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n o t e s
“nessum dorma” from Turandot
Arr. Ted Rickets
Nessum “
dorma,” from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot,
is one of the most famous tenor arias in the entire opera
repertoire. Turandot was one of the last works written by
Puccini and was unfinished when the composer died in 1924. the
work was eventually completed by Franco Alfano and premiered
in 1926. the origin of the opera’s plot is Persian and the name,
turandot means “daughter of turan.” turan is a region from
central Asia and at one time was part of the Persian empire.
in the opera, the cold but beautiful princess turandot agrees to marry
any royal prince who can prove himself by solving three riddles. if he
fails to answer the riddles correctly, the prince in question is beheaded.
At a great gathering of people who have come to witness the beheading
of a failed suitor, the tartar Prince calaf becomes enthralled by
turandot and decides to risk his life in order to win the princess as
his bride. concealing his identity, calaf accepts turandot’s challenge
and the mysterious prince answers the three riddles. to turandot’s
surprise, calaf answers all three riddles correctly. turandot protests
the turn of events and calaf offers to release her of her oath if she is
able to find out his true name. the aria “nessum dorma” opens Act
three. While turandot is having her guards question the entire city in
order to discover the name of the mysterious prince, calaf sings about
the long night and how he awaits the morning. After a failed attempt
to secure a name, turandot gives into the persistent pursuits of calaf
and confesses that she has learned the stranger’s name and “it is…
love.”
18 • pacific symphony
giacomo Puccini
(1858-1924)
Carmen Suite
Arr. Tom Kennedy
Carmen is one of Georges Bizet’s most famous operas and has
become a standard for opera companies around the world.
the original story of the opera is by Prosper merimée and
first appeared in La Revue des deux mondes in 1845. the themes
of the story outlined the cultural fashions and obsessions of the
day. French society was obsessed with exoticism. Foreign places
like spain were considered mysterious and exciting. unfortunately
for Bizet, the first performance of Carmen in Paris in 1875 was a
disaster. the story was a little too brutal for the normal audiences
of the opera comique, but the opera soon found its place and the
audience began to realize its splendor.
soldiers, smugglers, gypsies and bullfighters take part in making
the plot of Carmen an exciting tale of deceit, murder and lust. the
plot centers on don Jose, a corporal in the army and his dangerous
fascination with a gypsy named carmen. through several turns of
events, carmen and don Jose develop a conflicted relationship where
each side uses each other. the opera ends with don Jose being pushed
to the edge of his reason and he stabs carmen in the heart.
the original story was meant to warn men from getting into
relationships with dangerous and exotic women like carmen. the
music of Carmen portrays the immense exoticism that the French
culture was fascinated with during the 19th century. catchy and
attractive melodies lure the audience into the story. carmen’s arias
defy harmonic norms and heroic marches herald the flashy entrances
of bullfighters.
georgeS Bizet
(1838-1875)