The 18th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering (WCEE2024) is an important occasion for comparing and sharing innovations in the field of earthquake engineering, and it is also a unique and thrilling opportunity to immerse in moments of high cultural prestige. This includes the exclusive opening night on 1 July reserved solely for conference participants at the prestigious La Scala Theatre in Milan, where the grand opera Turandot by Giacomo Puccini will be performed.
A Prestigious Event
The opera, conducted by the esteemed maestro Michele Gamba and directed by the innovative Turin-based Davide Livermore, promises to be a truly captivating performance. Livermore, renowned for his groundbreaking and technologically advanced productions, revealed in a recent interview with the esteemed newspaper La Stampa that this new production of “Turandot” incorporates a revolutionary technology called ‘See-through’, a unique kind of tulle on which images are projected but through which one can also see. This innovative approach allows for the creation of new worlds and images that have never been seen before, making the work accessible and fascinating even for younger audiences, who are accustomed to a proliferation of images through mobile devices.
The Protagonists
World-famous artists will perform on stage, including Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov, and Rosa Feola. Their performance, combined with stage design by Eleonora Peronetti and Paolo Gep Cucco and lighting and video by Antonio Castro and the Turin studio D-Wok, promises to provide an unforgettable evening.
The Direction
Davide Livermore, interviewed by La Stampa, emphasised that his goal is to tell the stories Puccini wanted to convey, but with new technologies to create surprising visual effects. Livermore has a modern vision of opera, which he sees as bringing culture closer to a wider audience, including through television.
The story
“Turandot” is an opera in three acts composed by Giacomo Puccini, based on the theatrical fairy tale of the same name by Carlo Gozzi.
The opera is set in ancient Beijing and tells the story of Princess Turandot, a beautiful but cruel woman who subjects her suitors to three deadly riddles. Those who fail to solve them are executed. The story’s hero, Prince Calaf, falls in love with Turandot at first sight and decides to face the challenge despite the risk of death. With cunning and determination, Calaf manages to solve all three riddles.
Despite his victory, Turandot still refuses to marry him. In an act of audacity, Calaf offers Turandot a way out: if she can discover his name by dawn, he will accept death. After a night of tension and revelations, Turandot succumbs to Calaf’s true love and agrees to marry him, moved by his devotion.
The opera is famous for its majestic music and includes the famous aria “Nessun dorma”. “Turandot” explores themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption, offering an intense and moving performance.
Event Details
– Date: 1 July 2024
– Location: La Scala Theatre, Milan
– Opera: “Turandot” by Giacomo Puccini
– Tickets: Reserved for WCEE2024 participants
If you are among those attending the Conference, don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to enrich your experience at WCEE2024 with an evening of high culture and art.
(pic: Brescia and Amisano © Teatro Alla Scala)