Turandot

Turandot is an opera by Giacomo Puccini based on the play by Carlo Gozzi. It was left unfinished by Puccini at his death (like Mozart's final composition, the Requiem), and completed by Franco Alfano.
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The story is set in Beijing. It's a story of a cold-hearted beauty, Princess Turandot, and Prince Calaf who seeks to marry her.

A Mandarin reads an edict: any prince seeking to marry Princess Turandot must answer her three riddles. If he fails, he will die. This day, the Prince of Persia has failed and is to be executed in the palace. He is led before the crowd on his way to execution, and Turandot appears at the balcony under the moon. Then Calaf falls in love with her at first sight. He refuses to listen others' stop, and strikes the gong that declares himself as a suitor.

Turandot presents her first riddle: "What is born each night and dies each dawn?" Calaf answers, "Hope." Unnerved, the Princess presents her second riddle: "What flickers red and warm like a flame, but is not fire?" "Blood."He replied. Shaken, Turandot presents her third riddle: "What is like ice, but burns?" "Turandot!" Caraf read all riddles correctly, but Turandot still rufuses to merry him. So Caraf generously offers Turandot a riddle of his own: if she can learn his name by dawn, he will die.

There announces Turandot's command which says no one in Beijing shall sleep until she learns the Prince's name. Caraf, in the area "Nessun Dorma", anticipates his victory. Turandot tortures Liù to reveal his name. Liù is a servant of Caraf's father and adores the Prince. Liù will not reveal it. Instead, she kills herself. Shocked by Liù’s real love and Caraf's kiss, the cold heart of Turandot starts melting, and she decides to merry him in the end.
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It would be wonderful if someone could perform Turandot at the English college! It must be exciting to make its script.

Links(Japanese) :
Outline1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Roots of princess stories who asks riddles
Origin of Turandot story
Change of Turandot story
Foolish Drama Princess Turandot
Original script by Alfano
DVD1 (Beijing)
DVD2 (MET)