Time and Date: 7:30pm, Aug. 5-7, 2011
Place: NCPA, Beijing (Location)
Tel: 6655-0000
Tickets: 160-880
Booking at: http://en.piao.com.cn/beijing/ticket_4217.html

A stage photo of the NCPA's production of Turandot. [Photo: NCPA]

Various versions of Turandot have been performed in China including the most famous production directed by Zhang Yimou at the Forbidden City in 1998. The NCPA's version of Turandot features a lavish production with gorgeous costumes, elaborate settings, well-known international stars and Chinese young composer Hao Weiya.

Turandot depicts a love story of mystery. Turandot is a most beautiful Chinese Princess with a cold heart. She stipulates that any prince seeking to marry her must answer three riddles - and if he fails, he will be sentenced to death.

After three poor princes unfortunately lost their lives, Calaf, the prince of Tartary who is in exile in China, smitten with the princess's beauty, determines to win her as his bride and answers all the questions correctly.

However, Princess Turandot refuses to accept defeat. Calaf generously offers Turandot a riddle of his own: if she can learn his name by dawn, he will forfeit his life. Princess Turandot captures the father of the prince and his maid Liù and extorts a confession from them by torture. Liù kills herself to keep the secret. Liù's death gives coldhearted Turandot a great shock.

A stage photo of the NCPA's production of Turandot. [Photo: NCPA]

At dawn, Turandot still has no idea of the prince's name. Calaf makes Turandot forced to kiss him and melts her icy heart and finally tells her his real name. Yet Princess Turandot does not announce the prince's real name, on the contrary, she announces to the public that she will marry the prince and his name is Love.