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Rating: 
Summary: Bravo, Maestro Donald Runnicles! Thank You!
Review: Right after listening to Leinsdorf, Karajan, and Chailly's disappointing interpretations, I have to thank Donald Runnicles for his deep style and his handling of the percussive aspects being much better than all 3 of them. I can only guess that the orchestral quality here makes the same on Levine's performance sound pathetic being just as bad as Von Karajan. If anybody wants a flawless orchestral performance of Puccini's Turandot there's a choice between this one with Donald Runnicles, any of Zubin Mehta's and Francesco Molinari-Pradelli.
Rating: 
Summary: A Solid, Middle-of-the Road Production
Review: This production of Turandot stands squarely in the middle between the Met's Zeffirelli extravaganza and Saltzburg's modernistic, surreal production with the new Berio ending. For about two years, this was the only Turandot available on DVD, but the availability of the Met and Saltzburg versions now doesn't render this one obsolete. It's what you would see in a good regional production, and there's a lot to be said for those values. The primario members of the cast are solid -- Eva Marton, while less lovely than she appeared on the Met DVD (what a difference a few years of aging can make) still sings masterfully. Michael Sylvester and Lucia Mazzaria are adequate if not inspiring as Calaf and Liu. Kevin Langam, on the other hand, is a wonderful Timur, eclipsing the more famous Met and Saltzburg performers, Paul Plishka and Paata Burcheladze. This production shines in several details. Ping, Pang, and Pong, led by Craig Estep's marvelous Ping, come closer to my ideal for the three ministers than do either of the other two productions. And the San Francisco sets ands costumes, which represent a stylized ancient China, work quite well. Often their austere stylization works more effectively than does the Met's ostentatious, sometimes over-busy, pseudo-realism. The bottom line: Turandot is so rich that having many different conceptualizations is wonderful. If you love this opera, you should buy them all and revel in observing the differences.
Rating:
Summary: A Solid, Middle-of-the Road Production
Review: This production of Turandot stands squarely in the middle between the Met's Zeffirelli extravaganza and Saltzburg's modernistic, surreal production with the new Berio ending. For about two years, this was the only Turandot available on DVD, but the availability of the Met and Saltzburg versions now doesn't render this one obsolete. It's what you would see in a good regional production, and there's a lot to be said for those values. The primario members of the cast are solid -- Eva Marton, while less lovely than she appeared on the Met DVD (what a difference a few years of aging can make) still sings masterfully. Michael Sylvester and Lucia Mazzaria are adequate if not inspiring as Calaf and Liu. Kevin Langam, on the other hand, is a wonderful Timur, eclipsing the more famous Met and Saltzburg performers, Paul Plishka and Paata Burcheladze. This production shines in several details. Ping, Pang, and Pong, led by Craig Estep's marvelous Ping, come closer to my ideal for the three ministers than do either of the other two productions. And the San Francisco sets ands costumes, which represent a stylized ancient China, work quite well. Often their austere stylization works more effectively than does the Met's ostentatious, sometimes over-busy, pseudo-realism. The bottom line: Turandot is so rich that having many different conceptualizations is wonderful. If you love this opera, you should buy them all and revel in observing the differences.
Rating:
Summary: Dazzling Color Enhances Puccini Fairy-Tale
Review: When this production premiered in 1992 in Chicago, many comparisons were made between it and the Metropolitan Opera Zeffirelli production. In my opinion Mr. Hockney's production comes up second to Zeffirelli's, however it has many merits and many of them are emphasized on this beautifully reproduced DVD. Visually, because of the intense greens, blues and reds, the DVD is a knockout. Your television will never have looked better. Hockney goes for a less realistic, more story-book quality in his sets and costumes which is appropriate, since Turandot is a fairy-tale of sorts. The colors and detail are far superior to the Laserdisc edition with less "video noise" in the backgrounds and more clarity of definition and detail. Vocally, Eva Marton is not in as fresh voice as she was in the 1987 telecast from the Met or the 1992 Chicago premier. However, her performance vocally and dramatically is so intense and powerful that occasional vocal lapses scarcely seem to matter. Michael Sylvester does not have the vocal allure or richness of a Domingo or a Pavarotti, but he sings solidly and with a secure ending to "Nessun Dorma". Kevin Langan is wonderful and moving as Timur with make-up that certainly hides his true age. The vocal stand-out of this performance is Lucia Mazzaria. She sounds in many spots like a young Freni, with total mastery of color and style. Her two arias in Act III are worthy of many repeat viewings. The chorus is acceptable and for the most part accurate, but somewhat lacking in darkness and richness of color in the Italian "La Scala" style. David Runnicles' conducting is appealing if not revealing. This video is highly recommended but when the Met version is released you will want to own it as well for it's lavish and far more realistic sets and costumes from the always unbeatable Franco Zeffirelli.
Rating:
Summary: Dazzling Color Enhances Puccini Fairy-Tale
Review: When this production premiered in 1992 in Chicago, many comparisons were made between it and the Metropolitan Opera Zeffirelli production. In my opinion Mr. Hockney's production comes up second to Zeffirelli's, however it has many merits and many of them are emphasized on this beautifully reproduced DVD. Visually, because of the intense greens, blues and reds, the DVD is a knockout. Your television will never have looked better. Hockney goes for a less realistic, more story-book quality in his sets and costumes which is appropriate, since Turandot is a fairy-tale of sorts. The colors and detail are far superior to the Laserdisc edition with less "video noise" in the backgrounds and more clarity of definition and detail. Vocally, Eva Marton is not in as fresh voice as she was in the 1987 telecast from the Met or the 1992 Chicago premier. However, her performance vocally and dramatically is so intense and powerful that occasional vocal lapses scarcely seem to matter. Michael Sylvester does not have the vocal allure or richness of a Domingo or a Pavarotti, but he sings solidly and with a secure ending to "Nessun Dorma". Kevin Langan is wonderful and moving as Timur with make-up that certainly hides his true age. The vocal stand-out of this performance is Lucia Mazzaria. She sounds in many spots like a young Freni, with total mastery of color and style. Her two arias in Act III are worthy of many repeat viewings. The chorus is acceptable and for the most part accurate, but somewhat lacking in darkness and richness of color in the Italian "La Scala" style. David Runnicles' conducting is appealing if not revealing. This video is highly recommended but when the Met version is released you will want to own it as well for it's lavish and far more realistic sets and costumes from the always unbeatable Franco Zeffirelli.
Rating:
Summary: Colors Dazzle As Production Leaves Vivid Impression
Review: When this production premiered in Chicago in 1991 it was bound to be compared with the lavish production at the MET. However since Mr. Hockney's sets and costumes will always fail in comparison, it is best to judge this production on its own merits, and there are many. The colors are vivid (especially on this recently released DVD), and the images are crystal clear. You have the choice of 5.1 Surround or 2.0 Stereo. Hockney sticks with various shades of reds, greens and blues. He goes more for a storybook look than for any sort of realism but since Turandot IS essentially a fairy-tale, there's nothing wrong with that. This performance was recorded in late 1993 and Miss Marton is not in as fresh voice as she was when the production was new or as she was for the MET telecast in 1987, but the performance is throughly committed and it is to her credit that the her portrayal comes off as well as it does. Rumors are that she and Mr. Sylvester were sick during the run and dubs from many performances were put together to produce this one for video release. Mr. Sylvester does not have the ring or the richness of a Pavarotti or Domingo and there is some provincial Italian in a spot or two, but again, he gives a solid performance that would be sought after in any major opera house today. The surprise is Lucia Mazzaria. She often sounds like a young Mirella Freni in timbre and range and her two arias in the third act are stunning and beautiful examples of true Italian style. Kevin Langan is rock solid in the brief and moving role of Timur and his make-up is expertly done to make this relatively young man look ancient and frail. The chorus is acceptable and for the most part accurate, but lacking in dark, rich, Italian color and nuance. The staging will leave anyone who hasn't seen the Zeffirelli production impressed. Colorful acrobats, ancients, palace guards, shaved monks (adult and children), and condemned princes all leap off the sceen at you. Chances are your television has never looked better! This video is highly recommended, especially for someone who is first encountering Turandot. Save the Zeffirelli DVD (unfortunately only available in Japan at present) for your ultimate viewing pleasure. In this day and age of ghastly, wrongheaded stagings of treasured masterpieces, we should be thankful that TWO such imaginative and vivid productions were committed to video.
Rating:
Summary: Colors Dazzle As Production Leaves Vivid Impression
Review: When this production premiered in Chicago in 1991 it was bound to be compared with the lavish production at the MET. However since Mr. Hockney's sets and costumes will always fail in comparison, it is best to judge this production on its own merits, and there are many. The colors are vivid (especially on this recently released DVD), and the images are crystal clear. You have the choice of 5.1 Surround or 2.0 Stereo. Hockney sticks with various shades of reds, greens and blues. He goes more for a storybook look than for any sort of realism but since Turandot IS essentially a fairy-tale, there's nothing wrong with that. This performance was recorded in late 1993 and Miss Marton is not in as fresh voice as she was when the production was new or as she was for the MET telecast in 1987, but the performance is throughly committed and it is to her credit that the her portrayal comes off as well as it does. Rumors are that she and Mr. Sylvester were sick during the run and dubs from many performances were put together to produce this one for video release. Mr. Sylvester does not have the ring or the richness of a Pavarotti or Domingo and there is some provincial Italian in a spot or two, but again, he gives a solid performance that would be sought after in any major opera house today. The surprise is Lucia Mazzaria. She often sounds like a young Mirella Freni in timbre and range and her two arias in the third act are stunning and beautiful examples of true Italian style. Kevin Langan is rock solid in the brief and moving role of Timur and his make-up is expertly done to make this relatively young man look ancient and frail. The chorus is acceptable and for the most part accurate, but lacking in dark, rich, Italian color and nuance. The staging will leave anyone who hasn't seen the Zeffirelli production impressed. Colorful acrobats, ancients, palace guards, shaved monks (adult and children), and condemned princes all leap off the sceen at you. Chances are your television has never looked better! This video is highly recommended, especially for someone who is first encountering Turandot. Save the Zeffirelli DVD (unfortunately only available in Japan at present) for your ultimate viewing pleasure. In this day and age of ghastly, wrongheaded stagings of treasured masterpieces, we should be thankful that TWO such imaginative and vivid productions were committed to video.
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