Zubin Mehta - Puccini : Turandot / London Philharmonic, Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Montserrat Caballe, Nicolai Ghiaurov, etc.(1972 Stereo)(2SACD)(Hybrid) - Import 2 SACD Hybrid Limited Edition

Credits:

Zubin Mehta

Description:

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of Puccini’s death. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the premiere. A legendary recording of the century featuring the finest cast and conductor! The third release in the Pavarotti Reissue & Remaster Series One of the world’s most beloved operas, Giacomo Puccini’s *Turandot*, premiered on April 25, 1926. This year, 2026, marks the 100th anniversary of its premiere. To commemorate this occasion, Decca is releasing a limited-edition deluxe edition of this opera recording as the third installment in the reissue series of Pavarotti’s Puccini works. Pavarotti had a deep connection with this opera; his 1972 recording of the famous aria “Nessun dorma” became synonymous with him after the BBC used it as the theme song for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Furthermore, this recording is highly regarded by critics and music lovers alike as the definitive version of the opera, featuring a stellar cast of singers. For this release, the recording has been newly remastered in high-resolution 24-bit/192kHz audio from the original master tapes. A lavishly designed, multi-language hardcover book with extensive content is housed in a cloth-bound deluxe hard case. It features a new, full-length essay by internationally renowned opera critic Roger Vines; contributions by Roger Vines and Catherine Cooper on Pavarotti, Sutherland, and Caballé respectively; a special essay by Decca’s rising star tenor, Freddy De Tomasso on his approach to the 21st-century Calaf, a reproduction of the original 1970s LP booklet containing the full libretto in four languages, as well as original session photos and previously unpublished images. Includes a collectible "Turandot" poster (A4 size) featuring a 1920s-style design. “Zubin Mehta, the conductor of Sutherland’s *Turandot*, excels at structuring the music and controls dynamics more effectively than anyone else. The London Philharmonic Orchestra brings a fresh sensibility to the score, and the John Aldis Choir is as proud and emotionally rich as the people of Beijing beloved by the Emperor. Perhaps inspired by none other than Peter Pears as the Emperor, they sing with an almost saintly purity, scornful of his entire barbaric conduct. “Luciano Pavarotti is inspired as Calaf, and Montserrat Caballé as Liu; Liu’s soft B-flat is the perfect response to Turandot’s fortissimo. Along with Tom Krause as Ping and Nikolai Gyaurov as Timur, this cast is exciting and full of promise, and every expectation is brilliantly fulfilled”—Gramophone “Sutherland delivers a deeply captivating performance, and Pavarotti offers an equally imaginative one. Mehta’s conducting is truly brilliant and dramatic.” — *The Penguin Guide* (Classical Recordings) *SA-CD Hybrid Disc* Universal Music/IMS