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Ai Weiwei's Turandot

Sponsored Project

  • Maxim Derevianko, Director
  • Marta Zaccaron, Producer
  • Christine La Monte, Producer
  • Frederic Malegue, Producer
An Asian man wearing a black shirt stands with his arms crossed in front of the balcony seating of an opera house

About the Project

AI WEIWEI’S TURANDOT follows Chinese revolutionary artist, Ai Weiwei, as he brings his artistic vision and iconoclastic activism to Puccini’s Turandot at the Rome Opera House during his directorial operatic debut, using the opera as a backdrop to address many issues that plague mankind including the Ukraine war, refugee crises, the Covid pandemic, and more. One hundred years later, the film shows not only that Puccini’s opera is still as vital and relevant as ever, but also according to esteemed choreographer, Chiang Ching - his life-long friend featured in the film, it is a reflection of Ai Weiwei’s life as well, and a fitting project for an artist known for his installations, sculpture and photography that denounce authority and champion human rights and freedom of expression.