The Italian composer Ferruccio Busoni never came closer to realising his aspirations than on 11 May 1917 at a double-bill performance of two of his operas in Zurich, which he himself called "La Nuova Commedia dell' Arte I (Turandot) and II (Arlecchino)". In the unusually short period between December 1916 and March 1917 Busoni reworked his existing incidental music for Gozzi's play Turandot into an opera. This was four years before Puccini started to work on the same subject. Although Arlecchino might initially seem to be of a lesser stature than Busoni's opera Doktor Faust, it is perhaps the composer's more significant work. The speaking hero of his theatralische Capriccio represents a role model that was more important to Busoni than that encapsulated in Doktor Faust, especially as World War II was proceeding.

‘Gerd Albrecht (so persuasive in unusual repertoire) conducts a spirited account of the work, attentive to both its smaller detail and its more majestic moments… A vivid, suitably atmospheric recording.’ – Gramophone on Turandot

Cast:

Turandot, a Chinese fable after Carlo Gozzi
- Altoum, the Emperor: René Pape
- Turandot: Linda Plech
- Adelma: Gabriele Schreckenbach
- Kalaf: Josef Protschka
- Barak: Friedrich Molsberger
- The Queen Mother: Celina Lindsley
- Truffaldino: Robert Wörle
- Pantalone: Johann Werner Prein
- Tartaglia: Gotthold Schwarz

Arlecchino, a theatrical caprice in one act
- Arlecchino: Peter Matic, Robert Wörle
- Ser Matteo Del Sarto: René Pape
- Abate Cospicuo: Siegfried Lorenz
- Dottor Bombastro: Peter Lika
- Leandro: Robert Wörle
- Colombina: Marcia Bellamy, Katharina Koschny