Completing Turandot Pt. 3 - Calaf and Nessun Dorma

"Nessun Dorma" is one of the most famous arias in all of opera, but if you think about it, it doesn't exactly portray its singer, Calàf, in the best light. He's solved Turandot's riddles, and is ready to take her as his unwilling bride--and now, he's gloating about it.
So how do we make him transform from an arrogant young man, into a mature adult that even Turandot can fall in love with? By recasting his signature aria in a new light. (Performed here by Yonghoon Lee as Calaf, with Ewa Plonka as Turandot watching.)
Washington National Opera's production of 'Turandot', with the new ending by Christopher Tin and Susan Soon He Stanton, opens at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on May 11, 2024. Directed by Francesca Zambello and starring Ewa Plonka/Marjorie Owens (Turandot) and Yonghoon Lee/Jonathan Burton (Calaf), conducted by Speranza Scappucci.
Turandot was Giacomo Puccini's final opera, but he died before he could finish it, leaving scattered sketches. On the 100th-anniversary of his death, this newly commissioned ending seeks to resolve one of the biggest plot dilemmas in the opera canon: how to justify the love between the opera's two adversaries: the steely Princess Turandot, and the heroic Prince Calaf.
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[@molliethorn]

I haven’t followed opera before. I have really appreciated following your process and then experiencing the opera with your new ending. Thanks for sharing your creative process, Chris.

[@_julz_6912]

Never knew what Nessun Dorma was about, but now i'm intrigued

[@habeashumor9814]

Check out Robert Greenberg's course How to listen to Opera

[@txikivasco]

Can't wait to hear the result. Your music always touches parts of my soul that I usually forget are there, and Turandot (along with Tosca) is one of my favorite operas, so, it can only be awesome.

[@SharonKofoed]

Love it!!!

[@honusmom5144]

I like your take and you were constrained by what Puccini had written up until the end. I had read that Puccini had a hard time trying to figure out an ending. I think he had a hard time because he was going towards a happy ending, as opposed to the typical ‘opera’ ending of tragedy. Quite frankly, neither Calaf nor Turondot are sympathetic characters as Turondot killed Liu. The men only wanted to marry her because they confused beauty with love. It would have been fitting if Turondot had died in the end. (Yes, I know a Puccini was in poor health but I don’t think that was why he was having a hard time with the end.)

[@christophertin]

Yes, we didn’t touch a note of the Puccini material but had to find a way to wrap up the story in a believable way. He did have a hard time finishing it-he was set on this idea that a kiss from Calaf was all that was needed to melt Turandot’s heart. We’ve taken a more nuanced approach.

[@dcossi1]

Be Interesting to Hear the new ending and also if The Mandarins Names will as easily roll off the tongue as Ping ,Pang and Pong. Also , recently Alfano's uncut ending has gained Favour ,. Puccini never wanted Alfano in the first place , He suggested Riccardo Zandonai , Though apparently The Puccini Family wanted a lesser name to complete it.

[@christophertin]

Alfano’s original is very good, although still stylistically quite different from Puccini. Would have been curious to see how Zandonai would have finished it. There are many versions of the ending these days (and another one by Derrick Wang premieres tomorrow in Delaware).

[@cris88acquario]

I beg your pardon? Calaf's toxic masculinity? After passing the three (deadly) riddles and yet Turandot withdraws her word? And he's the j*rk? I'm not saying he is the paragon of virtue, but this view seems a bit exaggerated.... Not least because Turandot also has her considerable problems. But in the end they both redeem themselves... at least in some way. The initial problem was the timing of the change. Turandot's ending is a bit rushed, like the eighth season of GoT. Apart from that, musically speaking, I love Alfano's ending, especially the original extended version. I haven't heard yours yet, and honestly I'm a little.... Um... conflicted. Otherwise I'm a big fan of your work ✌🏼

[@christophertin]

Re: Calaf, he was literally happy to send his father to death on the road, let Liù be tortured, and allow Turandot countless more beheadings of the citizens of China. He was surrounded by misery, and a terrified populace of his future subjects, and what does he do? Sing about how he’s victorious. I do hope you get a chance to hear our version someday and hope you enjoy it, but regardless respect your reading (and *polite* defense) of Calàf. Thanks for being a fan of my other work!

[@cris88acquario]

@@christophertin I understand your point but: 1) unintended consequences ('Nessun Dorma' is before the torture of his father and the death of Liù). And about the tortured people... well what can he do about it, back in the day you know 🤷🏼‍♂️ 2) He sings because... Oh well, it's an opera. That's the whole point of an opera. Anyway, I assume you know the world of opera lovers and their old-fashioned stubbornness very well, so you are prepared... I hope to hear your version soon, maybe even live here in Italy who knows 😊

[@christophertin]

@cris88acquario certainly! We’re not saying this is the replacement for Alfano or anything, just that it’s an alternative reading that applies 21st-century values to the story. I hope it arrives in Italy someday as well. 👍

[@marvelux]

Why should you do something like this?

[@inakiserranofigueroa2662]

The ending no one needed... First of all, calling Nessun dorma a moment of toxic masculinity is simply pathetic. Calaf is deeply in love with Turandot, which is why he is willing to risk his life to have her, BUT, even though he correctly answered to her three riddles he doesn't want her to marry him forcefully, so he risks his life AGAIN to prove her his LOVE. As sunrise approaches he pictures his dream of love finally coming true, when he will win, which is where he sings Nessun dorma. How can anyone say this is toxic masculinity? Clearly just trying to get your crappy leftist discourse forward to have someone paying attention to you. Simply sad.

[@alexalvarez1432]

and it’s so not a toxic masculinity moment, that he in fact, reveals the name to her in the subsequent scene.

[@danielga1097]

This work has nothing to do with human love, but with Divine love, that which the individual soul has with the Spirit, which lies within each human heart. Puccini hid it in this way so that only he who has eyes to see and ears to hear could see and hear it. For the common man these secrets are hidden. The same thing happened to Western translators, writers and scholars when they misinterpreted the "Rubaiyat" of Ommar Khayyam, who was a true mystic, and not a luster as it was interpreted, you can read if you want the correct spiritual interpretation of Paramhansa Yogananda, great Hindu saint who went to the United States in the 1920s. This interpretation of Turandot of yours, despite your good intentions, is only diluting the divine power that Puccini gave it. Take me for crazy if you want, but I had to at least write these words to defend and protect his original legacy.

[@AdrianDoll]

With respect, I disagree. Christopher has proven again and again that he is one of these artists who isnt just full of human, but also "divine" love and inspiration, as you call it: Go listen to "Waloyo Yamoni", "Kia Hora", "Flocks a Mile Wide", "All That Could Never Be Said" "The Fall" etc. and tell me there isnt something between these notes thats more than the sum of its parts. I'm pretty sure Puccini would've loved these songs if he were still alive today. This music will go live on a life and legacy way longer than any of ours and inspire countless of future generations - at least in my opinion.