Nessun dorma

The aria is sung by Calaf - the Unknown Prince. He falls in love at first sight with the beautiful but cold-hearted Princess Turandot. But in order for any man to marry her, he must answer her three riddles - execution befalls any man unable to do so!

In Act 2, Calaf successfully answered Princess Turandot's three riddles, but she still refuses to marry him. He therefore offers himself to execution if she can find out his name by dawn - if she cannot, then she must promise to marry him.

She agrees, and decrees that nobody in her kingdom can sleep until they have discovered the name of the Unknown Prince. None shall sleep - nessun dorma! If her subjects fail in this 'simple' task they will be executed.

The final Act opens with Calaf in the palace gardens on a moonlit night, and the royal command - Nessun dorma - ringing in the background.

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o Principessa, nella tua fredda stanza,
guardi le stelle che tremano d'amore, e di speranza!

Ma il mio mistero e chiuso in me;
il nome mio nessun sapra!
No, no! Sulla tua bocca lo diro quando la luce splendera!

Ed il mio bacio sciogliera il silenzio che ti fa mia!

(Chorus of women: Il nome suo nessun sapra, e noi dovrem, ahime, morir, morir!)

Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontate stelle, tramontate stelle!
All'alba vincero! Vincero! Vincero!

None shall sleep! None shall sleep!
Even you, o Princess, in your cold bedroom,
watch the stars that tremble with love and with hope.

But my secret is hidden within me,
none will know my name!
No, no! On your mouth I will say it when the light shines!

And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!

(Chorus of women: None will know his name, and we will have to, alas, die, die!)

Vanish, o night!
Set stars! Set stars!
At daybreak I shall win! I shall win! I shall win!

Luciano Pavarotti Photo
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* "I think a life for music is a life well spent, and it is to this that I have devoted myself." (Luciano Pavarotti)