satisfactory. The orchestral playing is good enough and Puccini's colorful score gets a vivid, if not truly exceptional reading. Unfortunately, the singing leaves much to be desired. Jane Eaglen's Turandot is underpowered and she sounds like the character's same old haughty self even when she's supposed to be won over by Calaf's love. This is a very one-dimensional and uninteresting characterisation. Dennis O'Neill is caught here past his prime. Some of the high notes (and high lying passages) are rather effortful and the tenor is not in very fresh voice. Mary Plazas gives a tender performance of Liu with some beautifully spin-out high notes. Hers is the best performance of the set. The other roles are adequately taken but it's good of have Gedda as the Emperor.