During the Los Angeles Dream Orchestra’s performance of Turandot, Golda Zahra as Liù, the enslaved character who expresses love and loyalty, stole the show.
By John Lavitt
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 08-17-2025
At the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the legendary stage hosted a hybrid performance of Puccini’s Turandot in Concert on August 16, 2025. Presented by the Pacific Music Festival under the direction of Artistic Director Daniel Suk, it was a night filled with drama and music at LA’s iconic venue.
With featured soloists performing and the chorus behind the orchestra, this opera was a semi-staged production. Featuring the Los Angeles Dream Orchestra, the Opera Chorus of LA, and the children’s choir from the Orange County School of the Arts, many performers had the chance to experience a main-stage performance.
From start to finish, this semi-staged performance was a powerful musical portrait that captured Puccini’s boldness, theatrical scope, and emotional depth. The story of Turandot often relies on extremes. The icy cruelty of Princess Turandot, played by soprano Nina Warren, contrasts with the intense passion of Prince Calaf, vividly portrayed by the powerful tenor Alfred Kim. Their performances embodied the grandeur and hyper-drama at the heart of the opera.
Soprano Golda Zahra, stepping into the role of the slave girl Liù, brought a grounded, human truth to the opera’s broad scope. Alongside the majestic bass of Andrew Potter as Timur, the deposed king of Tartary and Calaf’s blind father, Zahra made the story more relatable as she conveyed her desperate love for the ever-distant prince. Like Warren’s Turandot, Calaf is consumed by his proud romantic gestures that favor the perfume of imagination over a tangible reality.
As a character of devotion and quiet strength, Zahra depicts the beautiful humanity of Liù with care and passion. Her music rarely includes the triumphant bravura of Calaf’s famous “Nessun Dorma” or the mythical declarations of Turandot. Instead, Liù embodies a smaller yet more meaningful voice—the heartbeat of compassion and loyalty. Golda Zahra brought this role to life with radiant presence. Her voice soared while also expressing fragility, shaping phrases with the precision of a violinist.
In her pleading arias, Zahra infused every note with a sense of urgency. The audience sensed her devotion not as an abstract ideal but as genuine emotion. Her death, both heartbreaking and heroic, reminded everyone that the stakes of the opera are not only mythic but personal. Through her sacrifice, Puccini draws listeners closer to the real cost of love. Zahra’s interpretation captured this paradox beautifully. At the same time, the anguish of Potter’s Timur upon learning of her death was palpable.
The grandeur of the evening remained intact through the commanding performances. Nina Warren gave Princess Turandot regal strength and icy brilliance. Her voice cut sharply, almost metallic in its clarity, a sound ideally suited to the character’s unyielding resistance.
Alfred Kim, as Calaf, sang with burning conviction, creating a portrayal that combined vocal power with emotional depth. His presence filled the hall, especially during moments of defiance and desire. His voice is a powerhouse that dominates the stage.
Together, their performances drove the opera’s theatrical story arc. However, without Zahra’s human counterpoint, the story might have risked becoming too abstract. Her Liù made their triumphs and conflicts feel more real. Additionally, baritone Hyungjin Son, tenor James Callon, and tenor Robert Norman offered much-needed comic relief as Turandot’s clumsy and frustrated courtiers.
The LA Dream Orchestra, led by the accomplished conductor Daniel Suk, brought Puccini’s score to life with vibrant color and energy. Strings shimmered, and the percussion crackled with excitement. The Opera Chorus of LA, along with the children’s chorus, created the grandeur of a city’s voice, emphasizing the contrast between spectacle and personal sacrifice. The hall’s acoustics enhanced every detail, making the music feel both intimate and majestic.
Opera thrives on contrast. Sweeping myth requires the presence of a fragile human heart. On this night, Golda Zahra brought that heart to life. Her Liù stood out sharply against the thunder of Turandot and Calaf. With her voice, she offered the audience an anchor, a reminder that behind every legend is a single act of love.
The evening concluded not only with Puccini’s grandeur but also with Zahra’s touch of humanity. It reminded us that the power of opera lies just as much in a single voice of sacrifice as in the roar of an orchestra. With emotional depth and artistry, Zahra is a performer to watch in the future.
Photos by Victor Boghossian and Adrian Grand, Courtesy of the Pacific Music Festival
