The Velvet Embrace of Night"Nessun dorma, nessun dorma…" With these words, the highlight of Puccini’s stirring opera, ‘Turandot’, begins, and the senses are borne away into a stunning, midnight world of melody in which "None shall sleep." This captivating tenor aria is considered one of the composer’s most sparkling aural gems, and deservedly so. The song is performed by the character Calaf, who has been promised the hand of a princess in marriage, provided that his name is not discovered before dawn. The cruel princess decrees that so long as the lover’s name remains unknown, no man in her vast kingdom may sleep. As Calaf awaits the morning, he expresses his passion and driving hope in this unmatched solo.
The first sweet notes to waft from the orchestra are soft and subdued. Gentle as an evening breeze, they remind one of twilight gradually stealing over the face of the Earth at the close of day. These notes are calm and reassuring. They whisper that we must not fear the approaching night. It does not come to plunge us into a nightmare, like some fell sorcerer, but to caress us in the arms of silence.
"Nessun dorma," (None shall sleep) sings the tenor, his voice a cascade of princely gold. His notes deftly rise and fall. They vary like shadows at dusk, lengthening slowly as the last rays of daylight sink into slumber. Violins hush the world like zephyrs, harmonizing with soothing woodwinds. Brilliant cadenzas and displays of vocal fireworks are alien to this song. These verses have the spirit of a lullaby. There is a touch of mystery to this lullaby, nonetheless. What a mystery, though! It is a mystery of tenderness and trust mingling with the darkening heavens. Peace abounds – peace in the dimming sky, peace in the sighing breeze, peace in the heart of Calaf.
Ah, but there is more in his heart than simple serenity. As the singer’s voice rises to a new level in the line, "Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me," his tremendous hope is revealed. "But my secret lies hidden within me – no one shall discover my name!" The harp-like chord that opens this verse calls to mind the appearance of the first gleaming star in the jet firmament. The tenor’s voice trembles slightly as it ascends above the tyranny that governs the kingdom. The tremor is not of fear, but of desire. The strength of his love for the hard-hearted maiden is exemplified in the moving, climbing notes. "Sulla tua bocca lo dirò…". "Oh no, I will reveal it only on your lips when the daylight shines!" At the thought of a kiss, Calaf becomes practically ecstatic, and melody surges to the highest note it will reach before the final bars. The burning passion the young lover feels is evident. Excitement and peace beat in one heart. This seeming contradiction-in-terms is beautifully realized in the peasant’s love. This is the excitement of peace. This is the strength of silence.
As the accompaniment builds, the moon rises in the listener’s mind. It silvers the streets. Its beams fall shimmering in the ears of the listener. In the rising of the regal crescent, the music foreshadows the rising of the sun that will bind Calaf and the princess together in the "luce splenderà" (splendour of light). Then it descends into the tranquil calm of the latest and earliest of hours.
Distant, angelic voices echo the tenor’s song with unspeakable sweetness. If silence could sing, it would find voice in this mellifluous chorus. A thousand glistening stars gaze down upon the city. Calaf hears no lament in their words – he hears only the night’s serenade. Sorrow cannot touch his soul. He is surrounded by black and silver beauty. Expectation hangs on every line. His confidence is such that he cannot refrain from another burst of consonant joy!
"Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate, stelle!" (Depart, O night! Set, you stars!) Singer and instrument combine as though one voice as the song approaches its climax. Calaf’s words soar to the vault of heaven, resonating with ardour. Victory is at hand! His notes are high, assured of triumph. He proclaims to the vast universe , "I will win!" "Vincerò! Vincerò! Vincerò!"
The orchestra swells to breathtaking intensity, and the skies above rejoice! The constellations dance before their sovereign moon, and the Earth beneath is bathed in their white, lustrous beauty. The sleepless mortals beneath are nearly blinded by the brightness of the celestial lords. Calaf is no longer aware of the place where he stands. He knows only a revery of midnight and music. This is a revery in which, through Puccini’s masterpiece, the listener has lived for a few brief minutes.
With one final, thrilling chord from the entire orchestra, the aria closes, and the all is silent once more. It is a powerful silence, a silence of longing, a silence of love.
In such a silence as this, it as certain as day follows night that ‘none shall sleep.’
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