Nessun Dorma, (the English translation being “Let no one sleep,”) is an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot, it is certainly one of the best known opera arias in the world.
Luciano Pavarotti, one of the most acclaimed tenors of all times, popularized this piece by singing it at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. The Three Tenors (Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras) performed the aria at three FIFA World Cup Finals in 1994 in Los Angeles, 1998 in Paris and 2002 in Yokohama.
Between 1992 and 2003 Pavarotti gave the world a beautiful gift by organising and hosting the annual Pavarotti and Friends concerts in his home town Modena in Italy. Joining with singers from all genres of the music industry, like B. B. King, Zucchero, Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams, Dolores O’Riordan, Tracy Chapman, Celine Dion and many many more, they performed a wide repertoire of music, including well known opera arias like Nessun Dorma, as well as popular music of the day. The proceeds of these concerts were donated to humanitarian causes.
This aria is loved, popular and sung by different people who are not opera singers, but successfully bring their own magic to the performance.
The Ndlovu Youth Choir’s Afrocentric rendition of this beautiful piece got me thinking about the world in which we live, and who we are , in this place we call home. A bit like the different renditions of the same aria, each person or group bringing their own unique brand and style of magic to the performance. Very much like us bringing our own unique personalities, colour and flair to life.
Which makes me wonder why we view each other with such suspicion and half-baked opinions and prejudices? Why are we mean and unkind?
My point simply is this – it’s about time we celebrated each other, our differences, cultures, languages, religions, in our celebrations we will find that we have more in common than we could ever have dreamed or imagined.
Listen to Luciano Pavarotti sing Nessun Dorma, perfectly executed by a famous tenor, a trained opera singer.
Now listen to the “Queen of Soul,” the late Aretha Franklin’s rendition. In 1998 two days before the Grammy Awards, Luciano Pavarotti fell ill and therefore could not perform Nessun Dorma, Aretha Franklin stepped in and sang it powerfully. She wasn’t an opera singer, however her rendition is powerful and stunning.
Then take a look at a deeply moving rendition by Paul Potts, Britain’s first ever Pop Idols winner in 2007. How beautifully powerful and heartwarming is this man’s performance?
Lastly, listen to the Ndlovu Youth Choir’s rendition; a very talented group of young people who have done South Africa proud.
You see, like us, each performance and rendition is different, beautiful and worthy of praise……
Just like all of us, we are different, beautiful, frail, weak and powerful; we can view the world through a reconciliatory lens by choosing love over hatred and peace instead of war, by reconciling and celebrating us, uniquely, beautiful us.
Nessun Dorma Lyrics
No one sleeps, no one sleeps!
Nessun dorma, nessun dorma!
You too, or Princess
Tu pure, o Principessa
In your cold room
Nella tua fredda stanza
You look at the stars that tremble
Guardi le stelle che tremano
Of love and hope
D’amore e di speranza
But my mystery is closed within me
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me
No one will know my name
Il nome mio nessun saprà
No, no, in your mouth I will say it
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò
When the light shines
Quando la luce splenderà
And my kiss will dissolve the silence
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio
What makes you mine
Che ti fa mia
Disappear, oh night
Dilegua, o notte
Set, stars
Tramontate, stelle
Set, stars
Tramontate, stelle
At dawn I will win
All’alba vincerò
I will win
Vincerò
I will win
Vincerò
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Giacomo Puccini / Renato Simoni / Giuseppe Adami
Nessun dorma lyrics © Peermusic Espanola S.a., Edition Wecker, Peermadrid Moles, Emi Music Publishing Ltd, Kobalt Music Services Ltd Kms, Hanseatic Musikverlag Gmbh & Co Kg, Casa Ricordi Srl., Eaton Music Ltd, Origin Music Publishing Pty Ltd, Australian Music Examinations Board Ltd
14 comments
Anne
Absolutely brilliant – your article and the 4 renditions of Nessun Dorma. Definitely believe we should choose love and kindness over hatred. I am sure that far into the future some extraterrestrials will look down on the earth and say “ they all look the same yet why are they killing each other in this paradise ?”
Have a great holiday and come back with lots more stories.
Gail Charalambous
Well said Anne and so very true…….. thank you
Maria
Just lovely Gail!
Such an uplifting colourful post…….
Love the Ndlovu choir too, they certainly add their own uniquness to the world!
Nadene Simpson
Beautiful and such different renditions! Have a wonderful holiday and break and look I forward to hearing about your travels , enjoy!!!
Gail Charalambous
Thank you Nadene….. happy moving. Looking forward to catching up with you when we return.
Terence Knott-Craig
Beautiful performance and excellently put Gail.
We each have a very unique value to add to the world (each other).
Stop competing and start celebrating the wonder in each other.
Gail Charalambous
Thank you Terry. We certainly do need to deal with our egocentric nonsense and celebrate the wonder
Sanette
So beautiful !
Gail Charalambous
thank you so much
GEORGE
how wonderfully powerful and beautiful.
What stunning beauty in diversity – surely this is a lesson that we all can learn.
BRAVO GAIL
Gail Charalambous
Thank you George
Jacqui Holmes
Spectacular!! Goosebump stuff. Wow!! I love the way you draw the parallel between what each of us has & offers in our own uniqueness, with these three different renditions. Beautiful.
When you say, “…by choosing love over hatred and peace instead of war, by reconciling and celebrating us, uniquely, beautiful us.” it reminds me of the workshop you hosted “Peace & Prejudice” and how we all submitted our photos to go on exhibition. What a wonderful experience that was. I think of it often.
What an amazing world it would be if we chose love and peace as well as celebrating everyone’s uniqueness.
Have an awesome trip and I cannot wait to hear all about your and George’s experiences!!
Gail Charalambous
Thank you Jacqui, I am so chuffed to hear that the exhibition still lives in your heart. You are
my kindred spirit and sister,
Thank you once again for agreeing to submit a piece during my absence. Looking forward to reading it.
Much love
Gail Charalambous
Thank you Maria