Libretto: Turandot

FIRST ACT The walls of the Imperial City. Massive bastions stretch almost the whole length of the stage. A great bronze gong hangs under a sculptured portico. Poles surmounted by the decapitated heads of men have been erected on the bastions. It is sunset. A picturesque Chinese crowd throngs the scene. A mandarin is reading a proclamation. MANDARIN People of Peking! This is the law; Turandot the Pure will be the bride of the man of royal blood who shall solve the three riddles which she shall set. But if he fail in the test he must submit his proud head to the sword! PEOPLE Ah! Ah! MANDARIN The Prince of Persia had fortune against him: at moonrise he shall die by the executioner's hand. PEOPLE He shall die! Yes, die! We want the executioner! Hurry, hurry.! Let him die! To the block! Let him die! Hurry, hurry! If you do not come, we will wake you. Pu?Tin?Pa?o, Pu?Tin?Pao! To the Palace! To the Palace! To the Palace! GUARDS Back, dogs! Back! PEOPLE Oh, cruel wretches! ... … For Heaven's sake, stop! ... … Oh, my mother! ... GUARDS Back, dogs! ... PEOPLE … Oh, my children! ... … Cruel wretches! Oh, my mother! ... … Cruel wretches! For Heaven's sake stop! ... … Stop! Stop! ... … Oh, my Mother! ... GUARDS … Back, dogs! ... LIÙ My old master has fallen! PEOPLE … Cruel wretches! Be human! … … For Heaven's sake, stop! Cruel wretches! … Don't hurt us! GUARDS … Back, dogs! LIÙ Who will help me, oh, who will help me raise him? My old master has fallen… Mercy! Mercy! CALAF Father! My father! GUARDS Back! CALAF Oh, father, I have found you once more! PEOPLE Cruel wretches! CALAF Oh, look at me! This is no dream! PEOPLE Why do you strike us? Alas! LIÙ My lord! PEOPLE Mercy! CALAF Father! Hear me! Father! It is I! And blessed be ... blessed be past sorrow for this present joy, which a merciful God bestows on us. TIMUR Oh, my son, you! Alive! CALAF Hush! The usurper of your crown is searching for me and he persecutes you. No place is safe for us in this world, father. TIMUR I have been searching for you, my son; I had thought you dead! CALAF I have wept for you, father … Now I kiss your blessed hands. TIMUR Oh, my long?lost son! PEOPLE Here come the executioner's men. Let him die! Die! Die! Die! TIMUR The battle lost, an old king without a kingdom and in flight, I heard a voice say: "Come with me, I will be your guide … It was Liù. CALAF May God bless her! TIMUR I fell exhausted, and she dried my tears and begged alms for me. CALAF Who are you, Liù? LIÙ I am nothing ... a slave, my lord … WOMEN Turn the grindstone! MEN Turn the grindstone! CALAF And why did you choose to share so much suffering? MEN Turn the grindstone! LIÙ Because once ... WOMEN Turn the grindstone! LIÙ …in the Palace, you smiled at me. MEN Turn the grindstone, turn, turn! Turn, turn, turn! EXECUTIONER'S MEN Oil it, grind it, let the blade flash, spurt fire and blood. Work is never lacking, never lacking ... PEOPLE ... never lacking ... EXECUTIONER'S MEN ... where Turandot reigns. PEOPLE ... where Turandot reigns. EXECUTIONER'S MEN Oil it! Grind it! MEN Fire and blood! WOMEN Sweet lovers, come, come! MEN Oh, sweet lovers, come, come! WOMEN Sweet lovers.... ... come, come! EXECUTIONER'S MEN With hooks and knives ... MEN We are ready to embroider your skins! PEOPLE Sweet lovers, come, come! EXECUTIONER'S MEN … we are ready to embroider! PEOPLE The man who strikes that gong will see her appear ... MEN ... will see her appear. White as jade, . . . EXECUTIONER'S MEN, PEOPLE ... cold as that blade ... MEN ... is the fair Turandot! WOMEN Sweet lovers, … EXECUTIONER'S MEN ... come, come! PEOPLE When the gong booms the executioner rejoices … ... Love is in vain without good fortune. EXECUTIONER'S MEN When the gong booms the executioner rejoices . . . … Oil it, grind it! PEOPLE The riddles are three, death is one! Death is one! Oil it, grind it! Turn, turn! Oil it, grind it! EXECUTIONER'S MEN When the gong, etc… …Sweet lovers, etc. PEOPLE The riddles, etc. Let the blade flash, spurt blood. Who will strike that gong? They continue in the same strain, until: EXECUTIONER'S MEN Death! Death! Death! Death! PEOPLE Ah, ah! Ah, ah! Ah, ah! Ah, ah! EXECUTIONER'S MEN Where Turandot reigns! etc. Ah! PEOPLE Why does the moon delay Wan face! Show thyself in the sky! Hurry, come! Rise! O severed head! O forlorn one! Come! Rise! Show thyself in the sky! Oh, severed head! Oh, bloodless one! Oh, bloodless, oh, forlorn! Oh, silent one! Oh, gaunt lover of the dead! Oh, silent one, … … show thyself in the sky! How eagerly ... Oh, silent one! …thy funeral … …light is awaited by the graveyards! Oh, bloodless, forlorn one! Oh, severed head! See, over there, a glimmer! Come, hurry, rise! Oh, severed head … …rise! Come! Come, oh, severed head! Show thyself, oh, wan face! Oh, wan face! Oh, wan and bloodless one! Come, oh, gaunt lover of the dead! Oh, gaunt lover … …of the dead! Come, come, rise! See, over there, a glimmer … spreads across the sky … …its faint light! ALL Pu?Tin?Pao! The moon has risen! Pu?Tin?Pao, etc. BOYS Over on the Eastern Mountains the stork sang. But April did not bloom again, the snow did not thaw. From the desert to the sea do you not hear a thousand voices whisper: “Princess, come to me! Everything will blossom, everything will shine!” Ah! The executioner's men, mandarins and dignitaries advance, followed by the Prince of Persia. He is pale, handsome and looks little more than a boy, so that the fury of the crowd turns to pity. PEOPLE Oh, so young! A reprieve, a reprieve! How firm is his step! A reprieve! How kind, how gentle is his face! ... … In his eyes is ecstasy! Have mercy! How firm is his step! In his eyes is joy! Mercy! Mercy! CALAF Oh! A reprieve! WOMEN Have mercy on him! ... … Mercy! ... MEN Princess! WOMEN … Have mercy on him! Mercy! MEN Princess! Grant a reprieve! A reprieve! Have mercy on him! Mercy! PEOPLE Mercy! CALAF Let me see you and curse you! Let me curse you, cruel princess! PEOPLE Princess! MEN Mercy on him! PEOPLE Princess! MEN Princess, mercy! PEOPLE Princess! MEN Have mercy on him! Have mercy! PEOPLE Mercy! Mercy! etc. A reprieve, Princess! etc. Princess! A reprieve! Grant a reprieve! Turandot appears on the Imperial loggia: the crowd falls prostrate. CALAF Oh, heavenly beauty! Oh, wondrous sight! Oh, dream!, etc. Turandot makes an imperious gesture; it is the death sentence. The procession moves on. Turandot retires. WHITE?ROBED PRIESTS IN THE PROCESSION Oh, great Koung?tze! Let the spirit of the dying man ascend to Thee! TIMUR What are you doing, my son? CALAF Do you not notice? Her perfume fills the air! It fills my soul! TIMUR You are lost! CALAF Oh, heavenly beauty! Oh, wondrous sight! Oh, father, my heart aches! TIMUR No, no! Stay close to me: Liù, you talk to him! No one is safe here! Take his hand in yours! LIÙ My lord, let us go away from here! TIMUR Over there is life! CALAF Life is here, father! TIMUR Over there is life! CALAF Oh, father, my heart aches! TIMUR No one is safe here! CALAF Life is here, father! Turandot! Turandot! Turandot! VOICE OF THE PRINCE OF PERSIA Turandot! PEOPLE Ah! TIMUR restraining his son Would you die like that? CALAF I would conquer, father, for her beauty! TIMUR Would you end like that? CALAF I would conquer, gloriously, for her beauty! He runs towards the gong. Ping, Pong and Pang, the Emperor's ministers, suddenly appear and bar his passage to the shining disc. PING, PONG, PANG Stop! What are you doing? Halt! Who are you? What are you doing? What do you want? Go away! Go; this is the door of the great slaughterhouse! Fool, go away! PING They strangle you in this place! ... PONG, PANG ... Impale you!... PING ... Cut your throat! ... PONG, PANG ... Skin you! ... PING …Tear you to pieces and decapitate you! PONG, PANG Go away! PING Saw and disembowel you! PONG, PANG Go away! PING Quick as you can . . . PONG, PANG Go away! PING, PONG, PANG ... go back to your country ... PING ... in search of a brick wall ... PONG, PANG What do you want? Who are you? PING ... to knock your head against! PONG, PANG Go away! PING, PONG, PANG But not here! Go away, fool, go away! CALAF Let me pass! PONG All our graveyards are full! PANG We've enough madmen of our own! PING We don't want any more foreign ones! PONG, PANG Either be off, or your funeral is imminent! CALAF Let me pass! PONG, PANG And all for a Princess! PONG Pooh! PANG Pooh! PONG And what is she! PANG A woman with a crown on her head ... PONG ... and a bordered mantle! PING But take away her fine clothes.... PONG … and all you find is flesh! PANG Just raw flesh! PING It's stuff ... PING, PONG, PANG … that's not even good to eat! CALAF Let me pass.... PING, PONG, PANG Ah, ah, ah! Ah, ah, ah! CALAF ... let me pass! PING Let women alone! Otherwise take a hundred wives, for, after all, the most sublime Turandot in the world has only one face, two arms and two legs, beautiful, yes, and royal, yes, very beautiful, but always only just those! With a hundred wives, o foolish one, You’ll have legs galore, two hundred arms and a hundred sweet bosoms ... PONG, PANG A hundred bosoms ... PING ... scattered over a hundred beds.... PING, PONG, PANG ... over a hundred beds! Ah, ah, ah! Ah, ah, ah! CALAF Let me pass! PING, PONG, PANG Madman, go away, go away! etc. A group of young ladies appear on the Imperial loggia. TURANDOT'S LADIES Silence there! Who is talking down there? FIRST LADY Silence! SECOND LADY Silence! FIRST LADY, SECOND LADY ‘Tis the sweet hour of ... ... repose. OTHER LADIES Silence, silence, silence! FIRST LADY Sleep … … is descending . OTHER LADIES Sleep is descending ... SECOND LADY ... upon the eyes ... OTHER LADIES … of Turandot. FIRST LADY, SECOND LADY Darkness is filled with her fragrance! PING Go away, chattering females! OTHER LADIES Darkness is filled with her fragrance! PANG Go away! PONG Go away! PING Go away! The ladies withdraw. PING, PONG, PANG Mind the gong! Mind the gong! CALAF Darkness is filled with her fragrance! PANG Look at him, Pong! PONG Look at him, Ping! PING Look at him, Pang! PANG He's deaf! PONG Dazed! PING Delirious! TIMUR He's not listening to them, alas! PING, PONG, PANG Come on, let's talk to him all three together! PANG Night without a glimmer ... PONG ... the blackest chimney flue ... PING ... are clearer than the riddles of Turandot. PANG Iron, bronze, wall, rock .... PONG … your stubborn head ... PING ... are less hard than the riddles of Turandot! PANG Go then, say goodbye to everyone! PONG Climb the mountains, cleave the waves! PING Shun the riddles of Turandot! The ghosts of former suitors, who have all died for Turandot's sake, appear on the ramparts. PHANTOMS Do not delay! If you call her, she will appear – she who makes us, though dead, still dream of her. Make her speak! Let us hear her! I love her! I love her! I love her! CALAF No, no, I alone love her! PING, PONG, PANG You love her? What do you love? Whom? Turandot? Ha, ha, ha! Turandot! Ha, ha! PONG You crazy boy! PANG Turandot doesn't exist! PING Only the Void exists in which you will be annihilated! PONG, PANG Turandot doesn't exist! ... PING Turandot! No more than all those other fools like you! Man! God! l! The peoples of the earth! ... Kings! ... Pu?Tin?Pao! Only Tao exists! PANG You’ll destroy yourself in the same way as all the other fools like you! PONG Like all the other fools like you! Nothing exists ... ... but Tao! CALAF Victory is mine! Love is mine! The executioner appears carrying the Prince of Persia's severed head. PING, PONG, PANG Idiot, there's love for you! The moon will kiss your face in like manner. TIMUR My son, are you going to leave me alone in the world in my weary old age? Help! Are there no words which can touch your cruel heart? LIÙ My Lord, hear me! Oh, hear, my lord! Liù can bear no more, her heart is breaking! Alas, how many miles have I walked with your name in my heart, with your name on my lips! But if your fate tomorrow be decided, we shall die on the path of exile. He will lose a son ... I, the remembrance of a smile. Liù can bear no more! Ah! CALAF Do not weep, Liù! If on that day long ago I smiled at you, for the sake of that smile, oh, my sweet child, hear me; tomorrow perhaps your master will be alone in the world ... Do not desert him, take him away with you! LIÙ We shall die on the path of exile! TIMUR We shall die! CALAF Make the path of exile easier for him! This only, my poor Liù, does he who smiles no more, ask of your constant heart. TIMUR For the last time, please! LIÙ Vanquish this dreadful spell! PING, PONG, PANG Life is so beautiful! TIMUR ... have pity on me! LIÙ Have pity on Liù! PING, PONG, PANG Life is so beautiful! TIMUR Have pity on me ... LIÙ My Lord, pity! TIMUR … Pity! LIÙ Have pity on Liù! ... PING, PONG, PANG Don't throw your life away! CALAF I am the one who is asking for pity! … LIÙ ... My lord, have pity! ... TIMUR I can't tear myself ... PING … Seize him, … CALAF ... I will listen to no one, … LIÙ ... Have pity on Liù! ... TIMUR ... from you! … PING, PONG, PANG … drag him away! ... CALAF ... I won't listen any more! ... PING ... Stop that furious madman .... LIÙ ... Have pity! ... PING ... take him away! ... PONG, PANG … Hurry, take that madman away! … Continuing in the same manner, with a lot of repetitive singing, the Ensemble proceeds. CALAF I can see her radiant face! I see her! She is calling me! She is there! to Liù He who smiles no more, begs your forgiveness! TIMUR beseechingly to Calaf I refuse to tear myself from you! Pity! Pity! I fall weeping at your feet. Have pity! You cannot want my death! PING, PANG, PONG Hurry, drag that madman off! Stop that raving lunatic! to Calaf You're mad! Life is good! LIÙ Pity! My lord, have pity! etc. PING Come on, one last effort, let's drag him away! PING, PANG, PONG Let's drag him away! CALAF Leave me … ... I have suffered too much! Glory awaits me over there. No power on earth could hold me back. I follow my destiny. I am all of a fever, completely delirious! Every sense is a ferocious torment. Every fibre of my being cries out with one voice . . . TIMUR You are trampling on a poor heart that bleeds in vain for you! No one has ever guessed right, no one. The axe fell on them all. I throw myself at your feet – You cannot want my death. PING, PANG, PONG The face you see is a delusion, the light you see is baleful. You are playing with destruction, you are staking your head. Death, the shadow of the executioner is over there. You are running headlong to destruction! Do not gamble with your life! LIÙ Have pity, have pity on us! If his sufferings do not move you, my lord, we shall be lost along with you! Oh, fly, my lord, let us fly! PEOPLE We're already digging a grave for you who dare to challenge love. In darkness, alas, is written your cruel fate! CALAF ... Turandot! ... LIÙ, TIMUR, PING, PONG, PANG Death! PEOPLE … Ah! ... CALAF … Turandot! LIÙ, TIMUR, PING, PONG, PANG Death! PEOPLE ... Ah! ... CALAF ... Turandot! LIÙ, TIMUR, PING, PONG, PANG ... Death! ... PEOPLE ... Ah!. .. Calaf rushes forward and strikes the gong three times. PEOPLE We're already digging your grave, etc. PING, PANG, PONG Oh, let him be! It's useless shouting in Sanskrit, in Chinese, or Mongolian! When the gong booms death rejoices. Ha, ha, ha, ha! ... … Ha, ha, ha, ha! SECOND ACT FIRST SCENE A pavilion formed by a wide curtain decorated with symbolic Chinese figures. PING Ho there, Pang! Ho there, Pong! Since the fatal gong awakes the Palace and the city, we are prepared for anything: for a wedding, should the stranger win, for a funeral, should he lose. PONG I shall prepare the wedding ... PANG ... and I the burial, … PONG ... the red festive lanterns .... PANG … the white funeral lanterns, … PONG ... the incense, the offerings,… PANG ... the incense, the offerings … PONG ... gilt paper medallions, a fine scarlet litter.... PANG ... tea, sugar, nutmeg, a large well?made coffin, … PONG ... priests to sing .... PANG ... priests to mourn .... PONG, PANG ... and all the rest of it, in accordance with the rites.... PANG ... minute details ... PONG ... minute details … PONG, PANG … of infinite number! PING O China, O China, now always startled and aghast, restless, how peacefully you once drowsed, proud of your seventy thousand centuries! PING, PONG, PANG All went in accordance with the ancient rules of the world ... PANG ... until the birth … PONG ... until the birth ... PING ... until the birth … PING, PONG, PANG ... of Turandot! PING And for years now our festivities have been confined to joys like these: ... PONG ... three beats of the gong.... PANG ... three riddles ... PING ... and off with more heads! PONG And off with more heads! PING And off with more heads! PANG In the year of the Mouse they were six. PONG In the year of the Dog they were eight. PANG, PING, PONG In the current year, the terrible year of the Tiger, we have already reached the thirteenth! PONG, PANG ... the thirteenth, counting this one! PING What unpleasant work! PANG What unpleasant work! PONG What a bore! PING What unpleasant work! PANG What unpleasant work! PONG What a bore! PING, PONG, PANG To what have we been reduced? We're just the Ministers of the Executioner! Ministers of the Executioner! PING I have a house in Honan with a little pond so blue, all surrounded by bamboo. And here I am, wasting my life, racking my brains over sacred books ... PONG, PANG ... over sacred books! PING ... over sacred books! And I could go back there ... PANG Go back there! PONG Go back there! PING ... to my little pond, so blue ... PANG Go back there! PONG Go back there! PING ... all surrounded by bamboo! PONG I have forests near Tsiang ... ... none more beautiful, which hold no shade for me. I have forests, none more beautiful! PANG I've a garden near Kiu, that I left to come here and that I shall not see again, not see ever again! PING And I could go back there, to my little pond so blue, . . . ... all surrounded by bamboo! And here we are ... PONG Here we are! PANG Here we are! PING … racking our brains ... PING, PONG, PANG … over sacred books! PONG And I could go back to Tsiang ... PING And I could go back there ... PANG And I could go back to Kiu ... PING ... and enjoy my pond, so blue,… PONG ... Tsiang .... PANG ... Kiu .... PING ... Honan.... ... all surrounded by bamboo! PONG … and I could go back to Tsiang! PANG … and I could go back to Kiu! PING O world, … PONG O world .... PANG O world .... PING, PONG, PANG ... full of madmen in love! PONG We've ... PANG We've ... PONG We've seen aspirants arrive! PING Plenty of them! PONG Plenty! PING We've seen, etc. PANG Oh plenty, plenty! PONG Plenty! PING Oh world full of madmen in love! Do you remember the royal Prince of Samarkand? He proposed, and she full of glee sent the executioner to him! PEOPLE off stage Oil it, grind it, let the blade flash and spurt.... PING The executioner! PEOPLE ... let the blade flash and spurt ... … fire and blood! PONG And the bejewelled Indian Sagarika, … ... with car?rings like little bells? He asked for love and was beheaded! PANG And the Burmese prince? PONG And the Prince of the Kirghiz? PONG, PANG Killed! Killed! All killed! PING And the Tartar, with his seven?cubit bow … PEOPLE Oil it, grind it, … …let the blade spurt blood! ... PING … dressed in rich furs? PEOPLE ... Where Turandot reigns ... PONG Slain! PANG Slain! PEOPLE … work ... ... is never lacking! PING Behead them! PANG Kill them,… PING Kill them! Kill them! Slay them! PANG ... slay them! Kill them! Butcher them! PONG Murder them! Murder them! PEOPLE Oil it, grind it, let the blade spurt blood! PING, PONG, PANG Farewell, love! Farewell, race of men! Farewell, divine lineage! Farewell, etc. And that's the end of China! Farewell, divine lineage! PING in the style of an invocation O tiger, tiger! PING, PANG, PONG Oh grand marshall of the sky, make the grand long?awaited night come, the night of surrender! PING I will prepare her bridal couch! PONG I will shake her soft feather mattress. PANG I want to sprinkle the alcove with perfume. PING I will hold the lantern to guide the bridal pair. PING, PONG, PANG Then all three, in the garden, we will sing ... PONG ... of love till daybreak ... PING ... like this ... PANG ... like this: ... PING, PONG, PANG To our great good fortune there is no longer a woman in China who spurns love! One only there was, but she who was as cold as ice, is now as ardent as flame. O Princess, your empire stretches from Tse?Kiang to the vast Yang?Tse! PING Pong and Pang hum an accompaniment. But there, behind soft curtains, you lie powerless in your husband's arms! PING, PONG, PANG Intoxicated by his kisses, you lie vanquished and languorous! PONG, PANG Glory, glory to the secret night, that sees the wonder now fulfilled! PING, PANG Glory, glory to the ... PONG To the quilt of yellow silk ... PING, PANG ... secret night! PONG ... witness of their sweet sighing! All things in the garden are whispering together, and the golden campanulas tinkle ... Words of love they breathe.... PING ... the dew shimmers on the flowers. PING, PONG, PANG Hail, hail to the beautiful unclad body now initiated into the mystery! Hail to the ecstasy of love victorious, which has restored peace to China, restored peace to China, restored peace! The noise of people walking inside the Palace brings the three Ministers back to sad reality. PING We are dreaming, while the palace already swarms with lanterns, servants and soldiers. Listen to the great drum of the Green Temple! The innumerable clogs of Peking already begin their clatter. PONG Listen to the trumpets! Peace indeed! PANG The ceremony is beginning. PING, PONG, PANG Let's go and enjoy the umpteenth execution! SECOND SCENE A vast square before the Palace. In the centre, a large marble staircase. Eight Wise Men appear. Each one of them carries three sealed silk scrolls. These contain the solution of Turandot's riddles. PEOPLE Grave, huge and imposing, with the mystery of the sealed riddles the Wise Men approach, with the mystery of the sealed riddles the Wise Men approach. There's Ping! There's Pong! There's Pang! The Emperor is seated on a throne at the head of the staircase. He is very old and venerable. PEOPLE May our Emperor live ten thousand years! Glory to Thee! EMPEROR A terrible oath binds me to observe the cruel pact. And the sacred sceptre which I hold drips with blood. Enough blood! Young man, go! CALAF Son of Heaven, I beg you to let me try my fortune! EMPEROR Let me die unburdened by your young life! CALAF Son of Heaven, I beg you to let me try my fortune! EMPEROR Let not the Palace and the world be filled yet again with horror. CALAF Son of Heaven, I beg you to let me try my fortune! EMPEROR Stranger, in love with death, so be it then! I leave you to your fate! PEOPLE May our Emperor live ten thousand years! MANDARIN People of Peking! This is the law: Turandot the Pure will be the bride of the man of royal blood who shall solve the riddles which she shall set. But if he fail in this test he must submit his proud head to the sword! BOYS From the desert to the sea do you not hear a thousand voices whisper: Princess, come to me! Everything will shine, shine, shine! Turandot advances towards the throne. She is very beautiful and dressed in gold. TURANDOT Within this Palace many thousand years ago a desperate cry rang out. And down the generations that cry has found refuge in my heart! Princess Lou?Ling, my ancestress sweet and serene, who ruled in silence and pure joy, defying the abhorred tyranny of man with constancy and firmness, today you live again in me! PEOPLE It was when the King of the Tartars unfurled his seven standards. TURANDOT At that time, ? 't is known to all, - war brought horror and the clash of arms. The Empire was conquered and subdued and Lou?Ling, my ancestress, dragged away by a man like you, like you a stranger, in that cruel night when her young voice was stifled! PEOPLE For centuries she has rested in her massive tomb. TURANDOT O Princes, who with vast caravans from every corner of the earth come here to try your lot, I take revenge on you, on you for her purity, her cry and her death! Her cry and her death! No man shall ever possess me! No man, no man shall ever possess me! Hatred for him who killed her lives on in my heart. No! No! No man shall ever possess me! Ah, the pride of her great purity is reborn in me! Stranger! Do not tempt fortune! The riddles are three, death one! CALAF No, no! The riddles are three, life one! TURANDOT No, no! ... … The riddles are three, death is one! CALAF The riddles are three, life is one! PEOPLE Let the stranger Prince affront the supreme test, oh, Turandot! Turandot! TURANDOT Stranger, listen: "In the dark night flies a many?hued phantom. It soars and spreads its wings above the gloomy human crowd. The whole world calls to it, the whole world implores it. At dawn the phantom vanishes to be reborn in every heart. And every night 't is born anew and every day it dies! CALAF Yes! 'T is born again, 't is born again! And in my rejoicing it carries me away, Turandot, it is "Hope"! WISE MEN unrolling the first scroll Hope! Hope! Hope! TURANDOT Yes, hope which always leads to disillusion! "It kindles like a flame but it is not flame. At times it is a frenzy. It is fever, force, passion! Inertia makes it flag. If you lose heart or die it grows cold, but dream of conquest and it flares up. Its voice you heed in trepidation, it glows like the setting sun!" EMPEROR Do not be disheartened, o stranger! PEOPLE Your life is at stake! Your life is at stake! Speak! Don't lose your head, stranger! Speak! Speak! Speak! Speak! LIÙ It is for love! CALAF Yes, Princess! When you look at me it kindles and grows heavy both at once in my veins: it is "Blood!" WISE MEN Blood! Blood! Blood! PEOPLE Take heart, solver of the riddles! TURANDOT to the guards, pointing to the crowd Strike those villains! to the Prince "Ice which gives you fire and which your fire freezes still more! Lily?white and dark, if it allows you your freedom it makes you a slave; if it accepts you as a slave it makes you a King!" Hurry, stranger, you turn pale from fear! You know you are lost! Hurry, stranger, ice which gives you fire, what is it? CALAF My victory now gives you to me! My fire will thaw you: "Turandot"! WISE MEN Turandot! Turandot! Turandot! PEOPLE Turandot! Turandot! Glory, glory to the victor! Glory, glory to the victor! May life smile upon you! May love?smile upon you! May our Emperor live ten thousand years! Light, ruler of the whole world! TURANDOT Son of Heaven! Noble father! No! Do not throw your daughter into the arms of the stranger! EMPEROR My oath is sacred! TURANDOT No, do not say that! Your daughter is sacred! You cannot give me to him like a slave. Ah, no! Your daughter is sacred! You cannot give me to him like a slave, dying of shame! to the Prince Don't look at me thus! You deride my pride, don't look at me thus! Never will I be yours! No, no, I never will be yours! Never, never! I refuse! No, no, I never will be yours! EMPEROR Sacred is the oath! PEOPLE Sacred is the oath! TURANDOT No, don't look at me thus, never will I be yours! PEOPLE He has won, Princess! He offered his life for you! TURANDOT No man shall ever possess me! PEOPLE You are the reward of his daring! ... … You are the reward of his daring! He offered his life for you. The oath is sacred! TURANDOT to the Prince Would you hold me in your arms by force, reluctant, quivering? PEOPLE Sacred, the oath is sacred, sacred! CALAF No, proud Princess, I would have you aflame with love! PEOPLE You are fearless, you are daring! Fearless and strong! CALAF You set me three riddles, and I solved them. I will put but one to you: you do not know my name. Discover it. Tell me my name before morning, and at dawn I am ready to die! Turandot nods in agreement. EMPEROR Heaven grant that with the dawn I may call you my son! PEOPLE We prostrate ourselves at thy feet, Oh, Light, ruler of the whole world! For thy wisdom, for thy goodness gladly and humbly we offer thee loyalty, we offer thee love. May our Emperor live ten thousand years! Heir of Hien?Wang, we loudly acclaim thee. May our Emperor live ten thousand years! Hold high the banners! Glory to thee! Glory! THIRD ACT FIRST SCENE The garden of the Palace. It is night. HERALDS By order of Turandot: "Tonight shall no man sleep in Peking!" PEOPLE No man shall sleep! No man shall sleep! HERALDS "Death is the penalty unless the name of the Unknown Prince be revealed before dawn!" PEOPLE Death is the penalty! Death is the penalty! HERALDS “Tonight shall no man sleep in Peking!” PEOPLE No man shall sleep! No man shall sleep! CALAF No man shall sleep! No man shall sleep! You too, o Princess, in your chaste room are watching the stars which tremble with love and hope! But my secret lies hidden within me, no one shall discover my name! Oh no, I will reveal it only on your lips, when daylight shines forth and my kiss shall break the silence which makes you mine! WOMEN off stage; distant Nobody will discover his name ... And we shall have to die, alas! Die! CALAF Depart, oh night! Hasten your setting, you stars! Set, you stars! At dawn I shall win! I shall win! I shall win! In the darkness shadowy figures, headed by the three Ministers, appear among the bushes. PING You who contemplate … … the stars, lower your gaze,… PONG Our lives are ... PING … look down! PONG … in your hands! PANG Our lives! PING Did you hear the order? Through the streets of Peking, Death knocks at every door and cries: His name! PONG His name! PONG, PANG His name! PING, PONG, PANG Or else blood! CALAF What do you want of me? PING Tell us what you want! PONG Tell us what you want! PING Is it love you are seeking? PANG Tell us what you want! PING Tell us what you want! Calaf remains silent Well then, take these! He pushes a group of lightly?clad alluringly beautiful girls towards the Prince Look, they are beautiful, beautiful through their bright veils! PONG, PANG Curvaceous bodies ... PING Intoxicating with the promise of wonderful embraces! WOMEN surrounding the Prince Ah, ah! Ah, ah! Ah, ah! Ah, ah! CALAF No! No! PONG, PANG What do you want then? PING, PONG, PANG Riches? All these treasures are yours! They are yours! They are yours! etc. At a sign from Ping baskets, chests and bags of gold and gems are brought in. PING The darkness of the night is broken ... PONG Blue fire! PING ... by these glittering jewels! PANG Green splendours! PONG Pale hyacinth blue! PANG The glowing red of rubies! PING They are fragments of stars! PONG, PANG Blue fire! PING Take them! They are all yours! PONG, PANG Glowing red! CALAF No! I do not desire riches! PING, PONG, PANG Would you have glory? We will help you escape ... PONG, PANG ... and you can go far away to fabulous empires! MEN Fly! ... PEOPLE ... Fly! ... WOMEN … Go far away, far away! ... PEOPLE ... Fly, go far away, be off! Be off! Etc. Fly! Fly! Go far away, and we shall all be saved! CALAF Hasten, o dawn! Dispel this nightmare! PING Stranger, you've no idea what the cruel Princess can do ... PING, PONG, PANG You've no idea ... PONG, PANG ... what horrible tortures ... PING You don't know! You don't know! PONG, PANG … are conceived in China. If you stay and refuse to reveal ... PONG, PANG, SOME PEOPLE ... your name we are lost. PING, OTHER PEOPLE She is sleepless and unrelenting! THE THREE MINISTERS, THE PEOPLE continuing in the same fashion It will be a horrible martyrdom! The sharp irons! The spiked wheels! The searing grip of the pincers! Death long?drawn?out! Save us from death! Save us, oh, save us from such a death! CALAF Useless entreaties! Vain threats! Though the skies fall I will have Turandot! PEOPLE threatening the Prince with daggers. You shan't have her! No! You shall die before we must! Curse you! You shall die before we must! You are pitiless, cruel! Speak, your name, your name, your name! Speak, speak, speak! Your name, your name! SOLDIERS Here is the name! It's here! It's here! They drag in Liù and Timur Here is the name! It's here! It's here! CALAF Those two know nothing! They don't know my name! PING It's the old man and the girl, who were talking with you last night. CALAF Leave them alone! PING They know the secret! to the soldiers Where did you find them? SOLDIERS We found them wandering near the ramparts! PING, PONG, PANG Princess! PING, PONG, PANG, PEOPLE Princess! Turandot appears. They all fall prostrate on the ground. PING In profound humility Great Princess! The name of the unknown Prince is locked within these sealed lips, but we have tools to force them open and hooks to drag out that name! TURANDOT You are pale, stranger! CALAF Your own fear misinterprets the light of dawn on my face. Those two do not know me! TURANDOT We shall see. Speak, old man! I want him to speak! The name! LIÙ I alone know the name you are seeking! PEOPLE Our lives are safe, the nightmare is over! CALAF You know nothing, slave! LIÙ I know his name ... And it is my supreme joy to keep it secret, known to me alone! PEOPLE Bind her! Torture her! Make her speak! Or else kill her! CALAF You shall pay for her tears! You shall pay for her suffering! TURANDOT to the soldiers Hold him! A soldier ties the Prince's feet together and two others seize hold of his arms. LIÙ I shall not speak, my Lord! PING His name! LIÙ No! PING His name! LIÙ Your servant begs you to forgive her but she cannot obey! A soldier twists her wrist Ah! TIMUR Why did you cry out? CALAF Let her go! LIÙ No ... No ... I'll scream no more! They are not hurting me! No, no one is touching me. to the soldiers Go on ... but gag me fast so that he cannot hear me. She collapses I can stand no more! PEOPLE Speak! His name! TURANDOT to the soldier Let her be! to Liù Speak! LIÙ I would rather die! TURANDOT What gives your heart such courage? LIÙ Princess, it is love! TURANDOT Love? LIÙ My secret undeclared love, so great that these tortures are sweet to me because I offer them to my Lord ... Because by my silence I give him your love . . . I give you to him, Princess and myself lose everything! Everything! Even the hope impossible of fulfilment! Bind me! Torture me! Let me suffer every torment as the supreme offering of my love for him! TURANDOT Tear the secret from her! PING Call Pu?Tin?Pao! CALAF No! No! Curse you! PEOPLE The executioner! The executioner! The executioner! PING Let her be tortured! PEOPLE Tortured! Yes, call the executioner! Make her speak! Torture her! LIÙ I can stand no more! I don't trust myself! Let me pass! Let me pass! PEOPLE Speak! Speak! LIÙ Yes! O Princess, hear me! You who are girdled with ice, vanquished by such fire, you will love him, too! Before the break of day I shall close my tired eyes, that he may win yet again ... May he win again! Never ... never to see him more! Before the break of day, I shall close my tired eyes never to see him more! She snatches a dagger from a soldier and stabs herself. PEOPLE Ah! ... Speak! Speak! His name! His name! Liù staggers towards the Prince and falls dead at his feet. CALAF Oh, you are dead, you are dead, my poor little Liù! TIMUR kneeling by Liù's body Liù, Liù! Get up! Get up! It is light, it is time to wake up! It is dawn, my little Liù ... Open your eyes, my pet! PING Get up, old man! She's dead! TIMUR Oh, what a dreadful crime! We shall all pay for it! The offended spirit, the offended spirit will seek revenge! PEOPLE Unhappy shade, do not harm us! Disdainful shade, forgive us! Unhappy shade, etc. TIMUR Liù … so good! Liù ... so gentle! They lift Liù's body and carry it reverently away. Oh, let us walk together once more like this, your hand in mine! I know full well whither you are bound and will follow to rest beside you in the night which knows no dawn! PONG Something is stirring within that old gadget my heart, and it hurts! PING Ah! For the first time in my life I look on death without sneering! PANG That dead girl weighs on my heart like a stone! PEOPLE Liù, so good, forgive, forgive us! Liù, so good, Liù so gentle. Sleep! Forget! Liù, gracious spirit! The prince and Turandot are left alone facing each other. Turandot is motionless, her face covered by a veil. CALAF Princess of death! Princess of ice! Come down from your tragic heaven, down to this earth! Lift that veil! See, see, cruel one, see the innocent blood which has been shed for you! He rushes towards her and tears off her veil. TURANDOT How dare you, stranger! I am no mortal being, I am the daughter of Heaven free and pure. You grasp my icy veil but my soul is up there! CALAF Your soul is up there but your body is close beside me! With burning hands I will clutch the golden hem of your jewelled mantle. My trembling lips I will press upon yours ... TURANDOT It is a profanation! CALAF Ah, to feel you alive! TURANDOT Don't touch me! CALAF To feel you alive! TURANDOT Don't touch me! CALAF To feel you alive! TURANDOT It is a profanation! A profanation! CALAF Your coldness is a lie! TURANDOT Don't touch me! CALAF It is a lie! TURANDOT No man shall ever possess me! CALAF You shall be mine! TURANDOT The tragedy of my ancestress shall not be repeated! No! CALAF You shall be mine! TURANDOT Do not touch me, stranger! It is a sacrilege! CALAF No, your kiss is heaven to me! TURANDOT Sacrilege! What is happening to me? I am lost! CALAF kisses her passionately My sweet flower! Oh my flower of the dawn! My floweret, I drink in your perfume! Your lily-white breasts quiver on my breast! WOMEN'S VOICES Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! CALAF …I feel you swoon with tenderness, all white in your silver cloak! TURANDOT How did you conquer? CALAF Do you weep? TURANDOT It is dawn! It is dawn! ... ... It is dawn! And the setting of Turanclot! BOYS off stage Dawn! Light and life! All is pure! ... MEN off stage Dawn! Light and life! Oh, Princess ... CALAF It is dawn! It is dawn! And love ... love is born with the sun! BOYS … All is holy! There is sweetness in your tears! MEN … there is sweetness in your tears! TURANDOT Let no one see me, my glory is over! CALAF No! It is beginning! TURANDOT I am shamed! CALAF Like a miracle, your glory shines in the magic of your first kiss, of your first tears! TURANDOT My first tears ... Ah ... My first tears! Yes, o stranger, when you came, I felt with anguish the irresistible thrill of this greatest of all sicknesses. How many have I seen die for me! And I despised them; but I feared you! In your eyes shone the light of heroes. In your eyes I saw the proud certainty of victory ... And I hated you for it … And for it I loved you, torn and divided between two equal fears: to conquer you or be myself conquered… and I am conquered ... Ah! Conquered not so much by the great trial, as by this fever which springs from you! CALAF You are mine! Mine! TURANDOT This is what you asked of me. Now you know 't is so. Do not seek a greater victory! Go, stranger, with your secret! CALAF My secret? I no longer have a secret! You are mine! You who tremble at my touch, you who grow pale at my kiss, you can destroy me if you wish. I make you a gift of name and I ife together. I am Calaf, the son of Timur. TURANDOT I know your name! I know your name! CALAF My glory is in your embrace! TURANDOT Listen! The trumpets are sounding! CALAF My life is in your kiss! TURANDOT Now, now is the hour, the hour of trial! CALAF I do not fear it! TURANDOT Ah! Calaf, come before the people, with me! CALAF You have won SECOND SCENE Outside the Imperial Palace. The Emperor stands surrounded by his court on a high staircase in the centre of the scene. PEOPLE May our Emperor live ten thousand years! TURANDOT Noble father, I know the stranger's name! looking straight at Calaf His name is ... Love! The lovers embrace, while the crowd rejoices and scatters flowers. PEOPLE Love! O sun! Life! Eternity! Light of this world and love! We rejoice and celebrate with song in the sunshine our great happiness! Glory to thee! Glory! Glory!