In one of the ‘made you look’ announcements in opera in recent months, it has been revealed that martial arts movie star Jackie Chan, 72, will direct his first opera, a production of Turandot for the 72nd Festival Puccini.

Running from July 17 to September 5 in Torre del Lago, the festival – held in the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini – is positioning the production as a landmark East-meets-West reimagining of the composer’s final masterpiece, one that celebrates its 100 birthday this year.

Jackie Chan at the Locarno Film Festival in 2025. Photo © Wikimedia Commons

Best known for his screen career, one that took him to Hollywood stardom in the 1990s with Rush Hour, Chan will fuse martial arts directly into the fabric of the opera, transforming movement into storytelling. Disciplines such as tai chi and kung fu will serve as emotional language, with each gesture and combat sequence reflecting the characters’ inner lives.

Italian conductor Marco Armiliato leads the production, with tenor Roberto Alagna heading an international cast. 

According to a China Daily report, the production will introduce “warrior incarnations” for each principal role – physical embodiments of their psychological...