Aleu's video brilliance powers a dystopian Liceu Turandot

Turandot Act 2

Turandot Act 1

Calaf with Ping, Pang and Pong

Chris Merritt (Emperor Altoum) and Michael Borth (Mandarin)

By David Karlin, 09 October 2019

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“the staging is a tour de force which genuinely advances the state of the art”

Reviewed at Gran Teatre del Liceu: Auditorium, Barcelona on 8 October 2019

Puccini, Turandot

Gran Teatre del Liceu

Josep Pons, Conductor

Franc Aleu, Director, Video, Set Designer

Carles Berga, Set Designer

Chu Uroz, Costume Designer

Lise Lindstrom, Turandot

Gregory Kunde, Calaf

Anita Hartig, Liù

Ante Jerkunica, Timur

Chris Merritt, Emperor Altoum

Toni Marsol, Ping

Francisco Vas, Pang

Mikeldi Atxalandabaso, Pong

Michael Borth, Mandarin

Coro del Gran Teatre del Liceu

Orquesta Sinfónica del Gran Teatre del Liceu

Cor Vivaldi-Petits Cantors de Catalunya

The starry trio of Davidsen-Hilley-Mälkki saves Tristan und Isolde

Maria Sánchez, 12th January

A highly unbalanced premiere, its opportunity to become one of the Liceu's historic productions prevented by the contrast between dramaturgy and music.

****1

Àlex Ollé's La bohème gets an unfair reception at the Liceu

Maria Sánchez, 14th June

Contrasting sensations at the Liceu, where the audience punished a production of La bohème with boos and gave rapturous applause to a cast that performed at half throttle.

*****

Thomas’ Hamlet in concert at the Liceu

John Marten Barnard, 10th March

Ambroise Thomas’ Hamlet in concert in the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona is enthusiastically conducted by Daniel Oren.

****1

Vocal sparkle but a dull staging in the Liceu's Puritani

John Marten Barnard, 11th October

I puritani returns to Barcelona’s Liceu with Annilese Miskimmon’s production. Javier Camerena and Pretty Yende lead the inauguration of the season with a fine example of romantic bel canto.

****1

A forlorn Manon Lescaut arrives in Barcelona

John Marten Barnard, 7th June

Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu stages Puccini’s first great success as an operatic composer, Manon Lescaut with the stage direction of Davide Livermore.

***11

Radvanovsky y Álvarez triunfan en la noche de Kaufmann

Juan José Freijo, 9th March

A spectacular cast makes this Andrea Chénier the great event of the Liceu's opera season.

****1

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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

Franc Aleu's video brilliance powers a dystopian Turandot at the Liceu