Nessun Dorma is an aria from Puccini's opera Turandot, which gained popularity due to the version sung by Luciano Pavarotti, used as the theme for the 1990 Football World Cup.
It translates from the Italian as 'None Shall Sleep' - and is sung following the proclamation by the Princess Turandot that no-one shall sleep, they shall all spend the night attempting to find out the name of Calaf, who has set the challenge.
Calaf sings this song, indicating his certainty that such an enormous effort will be in vain.
Nessun Dorma also features in the films The Sum of All Fears, Chasing Liberty and briefly in Man on Fire.
The lyrics and their translation are as follows:
| The Prince |
| Nessun dorma, nessun dorma ...
Tu pure, o Principessa,
Nella tua fredda stanza,
Guardi le stelle
Che tremano d'amore
E di speranza. |
No one sleeps, no one sleeps...
Even you, o Princess,
In your cold room,
Watch the stars,
That tremble with love
And with hope. |
| Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
Il nome mio nessun saprà, no, no,
Sulla tua bocca lo dirò
Quando la luce splenderà,
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio
Che ti fa mia. |
But my secret is hidden within me;
My name no one shall know, no, no,
On your mouth I will speak it
When the light shines,
And my kiss will dissolve the silence
That makes you mine. |
| Chorus |
Il nome suo nessun saprà
E noi dovrem, ahimè, morir. |
No one will know his name
And we must, alas, die. |
| The Prince |
| Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontate, stelle!
All'alba vincerò! |
Vanish, o night!
Set, stars!
At daybreak, I shall conquer! |
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Translation and commentary
