Dodging the executioner’s axe: Șerban’s Turandot returns

Turandot Act 3

SeokJong Baek (Calaf) and dancers

Turandot

Hansung Yoo (Ping), Michael Gibson (Pong) and Aled Hall (Pang)

Sondra Radvanovsky (Turandot)

Sondra Radvanovsky (Turandot), SeokJong Baek (Calaf) and Paul Hopwood (Altoum)

By Mark Pullinger, 20 March 2025

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“who doesn’t just use his tenor as an offensive weapon to bludgeon Turandot into submission”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 19 March 2025

Puccini, Turandot

The Royal Opera

Rafael Payare, Conductor

Andrei Șerban, Director

Sally Jacobs, Set Designer, Costume Designer

F Mitchell Dana, Lighting Designer

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Royal Opera Chorus

Sondra Radvanovsky, Turandot

SeokJong Baek, Calaf

Anna Princeva, Liù

Adam Palka, Timur

Paul Hopwood, Emperor Altoum

Hansung Yoo, Ping

Aled Hall, Pang

Michael Gibson, Pong

Ossian Huskinson, Mandarin

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Dominic Lowe, 25th March

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****1

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***11

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Dodging the executioner’s axe: Andrei Șerban’s Turandot returns to The Royal Opera