Last night, I witnessed the first of only eight (perform) of Giacomo Puccini's world-famous opera, Turandot, being performed in the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. ust imagine performing such opera in the Forbidden City —there could not be a more awesome setting! In the story, the emperor of China, Turandot's father, has promised to allow her to choose her own husband. In order to avoid marriage, she says that any potential husband must solve three riddles if he wants to marry her. Those cannot answer all three riddles will be condemned death. This means that few men would dare to ask for her hand in marriage. The story begins when a prince is killed for failing to solve her riddles. The emperor finds the death (disturb).
Shortly afterwards, another prince, Calaf, falls in love with Turandot at first sight and decides (solve) the riddles so that he can marry her. Meanwhile, Liu expresses her love for Calaf. Calaf answers the three questions. Turandot becomes very angry as she is unwilling to get
(marry). (see) this, Calaf says that if she can guess his name, she will not have to marry him. So Turandot demands that Calaf's father and Liu tell her Calaf's name or they (beat). Liu claims that she alone knows the name.(unfortunate), she chooses to kill herself. Calaf scolds Turandot for not being more merciful. However, he still loves her. At last, they unite in marriage.
