“Fortunately, we have Kirk Eichelberger doing it, which is a real plus for us." Other than Kirk Eichelberger, performing as Timur, the vanquished king of Tartary, the cast includes Canadian soprano Othalie Graham in the title role that launched her professional career in 2004. “You have to have a real bass,” he continues. It’s a serious sing she has to have a lot of control. "Then you have Liù - which is more like a regular Puccini soprano, like a Butterfly - more like a Mimi really. The orchestration is very, very big - the fact we’re going to be able to do it with as many instruments as we’re going to is a real testament to our musicians and our conductors. What makes a Turandot such challenge? “First of all, you have to have a Turandot - and that’s not a voice that falls off a turnip truck. “It’s just a huge opera, and a very difficult piece to pull off.” “It’s the biggest thing Festival Opera has ever done,” says director David Cox, who previously helmed Rigoletto in 2004 for the company. The all-volunteer Festival Opera Chorus has been expanded to 75 (including 15 preteens). A national search for the principal roles came up with Christopher Jackson to play Calaf and soprano Rebecca Sjöwall for the role of Liù.
Indeed, the production, which has been two years in the making, promises to be the Festival Opera's most lavish in the company's 18-year history. The size of the piece and the enormous role of the chorus make it a challenge,” says Artistic Director Michael Morgan.
“It is somewhat unexpected when a small company like Festival Opera takes on a very grand opera like Turandot.
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