Turandot – May 17 to 24, at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier LiveEvents May 17, 2014 3418 TURANDOT by Puccini Puccini’s last opera is his most impressive and most lavish. Larger-than-life characters, and voices that measure up to their excessiveness. A torrent of captivating melodies, starting with the immortal Nessun dorma. An international cast, including a favourite of Montreal audiences, the incredibly moving Hiromi Omura as Liù. Synopsis: Prince Calaf is in love with the cruel Princess Turandot. To marry her, he must solve three riddles, with a wrong answer resulting in his decapitation. With the help of his faithful servant Liù, Calaf will triumph, and love will melt the princess’s icy heart. Sung in Italian with French-English surtitles Production : Opera Australia PreOpera Talk: A 30-minute dynamic and “user-friendly” introduction to the performance. Hosted by musicologist Pierre Vachon, this get-together is like a journey into the heart of the work’s music and history, its libretto and its symbols, the production’s artists, etc. The PreOpera talks are held in French, with a brief summary in English. For tickets and information on the Turandot performances and PreOpera talks: www.laplacedesarts.com514-842-2112 or 1-866-842-2112