| Nessun Dorma | |
|---|---|
| Aria byPuccini | |
| Key | G Major |
| Period | Romantic |
| Genre | Opera |
| Language | Italian |
| Duration | 3–4 minutes |
| Vocal | Tenor |
"Nessun dorma" (Italian:[nesˌsunˈdɔrma]; 'Let no one sleep')[1] is anaria from the final act of Italian composerGiacomo Puccini's operaTurandot (text byGiuseppe Adami andRenato Simoni) and one of the best-knowntenor arias in allopera. It is sung by Calaf,il principe ignoto (the unknown prince), who falls inlove at first sight with the beautiful but cold Princess Turandot. Any man who wishes to wed Turandot must first answer her three riddles; if he fails, he will be beheaded. In the aria, Calaf expresses his triumphant assurance that he will win the princess.
Although "Nessun dorma" had long been a staple of operatic recitals,Luciano Pavarotti popularised the piece beyond the opera world in the 1990s following his performance of it for the1990 FIFA World Cup, which captivated a global audience.[2] Both Pavarotti andPlácido Domingo released singles of the aria, with Pavarotti's reaching number 2 in the UK,[3][4] and it appeared on the best-selling classical album of all time,The Three Tenors in Concert.[5]The Three Tenors, which includesJosé Carreras, performed the aria at three subsequentFIFA World Cup Finals, in1994 inLos Angeles,1998 inParis, and2002 inYokohama.[2] Since 1990, manycrossover artists have performed and recorded it. The aria has been sung often in films and on television.
In the act before this aria, Calaf has correctly answered the three riddles put to all of Princess Turandot's prospective suitors. Nonetheless, she recoils at the thought of marriage to him. Calaf offers her another chance by challenging her to guess his name by dawn. As he kneels before her, the "Nessun dorma" theme makes a first appearance, to his words, "Il mio nome non sai!" (My name you do not know!). She can execute him if she correctly guesses his name; but if she does not, she must marry him. The cruel and emotionally cold princess then decrees that none of her subjects shall sleep that night until his name is discovered. If they fail, all will be killed.
As the final act opens, it is now night. Calaf is alone in the moonlit palace gardens. In the distance, he hears Turandot's heralds proclaiming her command. His aria begins with an echo of their cry and a reflection on Princess Turandot:
Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma! | None shall sleep! None shall sleep! |
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me; | But my secret is hidden within me; |
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà | And my kiss will dissolve |
Just before the climactic end of the aria, a chorus of women is heard singing in the distance:
Il nome suo nessun saprà, | No one will know his name, |
Calaf, now certain of victory, sings:
Dilegua, o notte! | Vanish, o night! |
In typical performance style, the final "Vincerò!" features a sustainedB4, followed by the final note, an A4 sustained even longer—although Puccini's score did not explicitly specify that either note be sustained.[6] In the original score, the B is written as a sixteenth note while the A is written as a whole note. Both are high notes in thetenor range.
In Alfano's completion of act 3, the "Nessun dorma" theme makes a final triumphal appearance at the end of the opera. The theme also makes a concluding reappearance inLuciano Berio's later completion (this having been an expressed intention of Puccini), but in a more subdued orchestration.[original research?]
"Nessun dorma", sung by some of the most famous interpreters of Calaf, appears on the following compilation recordings (for full-length recordings of the opera, seeTurandot discography):
"Nessun dorma" achievedpop status afterLuciano Pavarotti's 1972 recording of it was used as the theme song ofBBC television's coverage of the1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy.[7] It subsequently reached no. 2 on theUK Singles Chart.[8] Although Pavarotti rarely sang the role of Calaf on stage, "Nessun dorma" became his signature aria and a sporting anthem in its own right, especially forfootball.[7][8] Pavarotti notably sang the aria during the firstThree Tenors concert on the eve of the1990 FIFA World Cup Final inRome. For an encore, he performed the aria again, taking turns withJosé Carreras andPlácido Domingo. The image of three tenors in full formal dress singing in a World Cup concert captivated the global audience.[2] Thealbum of the concert achieved triple platinum record status in the United States alone[9] and went on to outsell all other classical recordings worldwide.[5] The number became a regular feature of subsequent Three Tenors concerts, and they performed it at three subsequentFIFA World Cup Finals, in1994 inLos Angeles,1998 inParis, and2002 inYokohama.[2]
Pavarotti gave a rendition of "Nessun dorma" at his final performance, the finale of the2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, although it was later revealed that he had lip-synched the specially pre-recorded performance as it was too cold for him to sing live.[10] HisDecca recording of the aria was played at his funeral during theflypast by theItalian Air Force.[11] In 2013, the track was certified gold by theFederation of the Italian Music Industry.[12] The track wasremixed in 2024 by Timmy Trumpet and Steve Aoki.[13]
"Nessun dorma" (often in adapted versions of the score) has been performed by many pop andcrossover singers and instrumentalists.
"Nessun dorma" is featured prominently in various films,[28] includingYes, Giorgio (1982),[29]The Killing Fields (1984),[30]Aria (1987),[31]New York Stories (1989),[32]The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996),[33]Bend It Like Beckham (2002),[28]The Sum of All Fears (also 2002),[34]Chasing Liberty (2004),[35]The Sea Inside (also 2004),[36]No Reservations (2007),[37]Goon (2011),[38]Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015),[39] andThe Upside (2017)[40]
"Nessun dorma" is also the name of a football podcast (hosted byThe Guardian journalist Lee Calvert) that celebrates 1980s and 1990s football.[41]
None shall sleep tonight!
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