Nessun Dorma (None shall sleep) - from Puccini's Turandot

Turandot is a beautiful but unpleasant princess who poses three riddles to her suitors. The one who solves the riddles may marry her. Those who fail are beheaded, and Turandot remains unmarried.

The hero falls in love with Turandot and solves the riddles. She is unenthusiastic about her forthcoming marriage and so, for reasons that remain unclear, the hero says that if she guesses his name by dawn she may have him beheaded, but if she doesn't she must marry him. Turandot orders that nobody sleep in all her domains while she tries to guess her suitor's name. The hero, meanwhile, belts out "Nessun dorma" (None shall sleep), singing in anticipation of the sweet victory when he marries the cold, ruthless, bloodthirsty, cruel and unpleasant Turandot.

"Vincera, vincera..." I'll win, I'll win.

Hey, it's an opera. It's not meant to be credible.

Comments

Amrita said…
Thank for that. I love the Pavarotti versioin.

Never knew the story.

Like your list of musical favourits.
Love the laughing policeman. Heard it on the Beeb
5:29 pm
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