Unit Two

Lead-in

•What’s a review? A review is a report or an essay giving some information as well as some opinion or ideas about a book, performance, a painting or something similar.

Reading strategy: Reading a review of an opera

• What should we pay attention to while reading a review of an opera?

1. A review of opera usually starts with some background information.

2. The review can give some important such as the actor’s names and finally an evaluation.

3. The review may include lots of very descriptive words that reflect feelings.

reading:•1. Read for the structure of the review.

•2. Read for the background information

of the opera and performance.

•3. Read for the information about the

story

• 4.Read for the writer’s evaluation.

Read for the structure of the review.

fast-reading:

1. Background information about the opera and the performance.

2. A brief description of the story.

Paras. 1, 3, 7, 8, 9

Paras. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

• The writer:

• The setting:

• The director:

• The conductor:

• The main actors and actresses:

Careful reading :1.Read for the information about the opera and the performance.

Italian composer Giacomo Puccini and Franco Alfano

in the Forbidden City in Beijing

the well-known Chinese director Zhang Yimou

Zubin Melta

Sharon Sweet from the USABarbara Hendricks from the USAKristjan Johannsson from Iceland

• The main characters of the story:

• The place where the story happened:

• A brief plot of the story: C2

2.Read for the information of the story.

Turandot ---- a Chinese princessCalaf ---- a princeLiu ---- Calaf’s father’s young slave

cold-hearted

in Beijing’s Forbidden City

6-3-5-2-1-8-4-7

* The performance was splendid. (line 3)Read for the writer’s evaluation:

* The opera finishes with a beautifully-sung final duet, which was so moving that the audience fell silent. (line 32-33)

* However, in this wonderful production, … (line 47)

* … the key components of this amazing production (line 50)

Listening and comprehension• 1. Why does the writer think that the Forbidden City is

a good setting for Turandot?

A: Because she felt that she could almost feel the history.

• 2. What kind of person is Turandot?

A: She is cold-hearted.

• 3. What happened to the prince who could not answer the princess’s riddles?

A: He was killed.

• 4. What does Calaf say will happen if Turandot can guess his name by sunset?

A: She does not have to marry him.• 5. What has Turandot’s father promised her?

A: He promised to allow Turandot to choose her own husband.

6. How many times will Turandot be staged in the Fobidden City?

A: Eight.

• 7. Who took part in this performance of Turandot?

A: Turandot was played by Sharon Sweet from the USA, Liu was played by Barbara Hendricks from the USA and Calaf was sung by Kristian Johannsson form Iceland.

• 8. What were the key ingredients for the production of this opera?

A: The bringing together of the group of people from many countries, the music and the setting.