Download Turandot

M8U2
The universal language
How much do you know about music?
●
music: classical music, pop music, folk music, swing
music, blues, jazz, rock and roll, rap, opera…
●
people related to music:
musician, singer, composer, pianist, violinist…
●
musical instruments: guitar, piano, violin, drum,
trumpet…
Zhang Yimou.
Have you seen any of ZhangYimou’s
films?
What else has Zhang Yimou
directed besides films?
M8U2 READING
A r_____
review
of an opera
Check answers
Answers
A 1 Turandot is an opera that tells the story of a coldhearted Chinese princess, named Turandot, who lives
in the Forbidden City. To avoid marriage, she says that
any potential husband must answer three riddles
correctly or die.
2 Giacomo Puccini wrote the opera. The final scene
was completed by Franco Alfano, one of his students,
based on Puccini’s notes after he died.
3 It was performed outdoors.
As a review of an opera
What can you predict
will be included in the
review?
Reading strategy:
Reading a review of an opera
How is a review of an opera usually organized?
background
information
•the
background
information
of the
opera
It
usually
starts with some________________________.
It
goesbrief
on to__________________.
talk about theofstory
•the
description
the story
Then it gives some other important information such
•the
information
about the performance
the
actors’ names
as___________________.
evaluation It may include lots of
Finally it gives an____________.
•thedescriptive
writer’swords
evaluation
that reflect feelings .
very______________________________________
Fast-reading : match paragraphs with
related information
•the background information
of the opera
para.
(2,4,5,6&7)
•the brief description
of the story
para.1
•the information about
the performance
para.
(3&8)
Detailed-reading :
para.1
•the background information
of the opera
para.
(3&8)
•the information about
the performance
para.
(2,4,5,6&7)
•the brief description
of the story
Let’s read for
•the background information of the opera
• The writer:
(para.1)
an Italian composer
Giacomo Puccini
• The place where the story happened:
in Beijing’s Forbidden City
Let’s read for
•the information about the performance
(para.3&8)
• the setting:
• the director:
• the conductor:
• the main actors and actresses:
the setting:
in the Forbidden City in Beijing
Q1. Why does the writer think that the
Forbidden City is a good setting for
Turandot?
Q2. What were used as a stage curtain in
the performance?
Q3. What were used to announce the start
of the opera?
Let’s read for
•the brief description of the story
(para.2,4,5,6&7)
•Main characters of the story
•The development of the plot
•Try to retell the story
• Main characters of the story:
Turandot --- a Chinese princess
Calaf --- a prince
Liu --- Calaf’s father’s slave
Turandot
The story takes on
love triangle
a classic _____________
Calaf
Liu
The development of the plot
1. Turandot is the story of a warm-hearted
Chinese princess.
2. Calaf sees Turandot for the first time and
falls in love.
3. Anyone who wants to marry Turandot must
answer three riddles or be driven away.
4. Turandot is glad when Calaf answers the
questions correctly .
5. Turandot does not have to marry Calaf if she
can guess his name by sunrise .
6. Liu is threatened and terrified by Calaf
because she knows his name .
7. Liu kills herself by using her own sword.
Group work: (work in pairs)
Imagine you were Turandot (Calaf /
Liu), and then tell your story to others
in the first person.
For example:
I am Turandot , a princess in China. I
don’t want to……
The plot?
Calaf
being tortured
kills herself
Liu
Turandot
desperate to know
threatens & terrifies
win her affection; get married
The ending:________________________
•Let’s read for the writer’s evaluation
The descriptive words that reflect feeling
1. … was splendid. (line 3)
2. The opera …, which was so moving
that the audience fell silent. (line 32)
3. However, in this wonderful
production, … (line 47)
4. … the key components of this amazing
production (line 50)
Consolidation
Fill in the forms after the
Task-Based reading:
Main
Turandot—a Chinese 2_________；
princess
characters Calaf—a 3_______；Liu—Calaf’s
1________
prince
of the
slave
father’s young 4_______
story
Beijing’s 5_______________
Forbidden City
Setting
The story takes on the classic love
6________
triangle of the three main characters
Turandot, Calaf and Liu. 7______loves
Liu
Calaf, but Calaf has fallen in love with
8_______.
Because
Turandot
does
not
Turandot
Plot
want to 9 get______
married, she declares that
anyone who wants to marry her must
answer her three 10 _______.
riddles If the one
cannot answer these questions, he will
Director
12 ______________
Zhang Yimou
Zubin Mehta
13_________,
Conductor
an
internationally famous
conductor born in 14______.
India
Sharon Sweet—Turandot;
Barbara Hendricks—Liu; both
from 15______.
the USA Kristjan
Actors
Johannsson
form
16______—
Iceland
and
Calaf; other singers and
actresses
musicians from abroad and
17_______.
China
Different editions of Turandot
A discussion
Someone says the opera Turandot would be
a greater success if all the actors and
actresses were Chinese. Chinese would
perform better, because the story is set in
China.
Do you agree? Why or why not?
Homework:
1.Work in groups to talk about a Western or a
Chinese opera that you are familiar with.
( the writer; the main characters; the setting
and the plot … )
2. Try to write a review of an opera or a musical
performance.
(when and where; with whom; the director;
the conductor; the actors and actresses;
your evaluation…)