Turandot by Giacomo Puccini Royal Opera, 20 February 1993 Royal Opera House, Covent Garden My first Turnadot was satisfying for reasons I would certainly not suspected: not for a commanding Nessun Dorma, but instead for the contrast of a powerhouse Princess Turnadot and angelic slave-girl Liù. By far the most imposing voice on stage was Gwyneth Jones as the princess. She sang with great authority; no beautiful legato, but firm and confident lines, always in control of her instrument. Angela Gheorghiu was a perfect contrast: sweet, melodic, fragile. That contrast was the center of the performance. Vladimir Popov was a disappointing Calaf, largely on the basis of muffing the most famous aira in opera. He stumbled climbing the steps before Nessun Dorma and lisped as he sang it (thee-len-thee-oh!), and didn't attempt the long sustained note before resolving the chord. Maybe that's flashy nonsense; but it was expected. The orchestra played beautifully, and the staging was gaudy and grand. Some of it seemed pretty stereotypically WOG-orientalism to me. I wonder what an oriental listener would have thought? Others: Timur: Gwynne Howell; Ping: Bruno Caproni; Pang: Robin League; Pong: Ian Thompson. Conducted by Mark Ermler, directed by Andrei Serban, designs by Sally Jacobs.