Turandot in Rome by Ai Weiwei. “My understanding of the world today”
16/04/2022.
[ROM] Italy
metalocus, JOSÉ JUAN BARBA
metalocus, JOSÉ JUAN BARBA
Postponed for two years due to the pandemic, from the 22nd to the 31st of March 2022 the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma staged Puccini's Turandot, one of the most performed operas in the world.
The most attractive aspect of the performance was the staging direction by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, his first work as an opera director, and given the results with the potential to quickly become one of the most sought directors around, even despite his words: “I am not a big music listener, I consider music a form of art very far from my sensibility.”
Puccini’s score is much more than a mere accompaniment to the singers. In an opera like Turandot, the role of the conductor is especially important, so the other aspect of interest in this edition was the presence of the Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv.
The most attractive aspect of the performance was the staging direction by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, his first work as an opera director, and given the results with the potential to quickly become one of the most sought directors around, even despite his words: “I am not a big music listener, I consider music a form of art very far from my sensibility.”
Puccini’s score is much more than a mere accompaniment to the singers. In an opera like Turandot, the role of the conductor is especially important, so the other aspect of interest in this edition was the presence of the Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv.
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Rehearsal for Ai Weiwei's Turandot at Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera, 2020.
Original sketch by Ai Weiwei for the stage set of Turandot.
Ai Weiwei, Map of China, 2006, Ironwood from dismantled Qing dynasty (1644–1911) temples.
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni
Model of the Turandot set design, based on a world map overlaid with ruins. Turandot by Ai Weiwei.
Ai Weiwei conceived every aspect of the new staging, including direction, set design, costumes, and video projections.
"Opera is an incredibly rich form of art that stimulates the best qualities of human ingenuity, commitment, mastery, excellence."
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni.
Turandot by Ai Weiwei. Photograph by Fabrizio Sansoni.
The main feature of this edition was ending the story with Liù’s death (the last scene composed by Puccini before his death), which is the same choice that was made in the very first performance, conducted by Toscanini in 1926.
"My Turandot is still related to the classic understanding of love, hatred, revenge, and about people trying to accomplish something which is impossible," says Weiwei.
Turandot calls for an exceptionally large orchestra, which includes extra forces offstage and a huge percussion ensemble, including xylophones (two of them), several Chinese gongs, bells, and more.
The key role was played by another Ukrainian, the soprano Oksana Dyka, whose vocal means are well suited to the icy Turandot. Her high-pitched voice thrilled the audience, emerging also in the main orchestral moments.
Backstage at the Met, 8th Street Subway Station, 1987.
Weiwei decided to take this opportunity because, at a very young age, he performed as an extra at the production of Turandot by Franco Zeffirelli and James Levine at the Metropolitan Opera in 1987. He and his brother, the poet and writer Ai Dan, performed as executioner‘s assistants in Act I.
"New York itself is like opera, but I never could have imagined, 35 years later, I would become a director of the same opera performance… I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to do it," commented Weiwei.
El escenario estuvo ocupado por una enorme escalera, con diferentes formas geométricas dispuestas al fondo, simulando rascacielos futuristas, o tal vez, por el contrario, pilares antiguos.
"I designed it, not only just the concept but every detail, every drawing… that very comprehensive design relates to so many issues. I would integrate my understanding of the world today – such as migration, the Hong Kong fights and also Coronavirus – into the stage design.”
Ai Weiwei
More information
Opera
Turandot by Giacomo Puccini. Lyric Drama in Three Acts and Five Scenes. Libretto by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni. First performed, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, April 25, 1926.
Direction, scenes, costumes, video
Ai Weiwei.
Conductor
Oksana Lyniv
Chorus Master
Roberto Gabbiani
Participants
Princess Turandot.- Oksana Dyka
The Emperor Altoum.- Rodrigo Ortiz
Timur.- Antonio Di Matteo
The Unknown Prince (Calaf).- Michael Fabiano
Liú.- Francesca Dotto
Ping.- Alessio Verna
Pang.- Enrico Iviglia
Pong.- Pietro Picone
A Mandarin.- Andrii Ganchuk
Prince Of Persia.- Chao Hsin
Principe Of Persia (Voice).- Giuseppe Ruggiero
Teatro Dell’opera Di Roma Orchestra And Chorus
The Teatro Dell’opera Di Roma Scuola Di Canto Corale
The Emperor Altoum.- Rodrigo Ortiz
Timur.- Antonio Di Matteo
The Unknown Prince (Calaf).- Michael Fabiano
Liú.- Francesca Dotto
Ping.- Alessio Verna
Pang.- Enrico Iviglia
Pong.- Pietro Picone
A Mandarin.- Andrii Ganchuk
Prince Of Persia.- Chao Hsin
Principe Of Persia (Voice).- Giuseppe Ruggiero
Teatro Dell’opera Di Roma Orchestra And Chorus
The Teatro Dell’opera Di Roma Scuola Di Canto Corale
Dates
From the 22nd to the 31st of March 2022.
Localitation
Teatro Costanzi, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. 00184 Rome, Lacio, Italy
Photography
Fabrizio Sansoni.
Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei is a chinese conceptual artist, also works as an architect, photographer, curator and globally recognised human rights activist. Born in 1957 in Beijing, he began his training at Beijing Film Academy and later continued at the Parsons School of Design in New York City.
His work has been exhibited around the world with solo exhibitions at Stiftung DKM, Duisburg (2010); Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (2009); Haus der Kunst, Munich (2009); Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Cambelltown Arts Center, Sydney (2008); and the Groninger Museum, Groningen (2008), and participation in the 48th Venice Biennale in Italy (1999, 2008, 2010); Guangzhou Triennale in China (2002, 2005), Busan Biennial in Korea (2006), Documenta 12 in Germany (2007), and the 29th Sao Paulo Biennial in Brazil (2010). In October 2010, Ai Weiwei's "Sunflower Seeds" was installed in the Tate Modern Turbine Hall, London. Ai Weiwei participated in the Serpentine Gallery's China Power Station exhibition in 2006, and the Serpentine Gallery Map Marathon in 2010.
The last solo exhibitions included Ai Weiwei in the Chapel, on view at Yorkshire Sculpture Park through November 2, 2014; Evidence at the Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, 2014; and Ai Weiwei: According to What?, which was organized by the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, in 2009, and traveled to North American venues in 2013–14. Ai collaborated with architects Herzog & de Meuron on the “bird’s nest” stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and on the Serpentine Gallery, 2012 London. He has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent from the Human Rights Foundation in 2012.
