Turandot

Turandot is one of my favorite operas, and I have seen live performances on several occasions. I wanted a copy of my own on VHS, and at the time (about ten years ago) this was the only one I could get ... I'm seriously considering replacing it with the 1987 version with Eva Marton and Plácido Domingo. This is a well done production, but it's performed in a large stadium, and the acoustics ruin it ... the performers are so far apart, and so far from the orchestra, that they are badly out of sync. There is a very short duet in which Turandot sings, "The riddles are three, death is one!" while the prince sings, "The riddles are three, life is one!" ... it's painful to hear how out of sync they are because of distance and the echoes. On the bright side, Ping, Pang, and Pong are delightful, stealing every scene they're in!