Turandot facts for kids
Turandot is a famous opera by an Italian composer named Giacomo Puccini. An opera is like a play where all the words are sung instead of spoken. This opera has three parts, called acts. The story and words, known as the libretto, were written in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni.
Sadly, Puccini passed away before he could finish Turandot. Another composer, Franco Alfano, completed the opera for him. The very first time Turandot was performed was at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy, on April 25, 1926. The famous conductor Arturo Toscanini led this performance, but he only used the music Puccini had written, not Alfano's ending. Later, the full opera, including Alfano's parts, was performed with Ettore Panizza as the conductor.
The most well-known song from Turandot is a powerful solo piece called Nessun dorma. This song became incredibly famous when it was sung by three amazing tenors: Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and José Carreras. It was even used as the theme song for the 1990 Soccer World Cup, which made Nessun dorma one of the most recognized opera songs in the world!
About Turandot
Turandot is a grand opera that takes place in ancient China. It tells a magical story with beautiful music. The main character is Princess Turandot, who is very beautiful but also very cold-hearted. She has a challenge for any prince who wants to marry her: he must answer three riddles correctly. If he fails, he will be executed. Many princes have tried and failed.
The Story of Turandot
A brave prince named Calaf comes to the city. He sees Princess Turandot and immediately falls in love with her. Even though his father and a kind servant girl named Liù try to stop him, Calaf decides to try the riddles.
Calaf answers all three riddles correctly! Princess Turandot is shocked and doesn't want to marry him. Calaf then gives her a riddle of his own: if she can discover his name before sunrise, he will agree to die.
The princess commands that no one in the city should sleep until they find out the prince's name. This is where the famous song Nessun dorma (which means "None shall sleep") comes in. In the end, through a series of events involving love and sacrifice, Princess Turandot's heart melts, and she finally learns to love.
A Famous Song
The song Nessun dorma is sung by Prince Calaf as he waits for the sunrise, confident that he will win Turandot's love. It's a very emotional and powerful song that shows his hope and determination. Its soaring melody and strong message have made it a favorite for many people, even those who don't usually listen to opera.
Images for kids
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Libretto, 1926
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"In questa reggia" – quotation from the reduced score
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Anna May Wong as Princess Turandot, 1937
See also
In Spanish: Turandot (Puccini) para niños
