Ai Weiwei to Debut as Opera Director with Turandot in Rome

Ai Weiwei, the Chinese artist and activist known for his clashes with the Chinese government and his works on migration, will make his debut as an opera director with Giacomo Puccini's Turandot at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. The production runs from March 25 to April 5, 2020, with Ai handling direction, sets, and costumes. The opera is set in Beijing, Ai's hometown, and explores themes of division and cultural conflict. Ai stated the production will reflect his personal perspective, embedding contemporary cultural and political struggles into Puccini's story. He has a personal connection to the opera, having appeared as an extra in Franco Zeffirelli's production at the Metropolitan Opera in New York early in his career. The orchestra will be conducted by Alejo Pérez, a specialist in 20th-century repertoire. The cast includes sopranos Anna Pirozzi and Amber Wagner alternating as Turandot, and tenors Gregory Kunde and Arsen Soghomonyan as Calaf. Ai currently has an exhibition at the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in Düsseldorf, showcasing works from the last decade.