OMM Newsroom
The opera “Turandot” premiered at the Heydar Aliyev Palace to sustained applause. The Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater presented a new production of Giacomo Puccini’s celebrated opera, featuring world-renowned tenor and People’s Artist of Azerbaijan Yusif Eyvazov.
"Operativ Məlumat Mərkəzi-OMM" reports, citing AZERTAC, that Leyla Aliyeva, vice president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, attended the premiere.
The new production of “Turandot,” staged in Azerbaijan for the first time in 98 years, was prepared specifically for the Baku stage.
The production is directed by Mikayil Mikayilov, with Mustafa Mustafayev as set designer. Tehran Babayev, an Honored Cultural Worker, is the production’s executive artist, and Elnur Ismayilov is the director. The chorus was prepared by choirmaster and Honored Artist Sevil Hajiyeva. The choreographers are People’s Artist Madina Aliyeva and Honored Artist Anar Mikayilov.
Three different casts are taking part in the production. At each of the three premiere performances, different soloists will perform the roles of Turandot and Calaf, with a different maestro conducting.
On October 24, the role of Calaf was performed by People’s Artist Yusif Eyvazov, director of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater and one of the country’s best-known opera singers on the international stage. The role has become a signature part for Eyvazov. It was also the celebrated tenor’s first performance of the role in Azerbaijan. That evening, Italian soprano Carmen Giannattasio performed Turandot, with Italian maestro Beatrice Venezi conducting.
At a news conference before the performance, Eyvazov called the premiere of “Turandot” a historic event. The People’s Artist said the opera was returning to the Azerbaijani stage after 98 years. He described the new production, presented by director Mikayil Mikayilov and set designer Mustafa Mustafayev, as being of a very high standard. Foreign opera soloists will also join Azerbaijani artists.
Director Mikayilov added that the theater company had invested considerable effort in the production. “We hope audiences will appreciate our efforts and enjoy the performance. This is a landmark event of great value to our theater culture,” he said.
“Turandot” is one of Giacomo Puccini’s best-known operas. The three-act work is based on Carlo Gozzi’s play of the same name, with a libretto by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni. The opera premiered at Milan’s La Scala on April 25, 1926, conducted by Arturo Toscanini.
Audiences in Baku first saw the opera in 1928, just two years after its world premiere. The Baku production was the first staging of “Turandot” in the Soviet Union.
Puccini worked on “Turandot” from the summer of 1920 until his death in 1924, but did not live to complete it. Franco Alfano finished the opera’s final section using Puccini’s notes.
The plot follows the love story of the ruthless Princess Turandot and Prince Calaf. As in Gozzi’s fairy tale, Turandot tests each suitor with three riddles, promising to marry anyone who answers correctly and ordering those who fail to be executed. After a series of trials, Calaf solves the riddles and eventually marries Turandot, who yields to the power of his love.
