Bruce Alan Wilson wrote:

>In terms of plot, the story is of Love overcoming Death--what can be more
>exalted?

That sounds nice and noble, but is it apposite? The deaths of the
unsuccessful earlier suitors (who may also have felt love as did Calaf),
of Liu (whose love was genuine and unselfish), or even of Turandot's
ancestress were hardly overcome by what is supposed to pass for love
between Turandot and Calaf.

>Musically, it represents one of the first attempts in Western art music
>to adapt non-European elements.  (Puccini used several genuine Chinese
>melodies.)

I'll grant you "one of the first attempts".  I'm no scholar, but wasn't
there a work by Weber adapted by Hindemith in orchestral variations of
his own? But whatever the music's anthropological interest, how does that
determine the music's own quality? Actually, I wasn't faulting the music
entirely.  I just believed it to be over praised.  Simply my opinion.  Even
in comparison w/ Puccini's other works, I get much more enjoyment out of
the music in *Tosca* (and not just the arias), *La Boheme*, and *Butterfly*
than from *Turandot*.  And when I compare my reaction to *Turandot* to my
reactions to the masterpieces of Verdi, Mozart and Wagner, all that I find
worthy of consideration are Liu's arias, "Nessun Dorma", and the wistful
yearnings of Ping, Pang.

>It is also interesting that it, in many ways, in form it harkens back to
>the masque or mystery play.

There you have me.  Could you tell more? I always thought the medieval
mystery plays were religious.

Walter Meyer