THE Puccini opera Turandot opened in Beijing to the sound of booing from the audience. It was nothing to do with the stage: indeed the singers were making some very pleasant sounds and the set and costumes looked suitably interesting.
But as soon as the house lights went out, the conductor bowed, and everything pointed to the beginning of what was to be an historic occasion, the camera crews became over excited.
Suddenly the bright television lights were shone on to the audience: important mainland officials blinked their eyes in bewilderment at being put into the spotlight and then the audience started to boo and hiss - at the camera operators as well as the other Chinese media personnel who were happily using flash cameras, and climbing all over the stage trying to get the best shots.
Barely cowed by the audience response, certainly unrepentant, the crew switched off the lights after a few minutes and went to investigate the possibilities of filming the action on the stage.
It was an historical moment for opera and that kind of start to the evening was almost symbolic: graphically illustrating that putting on Turandot in Beijing was no easy task.
For years opera promoters from all around the world have been itching to be the first to organise it.
After all, the idea of performing Puccini's popular opera about a cold-hearted Chinese princess in the city where it is set is almost irresistible.
