Nessun dorma! nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o principessa,
Nella tua freda stanza
Guardi le stelle che tremano d'amore
E di speranza!
Ma il mio mistero e chiusoin me,
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo diro
Quando la luce splendera!
Ed il mio bacio sciogliera il silenzio
Che ti fa mia!
Dilegua, o notte! tramontate, stelle!
Tramontate, stelle! all'alba vincero!
Vincero! vincero!
Synopses
Only the man who answers her riddles can marry the icy
Princess turandot; those who fail die. calaf, a prince from another land, has
Fallen in love with the beautiful turandot and answered the riddles. though by
Law she must marry him, turandot pleads to be spared: only if she answers his
Riddles-his name.
English translation
No one's sleeping! no one's sleeping!
This evening, icy princess
Perhaps in your cold chambers,
Watch all the bright stars
That tremble both with loving
And with desire
I keep my secret locked inside.
No one shall ever know my name!
No, no! when our two mouths
Touch, she'll learn it,
When the morning light shines forth!
And then my kisses will dissolve
Her silence and she will be mine!
May this night end! may all the stars set!
And may all the stars set!
When dawn breaks, I shall win!