IslandGuru Who payed the critics

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Helloturia I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

ActuallyGlimmer The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

robert-259-28954 Even if you're not an opera fan, you cannot deny the utter beauty and majesty of this Puccini classic. Many years ago, I was an extra in the movie, "Yes, Giorgio," with Luciano Pavarotti. I played the part of "Ping." It was there that I met Luciano personally, and learned to adore his signature song, "Nessun Dorma." But while this tune may have belonged to Pavarotti, on stage and in the flesh, he has no equal to the fantastic Placido Domingo, in my opinion. This is certainly in no part due to Placido's superior acting skills and dulcet yet powerful voice. His commanding stage presence is without peer, so necessary in the part of "Calaf," the heroic suitor to Turandot. Since I have zero Italian skills, watching this with the subtitles ON made the visual and aural enjoyment of this spectacle all the more moving, imbuing the characters the human element you simply cannot get without a thorough understanding of the text. This is "must see" viewing for anyone desiring a musical experience that you will not soon forget.

TheLittleSongbird Turandot was Puccini's last opera before he died, and this 1988 version is one of the best I have seen of the opera. The costume and set design looks exquisite, Turandot's costume especially. And Puccini's music deserves a mention, it is just masterful, from Signor Ascolta, In Questa Reggia, Non Piangereie Liu and of course Nessun Dorma, it is phenomenal musical drama from beginning to end. The direction, musically and stage-wise is also fine. And the performances were exceptional, Eva Marton imperiously chilling as Princess Turandot, and her big voice and brilliant acting ability is put to excellent use. Placido Domingo, who is one of the greatest tenors of the 20th century in my opinion, not only looked the part, but he created a magnificent figure on stage, and with perfect vocal control too. Leona Mitchell is very poignant as Liu, and Paul Plishka makes a noble Timur. Ping, Pang and Pong brought great fun to the proceedings, and the chorus were wonderful(the grind and sharpen chorus is one of the most difficult choruses in opera history, because if it isn't done right, it can be a disaster). I cannot recommend this version highly enough, other than a 10/10. Bethany Cox

FloatingOpera7 Turandot (1988): Eva Marton, Placido Domingo, Leona Mitchell, Paul Plishka, Hugues Cuenod, Briang Schexnayder, Allan Glassman, Anthony Laciura, Arthur Thompson....Director Kirk Browning.Live from New York City's Metropolitan Opera, this is a 1988 performance captured on tape, and enjoyed success in VHS form for a long time. Directed by Kirk Browning who had done this sort of thing many times before, this is a lavish and eye-popping performance where not only are the singers in top shape but the air is alive with a sense of magic and power, as if trying to capture the legendary Turandot performances of the past, namely that of Birgit Nilsson's portrayal. Tenor Placido Domingo and soprano Eva Marton, both able to sing lyrically and heavily, are in excellent form as Turandot and Prince Calaf, singing against each other in the first act and with each other in the last act. Leona Mitchell is a dignified and wonderful Liu, reminiscent of Leontyne Price. Veteran baritone Paul Plishka as Timur is another plus. Film director Franco Zefferelli, a long time opera fan in his native Italy, is behind the artistic direction and lavishes the scenery and set with exquisite detail. Costumes are like those of a Mandarin drama, authentic to the period, and the Palace and nocturnal feel to this opera is captured in Oscar winning sets and backdrops. This performance was sold out when it premiered in 1988 after a lot of hype. Actress Elizabeth Taylor attended. Eva Marton would go on to record Turandot and Domingo's repertoire switched from pure lyric to heavy tenor roles. In many ways, this performance is a real winner, possibly the greatest Turandot ever produced on stage.The plot: Puccini(composer of Madame Butterfly and Tosca) composed his last opera Turandot and set it to an ancient mythical China. Turandot is the "divine" daughter of the Emperor. The land is darkness and ruled by fear for the Emperor wishes for his virgin daughter to take a husband to rule with her as king. But Turandot has ice running through her veins and has vowed never to love a man. She will never forget the inhuman crime against her ancestor, Princess Lou-Ling, who was raped and killed by foreign invaders. But the cocky Prince Calaf falls for Turandot at first sight and is determined to have her. But there is a challenge. He must answer three riddles, none of which have been successfully answered by princes who tried their luck and were executed. What follows is his triumph over the riddles and Turandot's plot to rid herself of him, a plot which ultimately costs the life of the innocent slave girl Liu, who loves only Calaf. The cold man-hating Princess melts after her first kiss and becomes warm and human, living for love. Redemption, salvation and love are the themes of this elaborately produced Chinese fable. Puccini's music is grandiose and yet warm and accessible. This is one performance that should successfully plant interest in Puccini's operas and in opera itself.

Framescourer A classic staging of Puccini's recklessly opulent final work. The Metropolitan Opera plainly decided that they should crack open the piggy back and get themselves a production that Hollywoood studio bosses would gawp at. There is a tendency for American audiences to applaud when the curtain goes up on a scene - a good and generous tendency I might add - in response to the often overlooked production design. In this opera there's actually applause during a scene as one entrance trumps another through sheer scale.This the way Turandot has to be though. For all it's grandstanding melodies (Nessun Dorma is surely second only to La Donne e mobile in popularity) and touching asides with Liu we want to be flattened with spectacle and, if possible, volume. This is the production for that. 7/10