Puccini‘s Turandot and 20th century orientalism

WHAT: RASBJ online discussion with Guiseppe Cuccia on Puccini’s Turandot, the most famous western opera set in China, followed by QA.

MORE ABOUT THE EVENT: Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot is the story of a blood-thirsty Chinese princess in old Beijing. We will learn how its composer, who never set foot on Chinese soil, learned about the Jasmine Flower tune via a Swiss watchmaker and turned it into one of the most popular arias in opera’s history. We will discuss how Puccini’s last opera, composed in 1924, reinforced the orientalist views prevailing in Western Europe at the time and why, despite the great success of Western opera in China, the PRC did not allow this opera to be shown until the late 1990s. You will hear excerpts from Turandot.

WHEN: June 17th, 19:00-20:00 Beijing Standard Time

WHERE: Online via Zoom

HOW MUCH:  Free and exclusively for members of RASBJ and of other branches of RAS.

HOW TO JOIN THE RASBJ: Email membership.ras.[email protected] or on Wechat add MembershipRASBJ. If you want to become a member (or, for PRC passport-holders, to become an Associate), Wechat your name, nationality, mobile number and email address plus the annual subscription amount (or, for Associates, the suggested donation) of RMB 300 for those resident in China, RMB 200 for those living overseas and RMB 100 for students. To learn more about the RASBJ, please go to www.rasbj.org

MORE ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Guiseppe Cuccia is currently consultant for western operas at the National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing; he is an Italian music expert with long experience in the world of opera.