Nessum Dorma by Turandot what is the story of it?

Question

Nessum Dorma sung predominately by the great Luciano Pavarotti is magical but what is the song actually about and what does the lyrics mean in English. Thanks.

Answer 1

The translation


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.

Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontate, stelle!
All'alba vincerò! Vanish, o night!
Set**, stars!
At daybreak, I shall conquer!

Answer 2

I think the Princess Turandot has been set a riddle to answer by sunrise or she has to marry someone who has solved her riddle. She orders everyone to help her, hence Nessun Dorma - "no one sleeps".

Answer 3

they have to guess the princess,s name before the morning otherwise they will all die cause they are held captive.Prince Calif sings None shall sleep till we guess her name. The big ending is mine at last .mine at last or the vincero vincero.