Puccini: Turandot (Sung in English) Jane Eaglen

• Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924): Turandot: Act I:
• 1 People of proud Peking (Mandarin, Liu, The Unknown Prince, Chorus) 04:11
• 2 When all was lost (Timur, The Unknwon Prince, Liu, Chorus) 01:21
• 3 Sharpen the axe! (Chorus) 02:27
• 4 Is the moon never rising? (Chorus) 04:45
• 5 How young to die! (The Unknown Prince, Chorus) 05:27
• 6 Son, are you mad? (Timur, The Unknown Prince, Liu, The Prince of Persia, Chorus) 01:47
• 7 What do you want? Who are you? (Ping, Pong, Pang, Chorus) 01:54
• 8 Why so much noise? (Ping, The Unknown Prince, Pang, Pong, Timur, Chorus) 01:45
• 9 Nights without a gleam of starlight . . . (Pang, Pong, Ping, The Unknown Prince, Timur, Chorus) 02:35
• 10 I beg you, hear me (Liu) 02:29
• 11 Don't cry for me, Liu (The Unknown Prince, Liu, Timur) 02:07
• 12 Ah! How can you ignore us? (Timur, Liu, The Unknown Prince, Ping, Chorus) 02:36
• Act II:
• 13 Scene 1: Hallo Pang! Hallo Pong! (Ping, Pong, Pang, Chorus) 03:10
• 14 Scene 1: I've a house in fair Honan (Ping, Pang, Pong, Chorus) 04:11
• 15 Scene 1: Do you remember when the Royal Prince of Samarkand came? (Pong, Pang, Ping, Chorus) 05:17
• 16 Scene 2: With the three enigmas ready (Chorus) 04:26
• 17 Scene 2: I am the pris'ner of a ghastly promise (The Emperor, The Unknown Prince, Chorus) 04:20
• 18 Scene 2: People of proud Peking! (The Mandarin, Chorus) 01:50
• 19 Scene 2: Within this Palace a story lives forever (Turandot, Chorus) 02:38
• 20 Scene 2: O Princess who in caravans of splendour (Turandot, The Unknown Prince, Chorus) 03:24
• 21 Scene 2: O stranger, now listen! (Turandot, The Unknown Prince, The Emperor, Liu, Chorus) 07:54
• 22 Scene 2: Emp'ror and father! Son of Heaven! (Turandot, The Emperor, The Unknown Prince, Chorus) 03:01
• 23 Scene 2: Three enigmas that you asked me (The Unknown Prince, The Emperor, Chorus) 04:18
• Act III:
• 24 Scene 1: The Princess Turandot commands (Chorus) 03:18
• 25 Scene 1: None shall sleep now! (The Unknown Prince, Ping, Pong, Pang, Chorus) 03:30
• 26 Scene 1: These girls should please you! (Pong, Pang, Ping, The Unknown Prince, Chorus) 04:07
• 27 Scene 1: How pale you look, O stranger! (Turandot, The Unknown Prince, Liu, Ping, Timur, Chorus) 03:18
• 28 Scene 1: Yes, I love him so deeply (Liu, Turandot, Ping, The Unknown Prince, Chorus) 03:21
• 29 Scene 1: You who with ice are shrouded (Liu, The Unknown Prince, Chorus) 02:58
• 30 Scene 1: Liu!. . . Liu!. . . Wake up! (Timur, Ping, Pong, Pang, Chorus) 04:49
• 31 Scene 1: Deathly Princess, so heartless! (The Unknown Prince, Turandot) 03:24
• 32 Scene 1: What have you done? (Turandot, The Unknown Prince, Chorus) 03:15
• 33 Scene 1: I never wept before (Turandot, The Unknown Prince / Calaf) 04:47
• 34 Scene 2: Glory to our Emp'ror! (Turandot, Chorus) 03:32
• Total Runtime 01:58:12

Info for Puccini: Turandot (Sung in English)

The Turandot discography is not enhanced by either of these new recordings. The Chandos issue is of interest primarily because it is sung in English (for those who desire this - I do not) and because it features one of the leading dramatic sopranos of our time, Jane Eaglen, in the title role. On some of her recordings (particularly The Flying Dutchman and Tannhäuser, Strauss's Four Last Songs) she has disappointed—fortunately she is in better form here, particularly in the upper register. There's little characterization, but she does hit the notes, an achievement in itself. Dennis O'Neill's Calaf is adequate, little more; Mary Plazas is an effective Liu who is able to spin out those treacherous soft high notes. An historic plus is participation of one of the fine tenors of the past half-century, Nicolai Gedda, who adds distinction to the role of Emperor Altoum. The choruses and orchestra are superb under David Parry's knowing direction, and we have the usual resonant, wide-range Chandos sound—including the biggest organ to be heard in any recording of the opera. A complete English libretto is provided.

"The glory of the Chandos set of Turandot is not just the spectacular, wide-ranging sound, bringing out details never heard before, but the singing of Jane Eaglen in the title-role, and here the voice is recorded with a satisfying firmness and precision apt for the icy princess." (Penguin)

"Eaglen is magnificent as Puccini's eponymous anti-heroine in a fine addition to the Opera in English series." (Gramophone)

"Even more compelling is Jane Eaglen's magnificent and memorable account of the title role - emotional dramatic and musically incisive." (Classic FM Magazine)

"The glory of the new Chandos set is not just the spectacular wide-ranging sound, bringing out details never heard before, but the singing of Jane Eaglen in the title role." (The Guardian)

Jane Eaglen, soprano (Turandot)
Nicolai Gedda, tenor (Emperor Altoum)
Clive Bayley, bass (Timur)
Mary Plazas, soprano (Liu)
Peter Wedd, tenor (Pong)
Philharmonia Orchestra
David Parry, conductor

Jane Eaglen
has enjoyed one of the most formidable reputations in opera for the past two decades. Her performances of roles such as Isolde in Tristan und Isolde, the title roles in Puccini’s Turandot, Bellini’s Norma, and Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, Brünnhilde in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen have earned her acclaim on stages of the leading opera houses of the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Teatro alla Scala, Vienna State Opera, and l’Opera National de Paris.

Other notable roles in her repertoire include the title roles of Tosca (English National Opera as well as in Argentina, Australia, and Japan), La Gioconda (English National Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago), and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni (Bavarian State Opera, English National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, etc.), Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera (Paris and Bologna).

She has appeared with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic conducted by Zubin Mehta (“Immolation” Scene from Götterdämmerung and the final scene from Strauss’s Salome), Chicago Symphony conducted by Daniel Barenboim (Strauss’s Four Last Songs), Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bernard Haitink (“Immolation” Scene from Götterdämmerung), Orchestra of Santa Cecilia conducted by Daniele Gatti (Verdi Requiem), Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 conducted by Klaus Tennstedt, Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder conducted by Claudio Abbado for the Salzburg and Edinburgh Festivals, plus concert performances of Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung with the Gurzenich Orchestra of Cologne conducted by James Conlon.

Eaglen’s extensive discography includes a number of solo albums for Sony Classical: “Arias by Wagner and Bellini:” “Arias by Strauss and Mozart;” “Strauss’ Four Last Songs” (which includes Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder and Berg’s Seven Early Songs), and “Italian Opera Arias.” The complete recording of Wagner’s Tannhäuser conducted by Daniel Barenboim for Teldec earned her a Grammy Award. She may also be heard in recordings of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 conducted by Riccardo Chailly for Decca, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 conducted by Claudio Abbado for Sony Classical, Tosca for Chandos, Norma conducted by Riccardo Muti for EMI, and the title role in Medea in Corinto for Opera Rara. Her voice is also featured on Sony Classical’s soundtrack for the film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.

While continuing to perform, she is active as a teacher. In addition to her new full-time teaching role at NEC, she is cofounder and artistic director of the Wagner Intensive summer program held at Baldwin-Wallace University Conservatory of Music. She has also served as Senior Artist in Residence at the University of Washington School of Music, Principal Vocal Instructor for the Young Artist Program of the Seattle Opera, teaches periodically at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice, and returns annually to teach and mentor young artists for the Merola Program at the San Francisco Opera.

This album contains no booklet.