A new version of Giacomo Puccini's last masterpiece "Turandot" has made its debut in Beijing. Director Zhang Yimou has given it a modern look. The project marks a return to the Bird's Nest for Zhang, one year after he staged the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics.

The last masterpiece written, but not finished, by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini before his death, "Turandot" tells the story of a tyrannical Chinese princess who has suitors beheaded when they fail to answer her three riddles. Italian Soprano Raffaella Angeletti plays the merciless Princess Turandot, against the protagonist Prince Calaf played by Chinese tenor Dai Yuqiang. Italian conductor Janos Acs held the baton for the orchestra from China's National Opera House.

Helmed by director Zhang Yimou, and the creative team behind the Beijing Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, the new operatic production promises advanced concepts and modern approaches. Multimedia techniques will be used to create magnificent scenes. The world's largest video images, projected by 32 cine-projectors on a 1,000-square-meter screen is deployed to accommodate the audience at the gigantic venue.

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