To commemorate the centennial of the death of Giacomo Puccini, one of the foremost opera composers of the early 20th century, Opera Hong Kong will present five performances of Turandot from October 10th to 13th at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Turandot was Puccini’s final and unfinished legacy. After his death, Franco Alfano completed the opera based on Puccini’s drafts.

The plot revolves around Princess Turandot, who challenges her suitors with three riddles. The person who solves the riddles will receive her hand in marriage;  those who fail will be executed. Prince Calàf falls in love with Turandot at first sight and is willing to risk his life to win her heart. Among the opera’s highlights is Calàf’s famous aria Nessun dorma, whose melody is widely recognised and unforgettable.

Director Jia Ding is a National Class-I Playwright who has directed over 400 large-scale national performance events. He has frequently served as CMG New Year’s Gala‘s chief planner, director, and overall designer. The directing team will integrate elements of traditional Peking Opera, ensuring that the Chinese elements are more than symbolism. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Hong Kong Chorus, and Opera Hong Kong Children Chorus will perform under the baton of maestro Yuan Ding, the principal resident conductor of the National Opera House in Beijing.

The international soloists include Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Veronika Dzhioeva and Ukranian soprano Oksana Nosatova as Princess Turandot. The role of Calàf will be performed by the Russian tenor Ivan Gyngazov and the South Korean tenor Andrea Shin. Calàf’s slave girl, Liù, will be sung  by Chinese soprano Wang Bing Bing  and the Hong Kong soprano Louise Kwong.

A significant portion of the music in Turandot is based on Chinese melodies, most notably the children’s choir’s rendition of “Jasmine Flower” in the first act. This came about because Puccini was given a music box by a former Italian diplomat in China. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Opera Hong Kong artistic director and the producer of Turandot, Warren Mok, has created a production infused with Chinese cultural elements to both honour Puccini and celebrate Chinese culture.