With »Nessun dorma…« (»No one sleeps…« ), the first words of what is probably Puccini’s most famous tenor aria, Prince Kalaf takes up the imperial decree of the same name: on pain of death, the residents of Beijing are required to find out their name and not to sleep. The Tatar prince was able to do what no one had before: He solved the three riddles that Princess Turandot used to ask each of her suitors.
Not only did he unexpectedly save his head, but he also acquired the right to marry the princess. Since, contrary to the agreement, she is not really willing to do so, the prince gave her – voluntarily, at the risk of his life again – the ultimatum to find out his name within one night...
Princess Turandot had expected everything, but not actually having to surrender to a man. Referring to a legendary princess who took her own life after being raped ages ago, she has so far successfully avoided any approach from men and got rid of all applicants through deadly guesswork. Now, as the second half of this opera begins , her only chance of remaining "unrecognized" is to learn the Prince's name.
It was to remain Puccini's last opera, and in none of his works is the approach of the central "loving couple" more dangerous and mysterious than here. Until the end it's all about awakening the woman's love.
Fragile emotional states contrast in his exotic »Turandot«, which develops East Asian flair, with the greatest possible development of power and splendor: As far as the demands made by this work are concerned - the large orchestral apparatus, the powerful mass scenes, the exorbitantly highly dramatic title role - Puccini has done so here more daring than ever before.
With this production , the young, highly acclaimed director Lydia Steier is presenting herself in Cologne for the first time. Maestro Claude Schnitzler, most recently successful in Cologne with Puccini's »Madama Butterfly« and »La Bohème«, is on the podium
