The Turandot Project

Overview

In 1997, orchestra leader Zubin Mehta, long noted for his fondness for unusual and challenging projects, had an idea to stage a new version of Puccini's opera Turandot. While the opera is set in China during the Ming Dynasty, Mehta's desire was to stage a version that relied less on outmoded stereotypes and more on the realities of life in China during that period. Working with Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, Mehta staged an acclaimed new production of Turandot in Italy. A year later, Mehta and Yimou began an even...
See more details below
DVD (Wide Screen / Stereo)
$19.99
BN.com price
Other sellers (DVD)
  • All (10) from $11.89   
  • New (9) from $12.28   
  • Used (1) from $11.89   

Overview

In 1997, orchestra leader Zubin Mehta, long noted for his fondness for unusual and challenging projects, had an idea to stage a new version of Puccini's opera Turandot. While the opera is set in China during the Ming Dynasty, Mehta's desire was to stage a version that relied less on outmoded stereotypes and more on the realities of life in China during that period. Working with Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, Mehta staged an acclaimed new production of Turandot in Italy. A year later, Mehta and Yimou began an even more ambitious plan -- to bring their Turandot to China, where it would be performed with a massive cast of Italian and Chinese performers on an outdoor stage at the fabled Forbidden City. In The Turandot Project, documentary filmmaker Alan Miller captures the long and often difficult process by which Puccini's opera was brought back to the land that inspired it -- and the considerable culture shock both the Italian and Chinese artists suffered along the way. The Turandot Project was shown at the 2000 Toronto Film Festival.
Read More Show Less

Special Features

Additional rehersal footage; Director and cast biographies; Theatrical trailers
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Jason Clark
A mostly by-the-numbers, but still fascinating look at the mounting of a monumental, extremely costly production of the Puccini opera Turandot by famed Asian filmmaker Zhang Yimou, The Turandot Project is an intimate backstage documentary that offers an intriguing glimpse at the goings-on of the opera, a subject rarely ever touched by modern filmmakers. The feature isn't as rousing or spirit-lifting as Allan Miller's 1997 film Small Wonders (later remade as Wes Craven's Music of the Heart) and doesn't delve deeply enough into some of the more hot-button issues involved in staging live theater, but it more than adequately displays the passion behind such a project. Most interesting are its findings about the interpretation of opera across cultural boundaries and how equally headache-inducing and triumphant managing such a lavish production can be. The film is of especially high note to enthusiasts and fans of director Yimou, who offers both the headaches and the triumphs, but the feature is well-made and will appeal to a wide variety of individuals.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • Release Date: 5/28/2002
  • UPC: 795975102032
  • Original Release: 2000
  • Rating:

  • Source: Zeitgeist Films
  • Region Code: 1
  • Aspect Ratio: Vistavision (1.66:1)
  • Presentation: Wide Screen / Stereo
  • Sound: stereo
  • Language: English, Mandarin, Italiano
  • Time: 1:24:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 31,398

Cast & Crew

Technical Credits
Alan Miller Director, Editor
Allan Miller Director, Editor
Sonoko Aoyagi Bowers Co-producer
Tom Hurwitz Cinematographer
Barbara Robinson Co-producer
Walter Scheuer Executive Producer
Margaret Smilow Producer
Read More Show Less

Scene Index

Side #1 --
1. Zubin Mehta and Zhang Yimou [3:37]
2. The Beginning: Florence [3:40]
3. Blood and Barbarism [5:33]
4. Chinese Authenticity [3:30]
5. Operatic Suicide [5:02]
6. One Year Later: Beijing [5:43]
7. Barbara Hendricks and Zhang Yalun [4:24]
8. Sound and Staging [9:24]
9. The Pavilions [4:56]
10. Cultural Significance [3:59]
11. A Trio of Turandots [5:10]
12. Lighting and Gestures [8:28]
13. Public Dress Rehearsal [5:17]
14. Special Preview [4:08]
15. Gala Opening [5:57]
16. Road to Triumph [5:11]
Read More Show Less

Menu

Side #1 --
   Play Movie
   Chapter Selection
   Additional Footage
      Ping Pang Pong
      Act 1 Finale - Rehearsal
   Director and Cast Bios
      Zubin Mehta
      Zhang Yimou
      Allan Miller
   Theatrical Trailers
      The Turandot Project
      Little Otik
      Lumumba
      Water Drops on Burning Rocks
      Aimée & Jaguar
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
( 0 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously