Turandot

We saw ALO's Turandot yesterday. I liked the production, especially Ping Yu as the eponymous Ping and NaGuanda Miller as Piu. But the more I think about it, the less I like the plot of Turandot.

Here's my very short synopsis:

• The ice cold Chinese princess Turandot doesn't want to marry (an ancestress got ravaged by a barbarian, hence all men are bad™) -- any potential suitor must answer three riddles or lose his head.
• The Tartar prince Calaf arrives at the court and runs into his long lost (now blind and decrepit) father Timur who's accompanied by the slave girl Piu (who's, of course, in love with Calaf).
• Calaf sees Turandot at the beheading of the latest suitor, falls in love and wants to give it a shot. Naturally he solves the riddles.
• Turandot whines and whines, trying to get out of marrying the successful suitor but her father, the emperor, insists. Calaf gives her a chance, saying if she discovers his name by dawn, she can have him killed instead of marrying him.
• Turandot tries to find his name by any and all means. She finds out that the old man (Timur) and his slave girl know the stranger and has them tortured to get his name. Liu won't give out Calaf's name and commits suicide -- Timur lies down next to her and dies.
• Morning is approaching, Calaf kisses the princess (who just caused his father's death), and since she still doesn't want to marry him, tells her his name.
• Day breaks and Turandot says that the stranger's name is "love" and decided to marry him. Everyone is happy.