Turandot sets itself in old Beijing (Peking), China, a long time ago. A stubborn princess is convinced men are out to break hearts, so she herself is terrified of love and turns down any suitor, even that of royalty. The first act opens with the execution of a prince that was offering his love. Her impossible standards consist of three questions, none of which can be answered. The set design is gorgeous and was excited to see Dragon Motif featured in the Hoffman Theatre Walnut Creek Dean Lesher Center for the Arts live performance, July 17, 2009. Set built by Festival Opera at the Willos Theatre Shop and Opera Birmingham contained: gold dragons, elmwood lattice panels, altar throne, dragon poles, tiled rooftops, flaming pearl medallions. Rebecca Sjowall was amazing as the character, Liu. Christopher Jackson as Calaf had a difficult task of filling the larger than life, Luciano Pavorotti’s, most famous aria, “Nessun Dorma”.

An aside, the Lesher’s, who brought art and culture to Walnut Creek (before it was home to Apple, Tiffany & Co., Barnes & Nobles), were a big customer of Rosewood House, their prime Orinda estate held a number of custom design furniture pieces and statuary from the collection of Rosewood House circa 1980-1990s.

Here are stage set images: