Puccini’s Turandot is set in ancient China, and the words sung by the characters refer to this setting. However, our production is re-imagined in the Triad-dominated New York Chinatown of the 1920s and 30s. This is because of the similarity that exists between ancient civilisations such as China where there was immense brutality towards the people and the suppression of human rights, and a more modern, gang-dominated culture.
There is little difference, therefore, between the Emperor and the Triad boss. Turandot, the Emperor’s daughter, translates just as well into our setting as the spoiled powerful daughter of the gangster father who feels hatred and resentment towards men, Chinese or Caucasian, who brutalised her ancestor. Our hero, Calaf, then becomes not a Prince, whose father’s kingdom has been vanquished, but perhaps the heir of another Triad family who have lost a battle for power.
The character of Liu is a universal one who needs little definition as she is the soul of the piece. The Mandarin, along with Ping, Pang and Pong, are the henchmen who are the right hand men of both the Emperor of Puccini’s setting and the Triad boss of our interpretation. The people of Chinatown and the huddled masses of ancient China bear a similarity as they are powerless in the face of their persecutors.
