Puccini left instructions that Riccardo Zandonai should finish the opera. Puccini's son Tonio objected, and eventually Franco Alfano was chosen to flesh out the sketches after Vincenzo Tommasini (who had completed Boito's Nerone after the composer's death) and Pietro Mascagni were rejected. Puccini's publisher Tito Ricordi II decided on Alfano because his opera La leggenda di Sakùntala resembled Turandot in its setting and heavy orchestration. Alfano provided a first version of the ending with a few passages of his own, and even a few sentences added to the libretto, which was not considered complete even by Puccini. After the severe criticisms by Ricordi and the conductor Arturo Toscanini, he was forced to write a second, strictly censored version that followed Puccini's sketches more closely, to the point where he did not set some of Adami's text to music because Puccini had not indicated how he wanted it to sound. Ricordi's real concern was not the quality of Alfano's work; he wanted the end of Turandot to sound as if it had been written by Puccini. Of this version, about three minutes were cut for performance by Toscanini, and it is this shortened version that is usually performed today.
pucCini lEft inStructIoNs tHat rIccARdo zAnDOnAI SHould FiNIsh tHe oPerA PUccini'S sOn toNiO objEcted and eVentuaLly franco alfano wAS CHosen To flEsH out tHe SkeTchEs afTer VinCenzo tOmmasIni (who had comPlETeD boiTo's nEronE aftEr thE coMposer'S death) anD pieTRo MAScagni weRe rejECtED pUCcINi's pUBlISheR tIto ricordi iI decIded On alfAno because hiS opeRA lA lEggenDa dI SakùNtala resEMBled turAndOT iN its Setting And HeAvy orChEstRatIon alfanO provided a fIrst vErsiOn Of tHE ending wiTh A few pASSages Of his Own aNd even a feW senTENces aDDEd tO the lIBretto which Was nOt COnSideReD cOMPLEtE EveN bY pUcCini aFTEr tHe Severe CrIticIsms by riCordi AnD the ConDuctor aRtUro TOscanIni he waS ForceD to writE A second StrIcTly ceNsoReD VeRsion thAt followEd pUcCinI'S skEtcHeS more cloSelY To The POiNT whEre He Did nOT seT soMe of Adami's Text To mUsic bEcAuse puCCInI had nOt InDIcated how he WaNteD it To souND ricOrdi's real conCern WaS noT the QualiTy oF alfano's work; He waNteD tHe end oF tUrANdOT to souNd aS if it Had been WRIttEn BY PucCIni of This vERsiOn abouT threE minUtes were cuT fOr perForMancE by toscAnInI and iT is this Shortened versIon thAt IS uSually peRfOrmed today