Turandot Centenary II: Paris, London, New York & Buenos Aires. Recordings by participants 1928-1932.

2026 marks the Centenary of the Premiere of Puccini’s last opera, Turandot. In order to commemorate this, I’ve prepared a series of uploads bringing together all the recordings made by the singers who performed in either the Premiere or the first, second or third runs of the initial opera performances around the world, spanning from 1926 to 1932. The opera was given its premiere in almost every capital city in Europe, as well as in the Americas. Sadly, not all of the principals made records, but quite a few did. Recording equipment had even been set up during the second run of performances at La Scala in 1926 and, remarkably, two sides were recorded during an actual performance. Furthermore, I’ve also collected together recordings of artists who didn’t sing in the opera but did record music from it around the time of the Premiere, between 1926 and 1929, and I will upload those in an appendix. 1. PARIS — FRENCH PREMIÈRE OF TURANDOT, 2 April 1928 Venue: Palais Garnier, Paris Language: French French translation: Paul Spaak Conductor: Philippe Gaubert Stage director: Pierre Chéreau Sets and costumes: Drésa Turandot: Maryse Beaujon Calaf (Prince Inconnu): Georges Thill Liù: Marcelle Denya Timur: Armand Narçon Ping: Robert Couzinou Pang: Warnery Pong: Gilles Emperor Altoum: Charles Cambon Mandarin: Etienne Dalerant Conductor: Philippe Gaubert 00:00 - 04:57 RECORDING MARCELLE DENYA — Liù “Un si grand et secret amour” Act 3 “Toi, froide et fière statue” Act 3 Paris 1928 Columbia D 13048. L 1031/32 Orchestra conducted by Élie Cohen. French translation by Paul Spaak. 04:57 - 11:10 RECORDING GEORGE THILL: Recorded in Paris on 11 April 1928, only nine days after the official première. “Ne pleure plus, Liù” (Non piangere, Liù) Columbia matrix WL 1014-1. D13042 "Nessun Dorma" Milan 6 March 1929 Columbia D-41012 / D-14544. BX497-1A 2. LONDON — COVENT GARDEN, 5 JUNE 1927 PREMIERE - REVIVAL JUNE 1928 The premiere was with Scacciati, Merli and Sheridan but as I have already included the Scacciati and Merli recordings in Centenary I for the La Scala premier we will pass to the second run of performances which started in 1928. Turandot: Eva Turner Calaf: Aroldo Lindi Liù: Margherita Sheridan and Rosetta Pampanini — alternating Timur: Salvatore Baccaloni Ping: Ernesto Badini Pang: Giovanni Bassi Pong: Giuseppe Nessi Emperor Altoum: Hubert Parry Mandarin: Frank Mullings Conductor: Vincenzo Bellezza 11:10 - 16:40 RECORDING ROSETTA PAMPANINI: “Signore, ascolta!” — Liù “Tu che di gel sei cinta” — Liù (Columbia version not the earlier Fonotipia recording which appears in Centenary I) Recording: 1927, Milan Record: Columbia D 12548. B1377 Conductor: Lorenzo Molajoli with Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala 16:40 - 22:24 RECORDING: EVA TURNER: "In questa reggia" (this is the 2nd version of the aria made in London not Milan which was uploaded in Centenary I) Conductor Stanford Robinson London June 1928 Columbia 7636/7. D 1631 22:24 - 25:43 RECORDING BY AROLDO LINDI: “Nessun dorma” — Act III Milan 18 May 1928 Columbia D 12603 Matrix: WB 2001 NORTH AMERICA 3. UNITED STATES — NEW YORK Metropolitan Opera, 16 November 1926. The N.Y. premier took place less than seven months after the La Scala world première. Conductor: Tullio Serafin Turandot: Maria Jeritza Calaf: Giacomo Lauri-Volpi Liù: Martha Attwood Timur: Pavel Ludikar Ping: Giuseppe De Luca Pang: Angelo Badà Pong: Alfio Tedesco Emperor Altoum: Max Altglass Mandarin: George Cehanovsky (Regrettably Maria Jeritza did not record any music from Turandot) 25:43 - 30:52 RECORDING GIACOMO LAURI VOLPI: "Non piangere, Liù” Rome July 1946 HMV DB 6352. 2BA 5999-2 "Nessun Dorma" Milan 15 May 1942 Orchestra conducted by Mario Cordone HMV DA 5427. OBA 5033 After the opening, the Met performed Turandot repeatedly in New York through January 1927, and then took it on tour. The Met’s archive records performances in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Atlanta and Cleveland. SOUTH AMERICA 4. ARGENTINA — BUENOS AIRES The first South American performance of Turandot took place at the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, on 25 June 1926, exactly two months after the Milan world première. Conductor: Gino Marinuzzi Turandot: Claudia Muzio Calaf: Giacomo Lauri-Volpi Liù: Rosetta Pampanini Timur: Tancredi Pasero There was a second revival in 1929 with Rosa Raisa and a third in 1932 with Gina Cigna. ARGENTINA — 3rd Revival BUENOS AIRES, 1932 Gina Cigna — Turandot Francesco Merli — Calaf Isabel Magengo - Lui 30:52 - 37:18 RECORDING GINA CIGNA AND FRANCESCO MERLI Turin September 1938 EIAR orchestra conducted by Franco Ghione Cetra CB 20054 5. CHILE — SANTIAGO The Turandot première in Santiago took place in August 1928 at the Teatro Municipal de Santiago. Turandot: Lotte Burck Calaf: Antonio Cortis Liù: Laura Pasini 37:18 - 40:32 RECORDING ATONIO CORTIS: “Nessun dorma” Milan 19 September 1929, Milan HMV DA 1075. BM 1103-2 “Non piangere, Liù” Milan 23 September 1929 HMV DA 1075. BM 1110-2