Turandot 2019-20 – Gran Teatre del Liceu©A Bofill

The groundbreaking staging of Turandot by Franc Aleu and with the musical direction of Josep Pons opens the season of the 20th anniversary of the Gran Teatre del Liceu. This new production is full of visual metaphors and makes use of the latest technologies: motion scenery, virtual reality, collaborative robots and costumes of LED lights.

On October 7, 1999, the Gran Teatre del Liceu reopened after the fateful fire with the Turandot directed by Núria Espert. Exactly twenty years later, the Teatre del Liceu reopens season with this unfinished opera by Puccini, a high tech, futuristic and poetic production by Franc Aleu and with the musical direction of Josep Pons. A world premiere that will gather from October 7 to 25 some of the best voices of the moment, led by Iréne Theorin, Lise Lindstrom, Jorge de León, Gregory Kunde, Ermonela Jaho and Anita Hartig among many others. 

From the genius of Franc Aleu, this spectacular ‘high-tech’ proposal is born full of visual metaphors and that uses the latest technologies to flood the scene of colors, textures and video creations: cobots (collaborative robots of Universal Robots), 3D technology, avant-garde audiovisual …

A large pyramid presides over the scenic space emulating the throne of the emperor and home of Turandot. An impressive rotating structure with six blocks of scales and crowned by two robotic arms that serves to create an allegory of power and contemporary society in its most morbid obsessions: the interference in the private lives of others, the lynching show and the fascination with social control mechanisms … “A world created to catch us like flies and create an irresistible addiction,” says Aleu.

Turandot 2019-20 – Gran Teatre del Liceu©A Bofill

The three acts share the same scenery, but it changes in each scene, “like who changes the screen in a video game,” says Aleu. A virtual world that has been possible thanks to a luxury team formed by  Susana Gómez, scene co-director, the scenic space of Carles Berga, the changing room full of technological details such as Wi-Fi led lights by Chu Uroz and the complex lighting system of Marco Filibeck. 

The last opera that Puccini composed and, in fact, left unfinished, will be one of the challenges of the season for the Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of the Liceu, which for this occasion will have 95 members in each formation. In front, Josep Pons will face this opera (with the end that Franco Alfano created) that he describes as “delicate, rich and beautiful” and that is full of great musical moments like the one that stars Turandot in the second act with his most demanding aria and powerful “In questa reggia”, a real roller coaster of high-pitched treble or Liù’s final cry before taking his own life in the third act with “Tu che di gel sei cinta”. But without a doubt the climax is what is probably the most famous aria in the world, the “Nessun dorma” of Calaf in the third act.  

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Virtual reality

With the intention of spreading the opera and making it go beyond the walls of the theater, the Gran Teatre del Liceu He will offer to live the experience Turandot to the visitors of L’illa Diagonal through the virtual reality glasses that Franc Aleu has conceived so that the public can enter the opera. An immersive experience that will allow you to virtually step on the scenery while listening to the famous “Nessun Dorma”.

Turandot 2019-20 – Gran Teatre del Liceu©A Bofill

Liceu under 35

El Gran Teatre del Liceu again deplete more than 1,800 entries for the third edition of the ‘Liceu under 35’, the project aimed exclusively at young people under 35 who attend on October 5 to premiere of the show Turandot Giacomo Puccini at a single price of 15 euros. It will be an integral musical experience that after the show will hold a post-opera party with DJ session and food stand area. This initiative adds to the new pricing policy Liceu to attract young audiences, which allows children under 35 to attend any season title for only 30 euros.