Rebirth and Transfiguration of Chinese Opera in WesternOpera: Semiotic Analysis of the Chinese Operatic Elements in the 1987 Metropolitan Opera Production of "Turandot"

Abstract

”Turandot”, as the last unfinished masterpiece of Puccini and a sure guarantee of the office box for the opera house nowadays, has long been regarded as one of the most representative prime works of Orientalism. Initiated in the nineteenth century from the Oriental study, focusing mainly on North Africa and Western Asia, the term ”Orientalism” received a more comprehensive academic definition from Edward Said in 1978 with the publication of his book of the same title. Reflecting upon the western artistic and academic fantasy attitude toward objective interpretation of the East, a cultural side-product of European imperialism, Said insightfully criticized this scholarly, self-centered viewpoint. Long before Said's critique, however, such a trend of oriental fantasy inspired artistic creativity in western art, literature and music. Premiered at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy in 1926, ”Turandot” presents a perfect union of oriental exoticism in music and plot with occidental love pursuit in theme and ideology. On the operatic stage, the productions of ”Turandot” largely follow this westerncentered interpretative tradition toward the East to fulfill cross-cultural fantasy. Due to the plot setting in remote, ancient China, almost all contemporary opera directors, when it comes to ”Turandot”, apply numerous Chinese elements on the stage to create or enrich the oriental atmosphere according to western tastes and interpretation. And one of the most distinguished Chinese characteristics commonly utilized in various productions is Chinese opera. Unlike the western theatrical tradition, Chinese opera is renowned for its rich heritage of symbolic, stylized theatrical language, especially in makeup, costume and movements, from which these opera directors draw inspiration applied in ”Turandot” to create Chinoiserie. In this research the 1987 Metropolitan production, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, of ”Turandot” will be cited for discussion. The main focus of this analysis is to investigate: 1. What are the directors' choices of Chinese operatic elements in these productions and what is their intention in utilizing these elements? 2. How do the directors integrate these elements into the performance to create the intended theatrical effects and to present their interpretation of ”Turandot”?