Opera Design

Puccini’s Turandot, with a libretto by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni, is set in the mythical Peking of ancient China. The story follows Princess Turandot, who refuses to marry, and Calaf, the Prince of Tartary, who dares to win her love.

Act I: The Mandarin proclaims that any prince wishing to marry Princess Turandot must answer three riddles. If they fail, the price is death. Calaf arrives in Peking and witnesses the brutal fate of a failed suitor. Despite the protests of his father, Timur, and the devoted slave girl Liu, Calaf is determined to win Turandot’s heart. He successfully answers the riddles, but Turandot pleads with her father, the Emperor, to release her from the marriage. Calaf, consumed by his love, offers her a chance to escape—if she can guess his name by dawn, he will sacrifice his life.

Act II: Peking celebrates Calaf’s victory, but Turandot is torn between her fear of losing independence and the inevitability of love. Desperate to uncover Calaf’s identity, she questions Liu, who knows his secret. Liu, out of love for Calaf, chooses death over revealing his name. Her sacrifice moves Turandot and awakens her understanding of love.

Act III: In the final act, Turandot confronts Calaf, who offers one final challenge: guess his name, or he will die. When Turandot realizes she has fallen in love, she triumphantly declares his name—Love. Calaf kisses her, sealing their bond, as the opera concludes in a triumphant celebration of love.