Exclusives
Ani Gutierrez
United Talent Agency gathered an exclusive crowd for a special look at ‘Ai Weiwei’s Turandot’, a fierce operatic reimagining that left the room buzzing with artistic praise.
United Talent Agency turned an ordinary Wednesday evening in Beverly Hills into an anticipated screening at the UTA Theatre, where a curated crowd gathered for an exclusive look at Ai Weiwei’s Turandot, a documentary capturing the Chinese artist-activist’s bold operatic debut.
Ai Weiwei, who’s globally renowned for transforming art into activism and fusing political resistance with fearless creativity, brought that same energy to the opera house. In this film, directed by Maxim Derevianko, Ai Weiwei’s vision unfolds as a visceral reimagining of Puccini’s Turandot, infused with the realities of war, displacement, pandemic fallout, and human fragility.
As the theatre dimmed and the first opera note rippled through the room, everyone fell into near silence, fully absorbed. The film held everyone’s attention as it gave a vivid look at Ai’s operatic journey at the Rome Opera House, landing with a room full of creatives and UTA insiders who came ready for something deeper than a standard industry screening.
When the lights lifted, Derevianko joined opera, film and theater director Peter Sellars for a conversation that immediately deepened the experience. They explored discussions about artistic activism, the political urgency behind the production, and the stakes of creating art in turbulent times. Then came the Q&A, before the audience nearly bypassed questions altogether and instead, offered their praise. Many throughout the crowd gave a thoughtful, emotional, and unprompted testament to how deeply the film landed.
The reception that followed unfolded with soft murmurings of admiration accompanied by champagne and small, sweet bites. Guests lingered, trading reflections on the rare clarity Ai Weiwei brings to any medium he touches.
As conversations thinned and glasses emptied, the room carried a remaining sense of clarity that seems to only come when art cuts straight through the noise. With UTA quietly steering the evening, it became a reminder that even a midweek screening can transform into something resonant when the right artist is at the center of it.
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