A new ‘Turandot’ at the Teatro Massimo – opening night broadcast

Brian Jagde kicks off the new year with a return to Palermo’s spectacular Teatro Massimo. He stars as Calaf in a new production of Puccini’s Turandot, which opens the theater’s season. This also marks the first time Jagde will sing Calaf in Europe.

Performances take place January 19, 23, 25 & 27, with Tatiana Melnychenko as the titular princess, Valeria Sepe as Liù, and Simon Orfila as Timur. Gabriele Ferro leads from the pit for all dates, which feature a production concept by Fabio Cherstich and AES+F. A live video broadcast will air on opening night, January 19, via www.teatromassimo.it and on the radio via Rai Radio 3.

“Jagde has clearly arrived as a world-class heroic tenor in this role debut as Calaf … His “Nessun dorma” showed a huge breadth of space, moving seamlessly from an intimate whisper to a hall-filling embrace … his highs beautifully rode the crest of the orchestral wave. Strutting across the stage in a way completely unbefitting a stranger in a strange land, Jagde presented Calaf as a flawed hero whose overconfidence and bravado could cause him, at worst, to abandon his humanity.”  – John Masko, Parterre

Photo: Cory Weaver  / SFOpera