Zhang's hip-hopera hoopla

Ever since Zhang Yimou was invited to stage Turandot in Florence, Italy, in 1996, he has been fixated on this operatic gem. But the many productions he has undertaken do not vary much in concept and only slightly in execution. Yes, the venues change and the sets become larger and more extravagant, but what else?

In the holiday spirit of making things fun, I hereby propose a few more treatments that may bring in new audiences to an essentially elitist art form and offer some new takes on an old wives' tale.

Zhang could fuse opera and film with a blockbuster version resembling Hero, House of Flying Daggers or Curse of the Golden Flower. Gong Li is a perfect Turandot, with the radiance and imperial haughtiness to kill both royal princes and commoners alike. Who better to play Liu than Zhang Ziyi? She would be a slave girl who breaks millions of hearts. The pairing would once again set the tabloids ablaze and provide free publicity.