History Trivia / Turandot

* DiedDuringProduction: As said above, Puccini died while the opera was incomplete, setting off a controversial completion thread. He'd wanted his friend Riccardo Zandonai to finish it from his notes, but got overruled by his own son and the publishers, who chose Puccini's student Franco Alfano instead (Alfano seemed to have a similar style for lavish extravaganzas and they thought he'd attract more audiences[=/=]$$$). And when the director of its premiere (Arturo Toscanini), who'd wanted Zandonai and detested Alfano's work as a hatchet job, reached the point in the music where Puccini had died, he stopped the performance to tell the audience "Here the Maestro laid down his pen".

* On one performance in Boston in 1961, Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli were singing the big High C in Act II, when Nilsson held her high C for longer than Corelli. Corelli, already known for his crippling stage fright, tried to get out of singing the third act, but Met Opera general manager Rudolph Bing convinced him to [[DisproportionateRetribution bite Nilsson in the neck during the]] BigDamnKiss. It is unclear whether Corelli bit Nilsson or simply told her about it[[note]] Both Franco Corelli and Birgit Nilsson denied that he bit her.[[/note]], but after the performance, Nilsson, known for being a DeadpanSnarker, left Bing a telegram stating that she'd have to cancel the next two performances because [[BlackComedy she came down with rabies]].

* DiedDuringProduction: As said above, Puccini died while the opera was incomplete, setting off a controversial completion thread. He'd wanted his friend Riccardo Zandonai to finish it from his notes, but got overruled by his own son and the publishers, who chose Puccini's student Franco Alfano instead (Alfano seemed to have a similar style for lavish extravaganzas and they thought he'd attract more audiences / $$$). And when the director of its premiere (Arturo Toscanini), who'd wanted Zandonai and detested Alfano's work as a hatchet job, reached the point in the music where Puccini had died, he stopped the performance to tell the audience "Here the Maestro laid down his pen".

* AuthorExistenceFailure: As said above, Puccini died while the opera was incomplete, setting off a controversial completion thread. He'd wanted his friend Riccardo Zandonai to finish it from his notes, but got overruled by his own son and the publishers, who chose Puccini's student Franco Alfano instead (Alfano seemed to have a similar style for lavish extravaganzas and they thought he'd attract more audiences / $$$). And when the director of its premiere (Arturo Toscanini), who'd wanted Zandonai and detested Alfano's work as a hatchet job, reached the point in the music where Puccini had died, he stopped the performance to tell the audience "Here the Maestro laid down his pen".
** A witness speaking in 1974 remembered Toscanini saying ''Qui, il Maestro fini''. (Here, the Maestro finished.)

* On one performance in Boston in 1961, Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli were singing the big High C in Act II, when Nilsson held her high C for longer than Corelli. Corelli, already known for his crippling stage fright, tried to get out of singing the third act, but Rudolph Bing convinced him to go through with the third act, but to [[DisproportionateRetribution bite Nilsson in the neck during the]] BigDamnKiss. It is unclear whether Corelli bit Nilsson or simply told her about it[[note]] Both Franco Corelli and Birgit Nilsson denied that he bit her.[[/note]], but after the performance, Nilsson, known for being a DeadpanSnarker, left a note stating that she'd have to cancel the next two performances because [[BlackComedy she came down with rabies]].

* On one performance at the Old Met in 1961, Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli were singing the big High C in Act II, when Nilsson held her high C for longer than Corelli. Corelli, already known for his crippling stage fright, tried to opt out of singing the third act, but Rudolph Bing convinced him to go through with the third act, but to [[DisproportionateRetribution bite Nilsson in the neck during the]] BigDamnKiss. It is unclear whether Corelli bit Nilsson or simply told her about it[[note]] Both Franco Corelli and Birgit Nilsson denied that he bit her.[[/note]], but after the performance, Nilsson, known for being a DeadpanSnarker, left a note stating that she'd have to cancel the next two performances because [[BlackComedy she came down with rabies]].

* On one performance at the Old Met in 1961, Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli were singing the big High C in Act II, when Nilsson held her high C for longer than Corelli. Corelli, already known for his crippling stage fright, tried to opt out of singing the third act, but Rudolph Bing convinced him to go through with the third act, but to [[DispropotionateRetribution bite Nilsson in the neck during the]] BigDamnKiss. It is unclear whether Corelli bit Nilsson or simply told her about it[[note]] Both Franco Corelli and Birgit Nilsson denied that he bit her.[[/note]], but after the performance, Nilsson, known for being a DeadpanSnarker, left a note stating that she'd have to cancel the next two performances because [[BlackComedy she came down with rabies]].

* Given that this is supposed to be a massive spectacle, watch for AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever. The San Francisco production in 1977 had a [[https://www.sfcv.org/sites/default/files/u36849/SFO-Turandot.png huge Buddha statue]], which actually ''moved and wept TearsOfBlood'' when Calaf kissed the Princess into life. In Florida in 2010, the Emperor's throne was held in the claws of [[http://images2.miaminewtimes.com/imager/florida-grand-operas-production-of-tur/u/745xauto/6378609/5639553.0.jpg a gigantic dragon]] who took up half the stage.

* WhamShot: By Liu as played by Barbara Frittoli in ''Turandot at the Forbidden City''. If you know the story, you're aware that she kills herself, but even the [[SeenItAll most jaded viewer]] might be shocked at her badass move. Most Liu's grab a dagger from one of the guards behind them and stab themselves in the breast or stomach. In this production, having finished her plea to Turandot, she lunges ''forward'', snatches a long hairpin[[note]]traditionally, this was the only sharp object you could ''have'' at the imperial court[[/note]] from the Princess' coiffure, and stabs herself in the throat.
** Edda Moser used to kill herself on the run, falling dead in midstride and sliding clear across the stage to land at Calaf's feet. She moved so fast it took the audience a second or two to realize what they'd seen.

*** 1977, conducted by Riccardo Chailly: Montserrat Caballé, Luciano Pavarotti, Leona Mitchell, Giorgio Tozzi

* AuthorExistenceFailure: As said above, Puccini died while the opera was incomplete, setting off a [[shorturl.at/dnzF2 controversial completion thread]]. He'd wanted his friend Riccardo Zandonai to finish it from his notes, but got overruled by his own son and the publishers, who chose Puccini's student Franco Alfano instead (Alfano seemed to have a similar style for lavish extravaganzas and they thought he'd attract more audiences / $$$). And when the director of its premiere (Arturo Toscanini), who'd wanted Zandonai and detested Alfano's work as a hatchet job, reached the point in the music where Puccini had died, he stopped the performance to tell the audience "Here the Maestro laid down his pen".

* AuthorExistenceFailure: As said above, Puccini died while the opera was incomplete, setting off a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turandot#Completion_of_the_score_after_Puccini's_death controversial completion thread]]. He'd wanted his friend Riccardo Zandonai to finish it from his notes, but got overruled by his own son and the publishers, who chose Puccini's student Franco Alfano instead (Alfano seemed to have a similar style for lavish extravaganzas and they thought he'd attract more audiences / $$$). And when the director of its premiere (Arturo Toscanini), who'd wanted Zandonai and detested Alfano's work as a hatchet job, reached the point in the music where Puccini had died, he stopped the performance to tell the audience "Here the Maestro laid down his pen".

*** 1998, conducted by Zubin Mehta (''Turandot at the Forbidden City''): Giovanna Casolla, Sergej Larin, Barbara Frittoli, Carlo Colombara
* AuthorExistenceFailure: As said above, Puccini died while the opera was incomplete. His student, Franco Alfano, finished it for him. And when the director of its premiere (Arturo Toscanini), who detested Alfano's work as a hatchet job, reached the point in the music where Puccini had died, he stopped the performance to tell the audience "Here the Maestro laid down his pen".

* WhamShot: By Liu as played by Barbara Frittoli in ''Turandot at the Forbidden City''. If you know the story, you're aware that she kills herself, but even the [[SeenItAll most jaded viewer]] might be shocked at her badass move. Most Liu's grab a dagger from one of the guards behind them and stab themselves in the breast or stomach. In this production, having finished her plea to Turandot, she lunges ''forward'', snatches a long hairpin from the Princess' coiffure, and stabs herself in the throat.

* FakeNationality: In ''Turandot at the Forbidden City'', Turandot, Liu, and Timur are portrayed by the Italians Giovanna Casolla, Barbara Frittoli, and Carlo Colombara, respectively, while Calaf is portrayed by the Russian Sergej Larin.

* AllStarCast:

*** 1957, conducted by Tullio Serafin: Greek soprano Maria Callas as Turandot, Italian tenor Eugenio Fernandi as Calaf, Austro-British soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf as Liu, and Greek bass Nicola Zaccaria as Timur.
*** 1959, conducted by Erich Leinsdorf: Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson as Turandot, Swedish tenor Jussi Björling as Calaf, Italian soprano Renata Tebaldi as Liu, and American bass Giorgio Tozzi as Timur.
*** 1972, conducted by Zubin Mehta: Australian soprano Joan Sutherland as Turandot, Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti as Calaf, Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé as Liu, and Bulgarian bass Nicolai Ghiaurov as Timur.
*** 1984, conducted by Herbert von Karajan: Italian soprano Katia Ricciarelli as Turandot, Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo as Calaf, Black-American soprano Barbara Hendricks as Liu, and Italian bass-baritone Ruggero Raimondi as Timur.

* WhamShot: By Liu as played by Barbara Frittoli in ''Turandot at the Forbidden City''. If you know the story, you're aware that she kills herself, but even the [[SeenItAll most jaded viewer]] might be shocked at her badass move. Most Lius grab a dagger from one of the guards behind them and stab themselves in the breast or stomach. In this production, having finished her plea to Turandot, she lunges ''forward'', snatches a long hairpin from the Princess' coiffure, and stabs herself in the throat.

* WhamShot: By Liu as played by Barbara Frittoli in ''Turandot at the Forbidden City''. If you know the story, you're aware that she kills herself, but even the [[SeenItAll most jaded viewer]] might be shocked at her {{Badass}} move. Most Lius grab a dagger from one of the guards behind them and stab themselves in the breast or stomach. In this production, having finished her plea to Turandot, she lunges ''forward'', snatches a long hairpin from the Princess' coiffure, and stabs herself in the throat.

* AuthorExistenceFailure: As said above, Puccini died while the opera was incomplete. His student, Franco Alfano, finished it for him. And when the director of its premiere (Arturo Toscanini) reached the point in the music where Puccini had died, he stopped the performance to tell the audience "Here the Maestro laid down his pen".