THE rumour mill had gone into overdrive over Opera North’s erstwhile music director, Aleksandar Markovic, newly appointed only last September, who had resigned and scarpered back home to Vienna in mysterious circumstances – just before final rehearsals for Turandot were due to begin. Enter Sir Richard Armstrong, archetypal safe pair of hands and doyen of Scottish and Welsh National opera companies in turn.

With barely a fortnight at the helm, he has poured oil on the troubled waters and restored more than a semblance of order. The evening was as much his triumph as anyone’s. The format for this Annabel Arden production of Puccini’s last opera was a “concert staging”, as promulgated for Wagner’s Ring over the last five summers. But this was more than a routine semi-staging. All that was missing was a proper set.

Even then there was a huge throne behind the orchestra, ten metres high and draped with a lengthy robe, no doubt awaiting a new prince. The cast were all costumed, more or less traditionally, by Joanna Parker; the three Masks were face-painted like clowns, so that they continually veered between comic and serious. No-one used a score, even the chorus and children’s choir seated in the bleachers under the organ case.

Armstrong was superbly bold in his gestures in a score that was cutting-edge in its day (1926) and is still in many respects modern. Almost inevitably in this tricky acoustic, he sometimes overstepped the mark and left his principals struggling for ascendancy, especially in Act 1. But the orchestra clearly relished his baton and he drew particular crispness from the brass.

York Press:

Orla Boylan as Princess Turandot in Opera North's Turandot

The greatest surprise among the principals was Sunyoung Seo as the slave-girl Liù, making her company debut. She transcended a slightly shaky start to deliver some really evocative moments: her pain over losing Calaf to Turandot was palpable. Orla Boylan was a majestic ice-maiden in the title role, making an affecting narrative of In questa reggia and hurling out defiance later. Her soprano has matured nicely over the years. Rafael Rojas was intermittently disengaged as Calaf, but rose to the occasion with Nessun dorma.

Alastair Miles made a noble Timur, while Bonaventura Bottone was surprisingly forthright as the ancient Emperor Altoum and Dean Robinson an eye-catching Mandarin in lime-green threads. The Masks – Gavan Ring, Joseph Shovelton and Nicholas Watts – sang cleanly enough, but their gesturing lacked co-ordination. The choir, on the contrary, reminded us of their importance as baying crowd, gesturing all the while.

So it’s back to the drawing board to find a new music director. In the meantime, this show and its stand-in conductor will suit very nicely.

Opera North will give further performances of Turandot at Leeds Town Hall on May 12, 7.30pm, and 14, 4pm, and on tour, including Hull City Hall, May 9, 7.30pm; more details at operanorth.co.uk