Turandot

The Orient in Western Opera : Turandot

An Opera by Giacomo Puccini

Moderator: SHEE VÁ, FREDERICO RATO

28/5/2015   18:30

Rui Cunha Foundation Gallery

Event conducted in Portuguese, simultaneous interpretation in Cantonese

Cocktail served

Free admission

Turandot is an opera by Giacomo Puccini based on a Persian collection of stories called “The Book of One Thousand and One Day” translated in French on 1722 by François Pétis de la Croix – Les milles et un jours.  It tells the story of the Chinese (Mongol) deadly ice Princess Turandot (Turan – dot – daughter of Turan, a Mongol King) and the Unknown Prince who solves her riddles to win her hand. Turandot refuses to marry him and the Prince offers her a solution: Tell me my name before dawn and I will die. Thus, Turandot commands that – Nessum dorma – no one must sleep in Peking (Beijing), the name of the Stranger must be revealed in the morning!”