The plots
of great operas are often difficult to fathom, partly because opera composers
are generally more interested in writing great music than telling a believable
story. The plot is merely a peg on which to hang arias, duets and choruses.
Opera plots are often absurd, with unlikely happenings, impossible coincidences
and ridiculous characters right, left and centre. On the other hand, some
operas are also great dramas. See what you think about this one:
Turandot
was Puccini's final opera, left unfinished at his death. At the first
performance, at La Scala, Milan,
on 25th April 1926, the conductor, Arturo Toscanini, laid down his baton in the
middle of Act 3, turned to the audience and told them that this was the point
at which the composer had died. The curtain was lowered slowly and the audience
departed in silence. However, the opera is now performed in its entirety, the
remaining pages having been completed by Franco Alfano, based on Puccini's
sketches.
Act 1 - an open space in central Beijing,
in ancient times
A
mandarin reads a proclamation to the crowd that the hand of Princess Turandot
will be given to the first prince of royal birth who can answer her three
riddles. The downside of the deal is that failure to answer correctly means
that you do not come back next week, but lose your head. The Princess is
clearly in no great hurry to get hitched.
The crowd
press forward to catch a glimpse of the Prince of Persia, who was unwise enough
to take up the challenge and will soon pay the price for failure.
Also in
the crowd is a beggar and a slave-girl, and another Prince, all of them hiding
their identity. They meet, and the Prince recognises the beggar as being his
own father, the exiled King Timur of Tartary.
As the
Prince of Persia is brought forward to be executed, the crowd call for Turandot
to show mercy, and the unknown Prince curses her cruelty. When Turandot appear,
the Prince refuses to bow down to her, but instead is struck by her beauty and
falls hopelessly in love with her. The merest glimpse of a well-turned ankle
and some men are putty in the hands of a beautiful woman.
Despite
the entreaties of his father and Liu, the slave-girl, he determines to try his
luck at the Princess's challenge. All he has to do to announce his challenge is
to strike the great gong three times. Even the three courtiers, Ping, Pong, and Pung, try in vain to dissuade him; and if
the sight of the Prince of Persia's severed head being carried across the stage
by the executioner won't put him off, nothing will. He strikes the gong and the
curtain falls.
Act 2,
Scene 1 - a gorgeously painted pavilion
A bit of
light relief as the three comic courtiers take the stage. Was Puccini a secret
fan of Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado? Maybe!
Scene 2 -
outside the Palace
The Emperor
appears with all his court, and even he tries to dissuade the Prince from
taking up the challenge. Turandot appears and explains her motive for being so
unpleasant, which is that her grandmother had been cruelly murdered and
Turandot sees it as her duty to avenge the crime by slaughtering as many
foreign princes as she can.
So the
test goes ahead. Question One - "What is it that flies by night, that is
born when the sun sets, and dies when it rises?" The Prince gives the
answer - "Hope". He is correct. Question Two - "What is it that
dreams can kindle into flame, whose voice we tremble to hear, and which is the
colour of the setting sun?" Answer Two - "Blood". Turandot is
now seriously worried, as we have to assume that no previous candidates have
got as far as this before. Question Three - "What is it that, while it
freezes, sets you on fire, which by setting you free makes you a slave, and by
taking you as a slave makes you a king?" The Prince gives the answer -
"It is you, Princess Turandot".
He's right,
you know. She can't pretend that he isn't, because the answers are written on
sealed scrolls borne by the Emperor's wise elders. She appeals to the Emperor,
but he points out that, by the terms of the deal, she must now marry the
unknown Prince.
So he's
won the bet, and the opera will now draw to a triumphant conclusion? You might
think so, but we're only in Act 2, and we haven't got to "Nessun
Dorma" yet. At this point we get one of the strangest plot twists of all
time. Having won the prize, the Prince now gives Turandot another chance to
win. If she can answer his riddle, which is "What is my name?",
before dawn, then she wins after all and he dies. Next time you win the
lottery, you will hand the money back and have another go, won't you?
Act 3, Scene
1 - the Palace gardens at night
OK, so
this is where "Nessun Dorma" comes in. "None shall sleep",
sings the Prince, as he reflects on the efforts that the Princess, and
everybody else, will be making to learn his true name.
It's time
for Ping, Pong and Pung to re-appear, this
time offering the Prince lots of goodies just to leave and forget all about
Turandot. No deal - despite what he knows about her bloodthirsty character, she
is the only woman for him. It takes all sorts.
There's a
commotion as a company of guards comes in, dragging Timur and Liu with them.
Word has got about that these two were seen with the Prince the previous day,
so surely they must know what his name is?
Turandot
is summoned, and she questions Timur, but Liu steps forward and says that only
she knows the answer. Oh no, she doesn't, says the Prince. Well, one thing
leads to another and Liu admits that she loves the Prince - apparently she is
as good as the Prince at falling helplessly in love at a moment's notice. Liu
has realised that she can now never have the Prince for herself, but she can at
least save his life by sacrificing her own, which she does by stabbing herself.
Only the
Prince and Turandot are left on the stage. He tears off her veil and kisses
her. She admits that she had actually fancied him all along, but then she
reminds him that he has not told her his name. You might think that this is a
bad move on the Prince's part, given the volatile nature of Turandot's
character, but he tells her that his name is Calaf, thus putting his life back
in her hands. We know he's a bit of a gambler, so maybe he reckons that that
smacker he gave her will have done the trick. Just bear in mind for a second
that this was the role played by Pavarotti, even in his sixties. Some gamble,
that!
Scene 2 -
outside the Palace
Everybody
has gathered to learn the outcome of the previous night's challenge. Turandot
looks down at Calaf and tells her father, "I know the name of the
stranger. It is Love!" So the kiss did work, after all. Calaf leaps up and
takes her in his arms. General rejoicing as the curtain falls. Not bad for a
grand opera - only a couple of grizzly deaths, and a happy ending.
© John Welford