Turandot

Synopsis

Act I.
A mandarin reads the decision that, by the way, the crowd gathered in the imposing courtyard of the palace has known for a long time: Princess Turandot will marry only the man of royal blood who will be able to answer her three questions. Death will await those who try but fail. This very evening, at moonrise, a Persian prince who could not unravel the riddles of the merciless emperor's daughter is to be executed.

An old blind man has fallen and, despite the efforts of his young companion, cannot get up. But a young stranger jumps to his aid. Approaching the poor old man, he recognizes his own father, Timur, the deposed king of the Tatars. Years ago, their country was overrun by enemies and they were separated without knowing each other. Recounting the hardships he went through, Timur tells his son Calaf that he owes his life to this modest girl who took care of him day by day and whose name is Liù.

The executioner's assistants bring the huge goad on which the deadly ax will be sharpened. The people, who before were impatient to see the execution, impressed by the youth of the condemned man and his courage in the face of death, call out to Turandot, begging her to forgive him. Calaf is the most outraged by the princess's cruelty. Turning his hateful gaze towards the palace, he curses the heartless being who kills innocent people so easily.

At this moment the princess Turandot appears. Her beauty causes all the hatred in Calaf's soul to disappear at once, changing into love. Ignoring the despair of his old father found after so many years, Calaf heads towards the gong installed especially for suitors who want to announce their desire to try their luck at the hand of the princess.

The reckless young man is stopped even by the three chief ministers of the imperial court, Ping, Pang and Pong. They advise him to give up if he does not want at all costs to have the fate of the suitors so far.

Their efforts go unanswered. Timur intervenes again, then Liù, but all attempts are in vain. Asking the girl to continue to take care of the old man, if indeed fate will be against him, the young man, unknown to the others, starts again towards the place where the gong is.

Act II.
Ping, Pang and Pong, in charge of organizing the ceremony, consult on how the meeting between the stubborn stranger and the princess will go. Although no suitors have won the contest so far, they must also be prepared for the eventuality that the stranger will still give the correct answers, and wedding arrangements should be ready. Dreaming of the long-awaited wedding, the ministers are awakened to reality by the sound of the gong. In a few moments the confrontation between the mysterious man and the cruel Turandot will take place. A group of wise men bring the sealed scrolls that have the questions and answers written inside them.

Turandot evokes the memory of a great-grandmother kidnapped and killed by a raider, the princess confesses that she has devoted her life to revenge and therefore knows no mercy. In her soul found a place the desperate cry of the innocent martyr who was killed in this very place, hundreds of years ago, and who asks her to avenge her.

Before asking the first question, Turandot defiantly warns the stranger that there are three riddles, but death is one. Courageously, Calaf retorts that life is only one.

Turandot asks: what is the trick listened to by all men, that dies every day to be reborn every night? After a moment of thought, Calaf answers: "hope"!.

The princess confirms, hiding her displeasure, and asks the second question: who, without being hot, burns like one, sometimes freezes, and sometimes ignites? The people, and even the emperor, encourage the stranger. He answers, "the blood," and again the sages approve, to cheers from the crowd. It is the first time that someone has managed to solve not one but two riddles.

The last and most difficult charade requires the stranger to say what is the ice that begets fire, and which, when you want to be its master, makes you a slave, and when you want to be its slave, makes you a king?

Delighted that the stranger is slow to answer, the princess mockingly repeats the question. But Calaf manages to unravel this mystery as well: the ice that his fire will eventually melt is herself... Turandot.

The wise men read the word "Turandot" in turn.

The princess is not going to keep her word. She begs her father not to throw her into the arms of a stranger. The emperor, the courtiers, and the crowd answer her that the sacred oath cannot be broken, but she considers herself above any covenant and wants to leave, telling the stranger that she would rather die than be his wife.

Calaf stops her by replying that he does not expect her to keep her word. He wants to win the love of the princess, he wants her to want him as her husband. Since Turandot really wants him to die, he gives him another chance. He answered three questions. In turn, he will give the princess a single riddle to solve: if he finds out her name by dawn tomorrow, he will be beheaded.

Convinced that his daughter will not be able to find out the name of the stranger whom no one knows, the emperor accepts the proposal. Confident in the foreigner's victory, the people applaud him, paying him the homage due to an heir to the throne.

Act III.
By order of the princess, the guards walk from street to street, from house to house, to find someone who knows the stranger's name. Calaf, knowing that no one knows him because he has just arrived in the city, is sure that he will emerge victorious from this confrontation as well.

Ping, Pang, Pong looking for him. Seeing him, they approach and try to persuade him to leave the country. But neither the beautiful girls they offer him, nor the glittering gems, nor the prospect of being king elsewhere, can make him give up Turandot.

A patrol brings in Timur and Liù, the only ones who have been seen in the stranger's company, and who should know his name.

Turandot is also called who first asks Timur what the stranger's name is. Afraid that the old man might be subjected to torture, Liù intervenes: only she knows his name. But when asked to pronounce it, Liù replies that she will only say it in her mind, for herself. The tortures fail to pry the secret from the young girl's lips. At the thought that it might still be because of the torture that he would divulge the name, Liù snatches a soldier's dagger and kills himself. Calaf wants to stop her, but it's too late.

All are greatly impressed by the young girl's sacrifice. Timur, who being blind does not know what happened, learns from the others about the girl's death.

(The death of Liù is the last page written by G. Puccini)

Turandot and Calaf remain alone. The words of love whispered to the princess melt her ice mask to the end.

The dawn has broken, and Turandot weeps for the first time in her life. Admitting defeat, she begs the stranger to leave as far as possible with the secret of his name. Then, for the third time, he offers her life, revealing his name. In a few moments, in front of the emperor, the courtiers and the assembled people, Turandot will be able to sentence him to death because he knows his name.

Turandot is eagerly awaited: if she says the stranger's name, he will suffer the fate of the other suitors; if not, the princess will be forced to marry him.

The princess arrives and states that she knows the stranger's name, he is called "love". Calaf rushes to Turandot who falls into his arms to the endless cheers of the crowd.