The emblematic opera by Giacomo Puccini, Turandot, will be the work that opens the 39th Opera Season at the Teatre Principal in Palma. The performances are scheduled for the 21st, 23rd, 25th, and 27th of October, with an additional performance on Monday, 21st October at 8 p.m., due to high demand for tickets.

The presentation event for the new season was attended by Antònia Roca, First Vice President of the Consell de Mallorca and Councillor for Culture and Heritage; Pedro Vidal, General Director of Culture for the Govern de les Illes Balears; and Miquel Martorell, Managing Director of the Teatre Principal. Also included the artistic team responsible for the production.

Turandot at the Teatre Principal de Palma

A high-level production

This new production of Turandot at the Teatre Principal will be directed by Alessandra Premoli and musically directed by Giuseppe Finzi. The cast features international talents, led by the renowned British soprano Catherine Foster, who has shone in the role of Turandot at the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Alongside her will be distinguished artists such as Alejandro Roy (Calaf), Marta Bauzà (Liù), and Byung Gil Kim (Timur), accompanied by the Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears and the Cor del Teatre Principal, conducted by Francesc Bonnín.

A Musical and scenic legacy

The production is also notable for its careful restoration of the historic costume from 1993, created by the Mallorcan Maria Miró, and the innovative set design by Nathalie Deana. Additionally, Antonio Castro will oversee the lighting and Joan Taltavull the choreography, completing a high-calibre artistic team.
Turandot is a work that tells the story of a Chinese princess who imposes deadly riddles on her suitors. Although Puccini was unable to complete it before his death, the version to be presented is the integral one finished by his collaborator Franco Alfano. This will be the first time the audience will enjoy the complete ending in the Teatre Principal’s season.

Interestingly, many of the melodies that inspired Puccini originate from an old Chinese music box. The Teatre Principal, in collaboration with director Alessandra Premoli, has conducted research on this box, which was believed to be lost and was rediscovered in Turin last summer, belonging to the Giotti family.

Complementary activities

The Teatre Principal has also scheduled parallel activities, such as the conference “Turandot: beyond the Nessun dorma” with Pere Estelrich on 13th October and the family show “1, 2, 3 Turandot” by Anna Pedrazini on 24th and 26th October.

The 39th Opera Season of the Teatre Principal, sponsored by Meliá and in collaboration with the Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears, will continue with the presentation of “Dido and Aeneas” by Henry Purcell in February, an Easter Concert in April, and “Don Pasquale” by Gaetano Donizetti in June. Miquel Martorell, Managing Director, has stated that this production will be “a celebration for our audience, a magical title that marks the beginning of a new lyrical chapter at the Teatre Principal.”