The present reworking of the tale is inspired by this theatrical story, by the version to which Puccini composed the music, by the reworking created by Bertold Brecht and by the joyful spirit of the famous staging by E.B. Vachtangov, Stanislavskij’s favourite pupil.

Five actors fill the space with movement, bringing to life a crowd of characters. But the performance has another important inspirational element, which is the Italian Bel Canto. Opera’s arias and romances (from Caldara to Gluck, from Puccini to Paisiello, etc.), sung by the same actors, weave themselves through the story realizing a marvellous sound mixture.

The story is well-known. Calaf, a foreign prince, is willing to give his life in order to conquer Turandot, the beautiful princess with a profound wisdom and an extraordinary cruelty who kills her inexperienced lovers. His journey is an initiatory one, the passage to a different stage of wisdom. The Prince starts his journey and eventually he fulfils his destiny. Is Calaf dreaming or is he awake? The spell is broken and he finds himself old.