First performance: 25 April 1926, Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

First performance in Bulgaria: 10 October 1930, Sofia Opera.

First performance in Ruse: 17 September 1964, conductor - Romeo Raichev, director - Stefan Trifonov, artist - Mariana Popova, choirmaster - Atanas Dimitrov.

Short synopsis:

The action takes place in the Forbidden City in Beijing.

First act

Turmoil and excitement have overwhelmed the people gathered in the square in front of the imperial palace in Beijing's Forbidden City. The young Persian prince who failed to answer Turandot's riddles is about to be put to death. The lovely but cruel princess has announced that she will only take as her husband the one who can solve three difficult riddles, and the executioner awaits those who fail. And so far, none of the young men in love with the beauty has emerged victorious: all the braves who dared to ask for her hand have fallen victim to her. The crowd, though already accustomed to such cruel spectacles, greets the young Persian's plea for mercy with sympathy. But Turandot is adamant. Among the assembled crowd is the Tartar prince Calaf, who has long been searching for his father, the dethroned exiled ruler Timur. When the guards arrive, an old man falls to the ground in the melee, and Calaf, running to help him, is surprised to find his father in the fallen man. Defeated and forced to flee abroad because of it, Timur, in order to be able to survive, has brought with him the young slave girl Liu. She is inexpressibly happy at the chance encounter, as she is in love with Calaf and has followed her master in the hope that she will find him. With Calaf, however, it is just now that the irreparable happens: like the others before him, at the very first sight of the beautiful Turandot a violent, unquenchable feeling burns within him. Neither the father's entreaties, nor Liu's tender caresses, nor the horrifying sight of the execution are able to distract him: he rushes to the gong, takes the hammer and strikes three times, announcing his decision - either to take the princess's hand or to die.

Second act

As the night falls, Ping, Pang and Pong are anxious: what will the new morning tell them - a wedding or the death penalty again? And life is so good! Enough bloodshed already! Won't they finally find the man capable of untying the Gordian knot of these cursed mysteries? What a fool is this Calaf! And what awaits him? Love... or death?

Once again the people flock to the square in front of the palace, eager for another spectacle. Emperor Altum struggles to dissuade the unknown prince from his daring plan: he is reminded of the terrible bloody scenes that took place because of his rebellious daughter. In vain! The young man is adamant. One of the mandarins announces the beginning of the ordeal.

Turandot appears. After announcing what her loathing of the male species is due to - the criminal vilification of her grandmother, the princess confidently asks her first question: what is that glittering vision that is born at night and lures man, and dies in the morning, to rise again the next night. "It is hope," replies the prince. Perplexed and surprised, Turandot asks her second riddle: it burns like a flame, but it is not a flame; if one perishes, it freezes, and when one triumphs, it sparkles like a sunbeam. The young man thinks a moment and again gives his correct answer, "It is the blood!" Turandot is seized with rage. But the turn of the third, last and most difficult riddle has come: "What is it that looks like ice but freezes by fire; if you are free, it holds you in bondage, but if you become its slave, you become a king?" There are moments of tense silence. Turandot is already triumphant, but the stranger's answer is not delayed: "It is you, Turandot!" Utterly confused, the princess begs her father not to give her in marriage to this man. Then the prince in love, in a burst of nobility, offers his riddle: if Turandot can find out his name by dawn, he is ready to perish.

Third act

Night envelops the garden of the imperial palace. Turandot has issued a strict order (on pain of capital punishment, no one should sleep until the name of the unknown prince is known). He himself roams the palace garden: love gives him no rest.

The three kingmakers Ping, Pang and Pong urge him to leave the city, but he remains adamant. Meanwhile, the executioners have captured Timur and Liu, who were seen talking to the foreigner. Turandot stops at nothing and, wanting to extort the name she needs, orders Liu tortured. But the torture can't get the girl to talk. Astonished by her fortitude, Turandot asks her what makes her so strong, and Liu replies, "Love!" To no avail are the efforts of the visiting Calaf to save the life of the slave girl, who manages to pull a knife from the belt of one of the executioners and stabs herself. They carry away the corpse of the cruel princess's new victim. And in the east it begins to get light. Turandot pushes away Calaf's hand one last time, but he grabs her in his arms and only then does he notice tears in her eyes. The kiss melts the layers of ice in her heart. Calaf reveals his name and, to the solemn sound of trumpets, heads with her towards the square.

Turandot and Calaf appear before the assembled crowd. To her father the princess says: "I know the name of the unknown prince: it is Love!" All sing the hymn of life and human love.