Composer

:

Giacomo Puccini

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1926

Average_duration

:

114:22

Movement_count

:

32

Movement ....

Turandot is an opera composed by Giacomo Puccini, which premiered on April 25, 1926, at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. The libretto was written by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni, based on a play by Carlo Gozzi. The opera is set in ancient China and tells the story of Princess Turandot, who has sworn to never marry unless a suitor can answer three riddles correctly. Those who fail are executed. The opera opens with the proclamation of the Emperor of China that any man who wishes to marry Turandot must answer three riddles. The punishment for failure is death. The first suitor, Prince of Persia, fails and is taken away to be executed. The second suitor, Calaf, a prince from a distant land, falls in love with Turandot at first sight and decides to try his luck. He answers all three riddles correctly, but Turandot still refuses to marry him. Calaf then offers Turandot a challenge: if she can guess his name by dawn, he will willingly give up his life. Turandot orders her soldiers to find out Calaf's name, and they begin to torture his servant, Liu, who has secretly been in love with Calaf for years. Liu refuses to reveal Calaf's name and kills herself to protect him. Turandot is moved by Liu's sacrifice and finally realizes that she loves Calaf. She asks him to reveal his name, but he refuses, saying that she will learn it when they are married. The final scene takes place in the palace gardens, where Turandot and Calaf are about to be married. Turandot asks Calaf to reveal his name one last time, but he still refuses. Turandot then declares that she knows his name: it is "Love." The opera ends with the couple embracing as the people of China celebrate their union. Turandot is known for its grandeur and spectacle, with elaborate sets and costumes. The music is also notable for its use of Chinese themes and motifs, such as the use of the pentatonic scale. The opera is divided into three acts and contains a total of 12 musical numbers, including the famous aria "Nessun Dorma." Puccini died before completing the opera, and it was finished by Franco Alfano. Despite its initial mixed reception, Turandot has become one of Puccini's most popular works and is regularly performed in opera houses around the world.

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