Hong Kong martial arts icon Jackie Chan will make his opera directing debut with a new production of Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot at the 72nd Festival Puccini from 17 July to 5 September. Held in Torre del Lago, the Tuscan birthplace of Puccini, Chan’s production commemorates the centenary of the opera’s premiere.
Turandot is set in China, where the Princess Turandot refuses to marry any man unless he can correctly answer three riddles. Prince Calaf, who falls in love with the princess, succeeds in solving the riddles, but sets the princess his own challenge.
Chan’s production blends traditional Chinese culture with Puccini’s timeless score, conducted by the acclaimed Marco Armiliato and starring operatic tenor Roberto Alagna.
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Drawing on tai chi and ritualised movement, Chan gives each main character a “warrior incarnation”: Turandot embodied as a dragon, Calaf as a horse. These symbolic figures interact with the singers, revealing inner conflict and desire.
Water features centrally in the stage design, with canals and pools used as a living narrative device manifesting the opera’s themes of fate, love and conflict.
Before its Italian premiere, the production will tour China, with performances in Guangzhou (8 to 10 May), Xiamen (14 to 16 May) and Chengdu (22 to 24 May). As of writing, official ticket information has not been released.
