Stars: Ealynn Voss, Amanda Thane, Kenneth Collins, Donald Shanks, Australian Opera Chorus, Victoria State Orchestra, Carlo Felice Cillario

Summary: A performance of Puccini's opera which follows the story of the Emperor of Peking who sets a sets of riddles which any would-be-suitor for his daughter's hand, muts pass. Recorded at the Victorian Arts Centre in Melbourne. Carlo Felice Cillario conducts the State Orchestra of Victoria.

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Not only is Puccini's final opera Turandotamong the composer's most popular works, but following The Three Tenorsand a certain football contest, it has in "Nessun dorma!" what is almost certainly the best-loved aria in all opera. Written 20 years after Madame Butterfly(1904), Puccini's version of an 800-year-old fairy-tale is set in a legendary Peking and scored on a grand scale, incorporating not only Chinese musical techniques but a vast range of oriental percussion. Puccini draws heavily on the chorus, and as ever makes intense demands on his heroine, to which Eva Marton rises powerfully, very well complemented by the tenor Michael Sylvester as Calaf. However, what makes this 1994 San Francisco Opera version so enchanting as a visual experience is the realisation by David Hockney, who not only designed the sets and costumes but also directed the production. His vision is highly stylised, richly imagined, atmospheric and very beautiful, and it is a testament to how well this version is directed that much of the original magic is communicated through the confines of a TV screen. --Gary S. Dalkin

On the DVD: Other than a well-appointed booklet, and the option to watch with or without subtitles, there are no special features. The 4:3 picture is a major improvement on video, though no doubt due to the original source materials, not as detailed as the best DVDs. The sound is powerful PCM stereo, with a slight tendency to become strident at especially dramatic moments. The layer change is particularly badly done, interrupting the choir in full flow, rather than being placed between tracks.

Aspect Ratio:	4:3
Region:	Region 0
Subtitles:	English
Year:	1991
Release Date:	February 27, 2006
Runtime:	128 minutes
Certification:	Exempt.
Catalogue Number:	O A F 4004 D
Label:	Faveo
Keywords:	Music, Subtitled, Opera, Works, Puccini, Stage, Turandot, Classical, Performing, Operetta, Arts
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts