Understanding Puccini: Turandot

Throughout these five sessions we will delve into Puccini's creative career within its historical context. Through auditions and examples at the piano, we will be able to understand the keys to his operatic compositions. In addition, we will learn about the reception that his music has had in Spain and, especially, at the Teatro Real. Finally, we will dedicate two sessions to the study of Turandot, delving into the genesis of the opera, the treatment of the characters, the harmonic language, the role of the chorus and the creative possibilities of Act III, which he left unfinished.  

About the course

For a long time Puccini was a composer adored by the public and reviled by the "academy". In recent decades this has changed, thanks to research that has revealed his musical and dramatic intelligence, which makes him one of the most authentic and fundamental personalities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Puccini is much more than a good melodist and through this course we will be able to delve into key aspects related to his ability to create operatic characters, his orchestration, the treatment of harmony or his effective creation of dramaturgy, which will have such an influence on film music. We will discover all this through the analysis of his operatic legacy, through the guided viewing of key fragments and the piano performance of detailed examples, showing his evolution over the years and culminating with Turandot, the opera to which we will dedicate the last two sessions of the course. We will also discuss the reception of this composer in Spain and the impact he has had on the programming of the Teatro Real throughout the 20th century. 

About the professor

Irene de Juan Bernabéu is a pianist and musicologist, passionate about musical research and dissemination. She currently directs and presents the program "Capriccio" on Radio Clásica and performs the Bienvenida 2.0 programs of the National Orchestra and Choir of Spain. In addition, she is a professor of the Degree in Musicology at the Alfonso X el Sabio University and has given courses and lectures at institutions such as the Teatro Real, the International University of La Rioja, the Menéndez Pelayo International University and the Fundación Orquesta y Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid.  

When and where?

31st of May 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th of June, from 19:00 pm to 21:00 pm.  

Gayarre Hall and Orchestra Hall at Teatro Real  

Practical Information

Prices: 175€ general public / 150€ season ticket holders / 140€ Amigos del Real; 125€ Young people up to 35 / 110€ Amigo Joven and Plus (*)  

*Note: please take the summary receipt of your purchase with you when you go to the Teatro Real. You will obtain it once your purchase is complete or from your customer account.   

At the end of the course, a diploma will be awarded.  

Further information: cursos@teatroreal.es

Cancellation and return of registration policy