Jackie Chan to Direct New Production of Puccini's Turandot

Actor and martial artist Jackie Chan will direct his first opera, a production of Turandot, this summer at the 72nd Puccini Festival at Torre del Lago, Italy.

Turandot will be performed July 17 and 24 and August 1 and 9, with a cast of international singers including Roberto Alagna (July 17).

Chan, known for films like Rush Hour and Rumble in the Bronx, will introduce martial arts into the storytelling as a means of emotional expression. Each character will be given a warrior incarnation to represent their inner strength and desires.

Joining Alanga on July 17 are Anna Pirozzi, Andrea Vittorio De Campo, and Aleksandra Kurzak. Others casts will include Angela Meade, Michele Pertusi, Gregory Kunde, Ermonela Jaho, Olga Maslova, Brian Jagde, Pretty Yende, Andrea Vittorio De Campo, and Rosa Feola.

Before its premiere at the Puccini Festival, the production tour in China, playing in Guangzhou, Xiamen, and Chengdu.