STUDY GUIDE

2004-2005 SEASON
 TURANDOT

Table of Contents

Premiere 2

Cast of Characters 2

Brief Summary 2

Full Plot Synopsis and Musical Highlights 3

Historical Background 7

Discussion Questions 9

A Short History of Opera 10

The Operatic Voice 12

Opera Production 14

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 Premiere
First performed on April 25, 1926, at Teatro all Scala in Milan, Italy.

Cast of Characters

Princess Turandot Soprano

The Emperor Altoum, her father Tenor

Timur, the deposed King of Tartary Bass

Calaf, son of Timur Tenor

Li, a young slave girl Soprano

Ping, Grand Chancellor Baritone

Pang, General Purveyor Tenor
Pong, Chief Cook Tenor

A Mandarin Baritone

The Prince of Persia. Silent

The Executioner (Pu-Tin-Pao) Silent
Turandots ladies, children,crowds Chorus

Brief Summary
Setting: Peking, during legendary times

Princess Turandot will consent to marry only if her prospective suitor can answer
three riddles. The penalty for failure is death. While concealing his identity, Prince Calaf
competes for Turandots hand and correctly answers all the riddles. Turandot still scorns
him so Calaf allows her an opportunity to avoid the marriage if she can discover his
name. Turandots guards scour Peking looking for clues to the Unknown Princes
identity.

The soldiers find Li, a young slave who knows Calafs true identity. Li loves
Calaf and kills herself to avoid revealing his name under torture. Calaf angrily confronts
Turandot and breaches her defenses by kissing her. She is stunned and confesses her fear
of him. In response to her honesty, Calaf reveals his name. The true meaning of Lis
sacrifice and Calafs trust in her becomes clear to Turandot. She accepts Calaf by telling
her people that the name of the Unknown Prince is Love

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 Full Plot Synopsis and Musical Highlights
Act I
With his final compositional masterpiece, Puccini remained firmly within his
romantic roots, yet combined his lush melodies with modern elements such as bi-tonality,
whole tone scales, pentatonic scales and modal harmonies. This allowed him a broad range
of expression, organizing the opera into massive blocks, each based on motifs associated
with situations rather than characters.

The opera opens with the full sound of the entire orchestra bursting forth with unison
octaves, immediately establishing a dark and foreboding atmosphere. Sharp brass chords
follow immediately, punctuated by a solo xylophone melody. In doing so, Puccini uses an
instrument with an exotic tone color to represent the mystery of ancient Peking. Within
moments a Mandarin addresses the assembled crowd in Peking, reading a proclamation
which states that the Princess Turandot, daughter of the Emperor Altoum, will marry the
first royal suitor who successfully answers her three riddles. Those who fail in their quest
lose not only the Princess but their heads as well. Turandot's current suitor, the Prince of
Persia, has failed the test and the Mandarin announces that with the rising of the moon he
will be beheaded. The crowd, impatient and bloodthirsty, howls its approval as it rushes the
gates of the Great Palace. One of Puccinis most expansive melodies is heard over the
excitement of the crowd. Punctuated by trumpets, the guards of the place push back the
crowd and a young slave girl, Li, cries out that the old man she watches over has been
knocked down. A handsome youth rushing to her aid discovers that the fallen man is none
other than his own father, Timur, the deposed King of Tartary. Overjoyed at this
unexpected reunion with his lost son, the blind old king is cautioned to silence by Calaf,
who is also disguised in order to avoid capture by the usurper of the Tartar throne. Timur
explains to Calaf that Li helped him to escape certain death and has been his faithful guide
and protector. In response to Calaf's question as to why she has chosen to share the fallen
king's suffering, she replies, "Because one day, in the palace, you smiled at me."

Assistants to the executioner enter the stage, bearing the hone used to sharpen the
great scimitar in anticipation of the beheading of the Prince of Persia. Their entrance
electrifies the crowd of citizens to a frenzied ferocity and they sing a rhythmic
accompaniment to the sharpening of the scimitar. The motif that accompanies the
sharpening of the scimitar is one that is associated with the eagerly awaited appearance of
Turandot. After reaching a fevered climax, the exhausted throng sings a mournful
incantation to the moon, comparing its white disc with a severed head, and pleading with it
to appear. A chorus of boys approaches, singing, L, sui monti dellest, (There, in the
mountains of the east). Puccini used a Chinese folksong, Moo-Lee-Vha as the basis for
this melody and it is used to signal the entrance of Turandot in both the first and second acts.

As the moon slowly rises, the dignified young Price of Persia is led to the scaffold.
Moved with sudden compassion for the intended sacrifice, the fickle crowd pleads for his
life to be spared but with a single silent gesture Turandot seals his fate and the doomed man
is led from the stage.

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 Calaf curses the cruelty of the Princess but is in enraptured with her beauty and
resolves that he must attempt to win her hand. Turning a deaf ear to the pleas of both Timur
and Li, he moves to strike the gong, signaling his intentions. His path his blocked,
however, by the sudden appearance of three eccentric figures, Ping, Pang and Pong,
Emperor Altoum's three chief ministers, who are respectively Grand Chancellor, Grand
Purveyor and Grand Cook. Fragments of the Chinese national hymn (1912) are heard in the
background as they also attempt to dissuade Calaf from what they consider to be a course of
certain doom. Calaf is unimpressed by their arguments. A group of Turandot's maids
appears on the balcony demanding silence because their mistress is sleeping. As Ping, Pang
and Pong continue to entreat Calaf, phantoms representing the tortured spirits of previous
suitors begin to appear as they declare their undying love for Turandot from beyond the
grave. Ignoring the phantoms and undeterred by the Executioner who now appears bearing
the bloody head of the Prince of Persia, Calaf persists in his desire to face the icy Princess.
In a short aria based on the pentatonic scale, Signore, ascolta, (Sir, please listen to me),
Li pleads with him to abandon his intention, explaining that thoughts of him have been her
only comfort during exile. Calaf strives to console her in the aria, Non piangere, Li, (Do
not cry, Li) and instructs her to always care for his father. Disregarding the final attempts
of Ping, Pang and Pong, Calaf rushes to the gong, seizes the hammer, and strikes it three
times in an ecstatic outpouring of love and desire. "Let him go," the three Ministers say to
one another. "It's useless to shout either in Sanskrit, Chinese or Mongolian. When the gong
is sounded, death rejoices." The three Ministers run off, laughing and crying.

Act II
Ping, Pang and Pong greet each other and not knowing whether to prepare for a
funeral or a wedding, discuss the pathetic condition of China since the reign of Turandot. In
the Year of the Mouse there were six executions, in the Year of the Dog eight, and in the
current year, the Year of the Tiger, already thirteen. The three longingly reflect on their
country homes, far from Peking and it bloody excesses. They remember the Prince of
Samarkand, the Prince of the Kirghiz, and others from India, Burma and Tartary, all
beheaded when they failed to answer Turandot's riddles, and they envision how cheerful
China could become if only a suitor could be found to solve the riddles. The trumpets,
announcing the beginning of the ceremony in which Calaf will be tested, recall them from
their reverie and they go off to do their duty.

The assembled crowd heralds the arrival of the Mandarin, the Eight Wise Men (who
carry the scrolls that contain the answers to Turandot's riddles), and finally Ping, Pang and
Pong. A theme, based on pentatonic Chinese motifs, both imperial in nature and majestic in
its rich sound, accompanies the Emperor Altoum. This theme is repeated often with full
orchestra and chorus, signaling important events. The emperor enters and takes his place on
the throne as Calaf enters and stands before him. Altoum confronts Calaf and begs him not
to undergo the test. Three times he attempts to dissuade Calaf from this undertaking and
three times Calaf answers, "Son of Heaven, I ask to undergo the trial". The Mandarin
repeats the earlier proclamation as the boys chorus is heard, signaling the entrance of the
beautiful Princess Turandot. She begins her great and vocally challenging aria, In questa
reggia, (In this palace) without orchestral introduction. She explains, in arioso style, that
thousands of years ago her ancestor the Princess Lo-u-Ling was raped and killed by foreign

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invaders. In a gradual upward climb that culminates with high Cs, Turandot states that
she believes she is the reincarnation of Lo-u-Ling and is destined to avenge her death. No
man will ever possess her. Puccini continues to heighten the tension of the aria by
continually heightening the pitch as Turandot states, The riddles are three and one is
death. The competition between Turandot and Calaf continues as the pitch is heightened
once again as the fearless Calaf replies that The riddles are three and one is life. As they
spar the assembled court joins in urging the test to begin.

Turandot poses her first riddle. "What is the name of the phantom which spreads its
wings at night over the black infinity of humankind, which is invoked by all, but which
disappears at dawn? What is this thing which is born every night and which dies every
day?" Calaf does not quaver and confidently answers, "Hope!" The shocked Wise Men
open their first scroll and confirm that the answer is correct. Incensed, Turandot proceeds to
the second riddle. "It flickers like flame, but is not flame. Sometimes it rages, sometimes it
is languorous. When one is defeated, it grows cold, when one is victorious it is hot." After
a few moments of suspenseful hesitation Calaf answers, "Yes, Princess, it both flames and
languishes in my veins when you look at me. It is Blood!" The Wise Men confirm that
once again Calaf is victorious and when the crowd encourages him Turandot angrily orders
the guards to silence them. Embittered with rage at the Unknown Prince, Turandot urgently
poses her third riddle. "Ice that sets you on fire, but which becomes icier from your fire.
One who, setting you free, makes a slave of you. One who, taking you as a slave, makes
you a King. What is this frost which gives off fire?" With an even longer pause Calaf
ponders the final riddle. He then proclaims that he is victorious. The answer is Turandot!
The Wise Men once again confirm that he has answered correctly and the crowd acclaims
the Unknown Prince. The music praising Calaf is Turandots own music, the boy chorus,
using the full orchestra and chorus.
Turandot makes an anguished petition of her father not to throw her into the arms of
a stranger but Altoum denies her request replying that the oath is sacred and must be upheld.
Turandot furiously insists she will not be possessed. She asks Calaf if he really wants her
against her will and with hatred in her heart. The Unknown Prince replies that no, he wants
her ardent, with impassioned love. In an unexpected turn of events, he allows Turandot a
chance to escape her fate. He reminds her that he has answered her three riddles, but that he
will require of her the answer to only one. What is his name? If Turandot can discover his
name before the sun rises, he will offer himself to her as a sacrifice. The Emperor agrees
and expresses the hope that at sunrise he will have gained a son. As the curtain falls, the
crowd professes its honor and reverence to the Emperor with the same imperial march heard
at the beginning of the scene.

Act III
Offstage voices herald the decree by Turandot that no one in Peking is to sleep until
the name of the Unknown Prince is discovered. As he awaits the dawn alone in the garden,
Calaf sings the memorable aria, Nessun dorma (No one sleeps), reflecting on Turandot's
anguish, his unwavering love for her and the victory that awaits him with the rising of the
sun. The simplicity of the melody is underscored by a lush and relaxed string
accompaniment. Ping, Pang and Pong approach. They offer the Unknown Prince wealth,
beautiful maidens and precious jewels if he will leave Peking. The angry crowd enters,

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dragging with them Timur and Li whom guards have been tormenting in hopes of
extracting the name of the Unknown Prince. As Calaf persuades the crowd that neither
Timur nor Li knows him, Turandot appears and begins to question Timur. Li steps
forward to protect the old king, saying that she alone knows the stranger's name. The crowd
cries for her to be tortured until she reveals it. Calaf tries to protect Li, but Turandot orders
the guards to seize him. As Li is tortured she says she would rather die than reveal the
Prince's name. Turandot asks what has given her such strength, to which Li replies that it
is love, her love for the Prince. She relates all in the aria, Tu, che di gel sei cinta, (You
who are girdled with ice) Li predicts that before dawn Turandot will come to love him also.
Fearing that under torture she may be forced to reveal Calaf's name, she quickly seizes a
dagger from one of the guards, and stabs herself, inflicting a mortal wound. Li stumbles
over to Calaf, still restrained by the guards, and falls dead at his feet. The mournful melody
of her aria continues as the crowd of citizens tenderly bears her body away. The blind old
king walks alongside, holding on to the hand of his dead companion.

Left alone, Calaf confronts Turandot accusing her of grievous cruelty toward Li.
Icily, Turandot says she is the Daughter of Heaven, whose spirit is aloft, beyond his reach.
Calaf replies that her spirit may be beyond his reach, but her body is not. In an impassioned
embrace he kisses her, and Turandot, stunned by his touch, confused and softened, finds
herself weeping for the first time in her life. She confesses to Calaf that she has feared him
from the moment she first saw him because the light of a hero was in his eyes. She begs
him to go, and to take the mystery of his name with him. Calaf tells her he no longer has a
mystery, for he has indeed conquered her. She can destroy him if she wishes, but he will
give her his name. He is Calaf, son of Timur. As the trumpets announce the dawn and the
new trial, Turandot confidently leads Calaf away as they approach this final trial together.

The assembled crowd sings the imperial hymn as the Emperor and Turandot and
Calaf reappear. Turandot announces that she alone has discovered the name of the stranger.
With triumph in her voice she states that his name is Love. As Turandot and Calaf join in an
eager embrace, the Emperor Altoum, Ping, Pang, Pong and the crowd rejoice in Turandot's
newly discovered love and the dawning of a new day for China. The music accompanying
the final moments is a triumphant restatement of the theme from Calafs aria Nessun
Dorma.

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 Historical Background
Prior to its first performance at La Scala, Turandot was shrouded in controversy.
Puccini's final masterpiece had remained unfinished as the maestro lay dying and the means
to its completion would not be smooth. The Italian composer Zandonai was suggested by
Toscanini to complete the work. This was rejected by Puccini's son, Tonio, who did not
want a well established composer to complete his fathers opera. The name of Franco
Alfano was then placed into nomination and agreed to by all parties. The original premiere
date was postponed for a year and Alfano was given the task of completing the opera.

Puccini had been laboring over Turandot for more than two years and by 1923 had
completed both the first and second acts and begun the orchestration. He complained of a
throat ailment which would eventually lead to his death from throat cancer on November 29,
1924. By that time, Puccini had completed the third act through the death of Li. However,
it was the final duet between Calaf and Turandot, the content and structure of which had
continually eluded him that was left unfinished. Though numerous sketches for the duet had
been made, Puccini left no definite indication as to the final version. Toscanini, who had
been working with Puccini throughout the entire compositional process and was to conduct
the premiere, presented Alfano with a version of the duet but then admonished him to
expand it with the thematic material which had been sketched by Puccini. It took Alfano six
months to complete his task and the opera was scheduled to premiere on April 25, 1926.
Toscanini, unhappy with the Alfano ending, halted the premiere performance at the
conclusion of Lis death in Act III, turned to the audience and announced, "At this point,
the master lay down his pen." Toscanini further revised the Alfano ending, and it is that
revision which is commonly performed today.

It was 1920 when the librettists Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni suggested a
fairy tale by Carlo Gozzi as a possible subject for Puccinis next opera. Gozzis play, written
in 1762, had been used at least seven times previously by opera composers during the
nineteenth century. Adami also presented Puccini with a copy of Friedrich von Schiller's
dramatic adaptation of the fable. Puccini, who was always on the lookout for promising
operatic subjects, immediately asked the team to start to work. They began what would
prove to be a difficult journey. Puccini was unhappy with the verses provided by the
librettists and continually sent them back for further revision. The original play was
trimmed down from five acts, with Puccini himself vacillating between a two-act and a
three-act version. Finally, the librettists were able to persuade him to present the opera in
three acts. After much discussion and revision some of the original characters were
eliminated. Four characters in Gozzi's fable were traditional figures from the Italian
commedia dellarte, Pantalone, Tartaglia, Brighella and Truffaldino. These characters are
also referred to as masks (from the Italian word, maschere). They were originally
abandoned, subsequently revived and then reduced in number to create the roles of Ping,
Pang and Pong. The slave girl, Li, was Puccini's invention to act as a dramatic foil against
the icy Princess. The compositional work moved apace with Puccini writing musical
sketches by 1921 with the help of a Chinese musical box he had borrowed from a friend and
some Chinese folk music supplied to him by his publisher, Ricordi. For the next two years
he was pleased with his progress until he was stymied by how to resolve the final

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confrontation between Calaf and Turandot. Nothing the librettists provided pleased him,
and the question of the final duet and finale remained unsolved until after his death.

Giacomo Puccini was the last of the widely popular composers of Italian opera. To
many he was the successor of Giuseppe Verdi, the nineteenth century giant of Italian opera,
whose final opera premiered in 1893. Among Puccinis operatic achievements are three of
the most popular operas ever written. Puccini had a way with women, both on stage and off.
He was something of a womanizer in his private life and in his professional life wrote operas
with compelling female heroines with human frailties with whom the public could
empathize. Puccinis operas still resonate with the public because his music makes a direct
connection with their emotions and they are enthralled with his luxuriant melodies and
supreme orchestrations.

Despite its difficult birth, TURANDOT is one of the most popular titles in the operatic
repertory. The role of Turandot is one of the greatest challenges for a dramatic soprano.
The demands of the title role have made it a "star vehicle" for many of the world's greatest
sopranos. Lotte Lehmann, Maria Jeritza, Maria Callas and perhaps the most acclaimed
portrayer of the role, Birgit Nilsson, have all been associated with this most demanding role.

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 Discussion Questions

1. Discuss why the slave-girl Li would choose to share the depredations of a homeless
exile who is blind and on the run?

2. When Calaf asks Li the same question stated above, her answer was, Because one
day, in the palace, you smiled at me. Why would this be so meaningful to her?

3. Why does Puccini use the voices of children to introduce Turandot?

4. What musical elements or instruments contribute to a Chinese or exotic sound?

5. Is Puccini successful in his musical portrayal of ancient China?

6. The people of Peking are portrayed as very fickle. How is this achieved?

7. Turandot says she wont be possessed by any man to avenge the spirit of her murdered
ancestress. Is that her real reason or an excuse?

8. How does the character of Li change Turandot?

9. What is the purpose of the characters Ping, Pang and Pong?

10. Because of Puccinis death, a different composer wrote the final scene. If you were
to write the end of the opera, how would you end it?

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 A Short History of Opera
The word opera is the plural form of the Latin word opus, which translates quite literally as
work. The use of the plural form alludes to the plurality of art forms that combine to create
an operatic performance. Today we accept the word opera as a reference to a theatrically
based musical art form in which the drama is propelled by the sung declamation of text
accompanied by a full symphony orchestra.

Opera as an art form can claim its origin with the inclusion of incidental music that was
performed during the tragedies and comedies popular during ancient Greek times. The
tradition of including music as an integral part of theatrical activities expanded in Roman
times and continued throughout the Middle Ages. Surviving examples of liturgical dramas
and vernacular plays from Medieval times show the use of music as an insignificant part of
the action as do the vast mystery and morality plays of the 15th and 16th centuries.
Traditional view holds that the first completely sung musical drama (or opera) developed as
a result of discussions held in Florence in the 1570s by an informal academy known as the
Camerata which led to the musical setting of Rinuccinis drama, Dafne, by composer, Jacopo
Peri in 1597.

The work of such early Italian masters as Giulio Caccini and Claudio Monteverdi led to the
development of a through-composed musical entertainment comprised of recitative
sections (secco and accompagnato) which revealed the plot of the drama; followed by da
capo arias which provided the soloist an opportunity to develop the emotions of the
character. The function of the chorus in these early works mirrored that of the character of
the same name found in Greek drama. The new form was greeted favorably by the public
and quickly became a popular entertainment.

Opera has flourished throughout the world as a vehicle for the expression of the full range
of human emotions. Italians claim the art form as their own, retaining dominance in the
field through the death of Giacomo Puccini in 1924. Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, and
Leoncavallo developed the art form through clearly defined periods that produced opera
buffa, opera seria, bel canto, and verismo. The Austrian Mozart also wrote operas in
Italian and championed the singspiel (sing play), which combined the spoken word with
music, a form also used by Beethoven in his only opera, Fidelio. Bizet (Carmen), Offenbach
(Les Contes dHoffmann), Gounod (Faust), and Meyerbeer (Les Huguenots) led the adaptation by
the French which ranged from the opera comique to the grand full-scale tragedie lyrique.
German composers von Weber (Der Freischtz), Richard Strauss (Ariadne auf Naxos), and
Wagner (Der Ring des Nibelungen) developed diverse forms such as singspiel to through-
composed spectacles unified through the use of the leitmotif. The English ballad opera,
Spanish zarzuela and Viennese operetta helped to establish opera as a form of
entertainment which continues to enjoy great popularity throughout the world.

With the beginning of the 20th century, composers in America diverged from European
traditions in order to focus on their own roots while exploring and developing the vast body

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of the countrys folk music and legends. Composers such as Aaron Copland, Douglas
Moore, Carlisle Floyd, Howard Hanson, and Robert Ward have all crafted operas that have
been presented throughout the world to great success. Today, composers John Adams,
Philip Glass, and John Corigliano enjoy success both at home and abroad and are credited
with the infusion of new life into an art form which continues to evolve even as it
approaches its fifth century.

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 The Operatic
Voice
A true (and brief) definition of the operatic voice is a difficult
proposition. Many believe the voice is born, while just as
many hold to the belief that the voice is trained. The truth lies
somewhere between the two. Voices that can sustain the demands required by the operatic
repertoire do have many things in common. First and foremost is a strong physical
technique that allows the singer to sustain long phrases through the control of both the
inhalation and exhalation of breath. Secondly, the voice (regardless of its size) must
maintain a resonance in both the head (mouth, sinuses) and chest cavities. The Italian word
squillo (squeal) is used to describe the brilliant tone required to penetrate the full
symphony orchestra that accompanies the singers. Finally, all voices are defined by both the
actual voice type and the selection of repertoire for which the voice is ideally suited.

Within the five major voice types (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass)
there is a further delineation into categories (Coloratura, Lyric, Spinto, Dramatic) which
help to define each particular instrument. The Coloratura is the highest within each voice
type whose extended upper range is complimented by extreme flexibility. The Lyric is the
most common of the types. This instrument is recognized more for the exceptional
beauty of its tone rather than its power or range. The Spinto is a voice which combines the
beauty of a lyric with the weight and power of a Dramatic, which is the most powerful of
the voices. The Dramatic instrument is characterized by the combination of both
incredible volume and steely intensity.

While the definition presented in the preceding paragraph may seem clearly outlined, many
voices combine qualities from each category, thus carving an unique niche in operatic
history. Just as each person is different from the next, so is each voice. Throughout her
career Maria Callas defied categorization as she performed and recorded roles associated
with each category in the soprano voice type. Joan Sutherland as well can be heard in
recordings of soprano roles as diverse as the coloratura Gilda in Rigoletto to the dramatic
Turandot in Turandot. Below is a very brief outline of voice types and categories with roles
usually associated with the individual voice type.

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 Coloratura Lyric Spinto Dramatic
Norina (Don Pasquale) Liu (Turandot) Tosca (Tosca) Turandot (Turandot)
Soprano Gilda (Rigoletto) Mimi (La Bohme) Amelia (A Masked Ball) Norma (Norma)
Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor) Pamina (Magic Flute) Leonora (Il Trovatore) Elektra (Elektra)

Rosina (Barber of Seville) Carmen (Carmen) Santuzza (Cavalleria) Azucena (Il Trovatore)
Mezzo- Angelina (La Cenerentola) Charlotte (Werther) Adalgisa (Norma) Ulrica (A Masked Ball)
Soprano Dorabella (Cos fan tutte) Giulietta (Hoffmann) The Composer (Ariadne auf Herodias (Salome)
Naxos)

Count Almaviva (Barber of Seville) Alfredo (La Traviata) Calaf (Turandot) Dick Johnson (Fanciulla)
Tenor Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) Rodolfo (La Bohme) Pollione (Norma) Don Jose (Carmen)
Ferrando (Cos fan tutte) Tamino (Magic Flute) Cavaradossi (Tosca) Otello (Otello)

Figaro (Barber of Seville) Marcello (La Bohme) Scarpia (Tosca)

Baritone Count Almavira (Le nozze di Figaro) Don Giovanni (Don Verdi Baritone Jochanaan (Salome)
Dr. Malatesta (Don Pasquale) Giovanni) Germont (La Traviata) Jack Rance (Fanciulla)
Sharpless (Madama Di Luna (Il Trovatore)
Butterfly) Rigoletto (Rigoletto)

Bartolo (Barber of Seville) Leporello (Don Giovanni)

Bass Don Magnifico (Cenerentola) Colline (La Bohme) Buffo Bass Basso Cantate
Dr. Dulcamara (Elixir of Love) Figaro (Marriage of Figaro) Don Pasquale (Don Oroveso (Norma)
Pasquale) Timur (Turandot)
Don Alfonso (Cos fan tutte) Sarastro (Magic Flute)

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 Opera Production
Opera is created by the combination of myriad art forms. First and foremost are the actors
who portray characters by revealing their thoughts and emotions through the singing voice.
The next very important component is a full symphony orchestra that accompanies the
singing actors and actresses, helping them to portray the full range of emotions possible in
the operatic format. The orchestra performs in an area in front of the singers called the
orchestra pit while the singers perform on the open area called the stage. Wigs, costumes,
sets and specialized lighting further enhance these performances, all of which are designed,
created, and executed by a team of highly trained artisans.

The creation of an opera begins with a dramatic scenario crafted by a playwright or

dramaturg who alone or with a librettist fashions the script or libretto that contains the
words the artists will sing. Working in tandem, the composer and librettist team up to create
a cohesive musical drama in which the music and words work together to express the
emotions revealed in the story. Following the completion of their work, the composer and
librettist entrust their new work to a conductor who with a team of assistants (repetiteurs)
assumes responsibility for the musical preparation of the work. The conductor collaborates
with a stage director (responsible for the visual component) in order to bring a performance
of the new piece to life on the stage. The stage director and conductor form the creative
spearhead for the new composition while assembling a design team which will take charge of
the actual physical production.

Set designers, lighting designers, costume designers, wig and makeup designers and even
choreographers must all be brought on board to participate in the creation of the new
production. The set designer combines the skills of both an artist and an architect using
blueprint plans to design the actual physical set which will reside on the stage, recreating
the physical setting required by the storyline. These blueprints are turned over to a team of
carpenters who are specially trained in the art of stage carpentry. Following the actual
building of the set, painters following instructions from the set designers original plans paint
the set. As the set is assembled on the stage, the lighting designer works with a team of
electricians to throw light onto both the stage and the set in an atmospheric as well as
practical way. Using specialized lighting instruments, colored gels and a state of the art
computer, the designer along with the stage director create a lighting plot by writing
lighting cues which are stored in the computer and used during the actual performance of
the opera.

During this production period, the costume designer in consultation with the stage director
has designed appropriate clothing for the singing actors and actresses to wear. These
designs are fashioned into patterns and crafted by a team of highly skilled artisans called
cutters, stitchers, and sewers. Each costume is specially made for each singer using his/her
individual measurements. The wig and makeup designer, working with the costume
designer, designs and creates wigs which will complement both the costume and the singer
as well as represent historically accurate period fashions.

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As the actual performance date approaches, rehearsals are held on
the newly crafted set, combined with costumes, lights, and
orchestra in order to ensure a cohesive performance that will be
both dramatically and musically satisfying to the assembled
audience.

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