Seattle Opera's Turandot

My seats are just off-center from front row, center, at the Seattle Opera and sometimes I air my personal critical comments about performances. A quick look at some of my previoue opera posts might shed some light on this. (Many years ago, for example, I was SO disappointed to see sopranos the size of barges portrayed as fifteen-year-old maidens. It was just too much to accept!) However, I went to Seattle Opera's Turandot last night (Wednesday, 8/8...my birthday) and was astounded!

This was the most wonderful performance I have ever seen at Seattle Opera. 

Palombi was just short of Pavarotti as Calaf. To me, the entire experience rests on one aria...Nessun Dorma. It was spectacular.

Liu (Grazia Doronzio) was...as good as it gets.

Lori Phillips as Turandot was wonderful.

The staging was magnificent.

The dancing was wonderful.

Asher Fisch is a wizard.

Every part played by every other performer was strong!

The chorus and all the extras would have been sufficient with no leading performers. (I just took my hat off to Beth Kirchoff.) Briefly, I was in the Seattle Opera chorus and I have seen the efforts required from her. It was truly...artistic perfection!

Okay...nothing is perfect. I have to dig REALLY deep though. Sometimes it seemed there were just too many people on stage (no big deal, really). Now...something completely stupid...it takes a while to adjust to watching Antonello Polombi singing from the side of his mouth. 

Many years ago (in the eighties, I think), Seattle Opera performed the same opera. This was long before I finally landed my front row seats. At that time, I was anxious to hear the tenor's Nessun Dorma and was completely let down. I could barely hear the guy. It was awful! 

Seattle Opera's Turandot was...was...perfect and I was blessed to have the opportunity to experience it.