A Modern Setting of Turandot. I loved it, even though it rained!

Here's the Turandot set during the interval, all red and very formal.  The modern setting gave the performance a "Chairman Mao" feel, with the crowd of 75 officials all dressed in identical grey suits, white shirts, red ties, black rimmed glasses and with their shiny black hair combed back and greased against  their heads.  It  was  a very  militaristic affair, with Turandot as a large Valkurie like, sword wielding man hater.   She  questioned the Prince who gave her the correct answers to her riddles and, "Oh, dear" she had won herself a man and was not happy!  The Prince says he will leave her if she can anwser his question, "What is my name?"  He then sings the aria  "Nessun dorma" none shall sleep this night until they know my name.  As the Prince sang, a settled silence  overcame the audience, and we wallowed in the beauty of this well known music.  

I really enjoyed the stirring performance, but would like to see it in a more historical setting, with a beautiful Turandot.  For a Prince to fall instantly in love with an aggressive,  sword wielding, ice cold woman, she should have been really beautiful, worth dying for by instant execution.   "Black Widow" Turnadot did not suspend my disbelief, but overall it was a good, passionate production.

I read a synopsis last week, so could follow what was happening, but as I find with my music, I need to see and hear several different productions to get the most out of a work.   Whilst I love singing oratorio, I'm not particularly a lover of opera, and feel I should subject myself to the art, as Im sure I'm missing something.  I have recordings of operatic arias, but not in context.   They are wonderful and very emotional, and I do like passionate emotion, tradegy, comedy, love, hated, the full panoply of the human condition!

Below from right in wet weather gear sit: Monika, Ralph, Karin and Karl.  Donau their doggy is not an opera lover, so stayed at home.