Puccini G. Turandot. Lyrical drama in 3 acts, 5 scenes. Vocal score

The musical drama “Turandot” was composed by Giacomo Puccini to the libretto by G. Adami and R. Simoni after the tale by C. Gozzi. 

The premiere took place in the Milan “La Scala” Theatre on April 25, 1926, conducted by A. Toscanini. 

The final duet of Turandot and Calaf was not finished by Puccini himself. He had a presentiment about the death stealing up and awared lest he should have not complete the opera. …During the premi?re Toscanini stopped the performance straight on the bar, which was the last one written by Puccini. “Here the composition is interrupted, because of the artist’s death”, — Toscanini declared. Silence fell, being quite of a sudden broken by the exclamations: “Glory to Puccini!” The second performance of the opera was represented with the finale completed by F. Alfano, pupil of Puccini, whom Toscanini himself addressed to with this request. 

The “Turandot” is staged much more seldom, than the other operas by Puccini. It may be explained by rather complicated material both for acting and listening. Meanwhile, the “Turandot” is on roll in almost every famous theatre of the world. It was in 1927 when the “Turandot” was staged in the Moscow Theatre of the “Aquarium” garden by the Free Opera actors. The Bolshoy Theatre witnessed Puccini’s last masterpiece on December 12, 1931 conducted by L. Steinberg. Those were the premieres in Russia.