Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot (1926) relates to Chinese culture primarily through
Western “orientalist” imagination, blending authentic musical,
thematic, and visual elements with European stereotypes of the “Far East”. Although
Puccini never visited China, he incorporated genuine Chinese melodies into the score to
create an exotic atmosphere, set within a story derived from an 18th-century Persian
tale.
賈科莫·普契尼的歌劇《圖蘭朵》（1926）主要透過西方「東方主義」的想像來展現中國文化，將真實的音樂、主題和視覺元素與歐洲對「遠東」的刻板印象融合在一起。
儘管普契尼從未到訪過中國，但他將真正的中國旋律融入樂譜中，以營造異域風情，而故事則取材於18世紀的波斯傳說。
Turandot is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni. Puccini died in 1924, and his opera was left unfinished. The music was completed by Franco Alfano and premiered on 25 April 1926, almost a year and a half after Puccini’s death. The opera is set in China and follows the Prince Calaf, who falls in love with the cold-hearted Princess Turandot. In order to win her hand in marriage, a suitor must solve three riddles, with a wrong answer resulting in his execution. Calaf passes the test, but Turandot refuses to marry him. He offers her a way out: if she is able to guess his name before dawn the next day, he will accept death.
《圖蘭朵》是賈科莫·普契尼作曲、朱塞佩·阿達米和雷納托·西蒙尼用義大利文創作的三幕歌劇。普契尼於1924年去世，這部歌劇未能完成。法蘭哥·阿爾法諾完成了音樂，並於1926年4月25日首演，此時距離普契尼去世已近一年半。歌劇以中國為背景，講述了卡拉夫王子愛上了冷酷無情的圖蘭朵公主的故事。為了贏得她的芳心，求婚者必須解開三個謎題，答錯者將被處死。卡拉夫通過了考驗，但圖蘭朵拒絕嫁給他。他提出一個辦法：如果圖蘭朵能在隔天黎明前猜出他的名字，他就甘願赴死。
Selections Included in the Arrangement
Yo Goto’s arrangement specifically features the following moments from the opera:
1. Introduction (Popolo di Pechino!): The chaotic opening scenes in Peking.
2. Gira la cote!: The sharpening of the sword, representing the merciless nature of the court.
3. Nessun Dorma!: The famous tenor aria from Act III, “None shall sleep”.
4. La mia vittoria (La terza risposta): Calaf’s triumph in solving the riddles.
5. Diecimila anni nostro Imperatore!: The grand chorus honoring the Emperor.
6. Finale (Padre augusto): The concluding celebratory music.
改編曲目
Yo Goto 的改編特別收錄了歌劇中的以下片段：
- 引子（Popolo di Pechino!）：北京城混亂的開場場景。
- 磨刀！ （Gira la cote!）：磨刀的場景，象徵宮廷的殘酷無情。
- 今夜無人入眠！ （Nessun Dorma!）：第三幕中著名的男高音詠嘆調。
- 我的勝利（La mia vittoria (La terza risposta)）：卡拉夫解開謎題的勝利。
- 我們的皇帝在位十週年！ （Diecimila anni nostro Imperatore!）：讚頌皇帝的盛大合唱。
- 終曲（Padre augusto）：最後的慶祝音樂。
Here are some more detail about how Turandot relates to Chinese culture.
- Musical Integration of Traditional Chinese Tunes
Puccini went beyond surface-level Asian tropes by incorporating genuine Chinese music,
likely sourced from a music box owned by an Italian diplomat and other research:
“Jasmine Flower” (Mo Li Hua): This famous Jiangsu Province folk song is used as a
recurring leitmotif for Princess Turandot, representing her cold, beautiful, and enigmatic
nature.
Other Folk Songs: Puccini incorporated the “Feng Yang Tune” from Anhui Province and
various other tunes to create a soundscape that utilizes the Chinese pentatonic scale.
Imperial Anthem: A tune associated with the populace honoring Emperor Altoum was
adapted for the opera.
“Sian Chok”: This Chinese lullaby is used as the basis for the character Liù’s aria
“Signore, ascolta”. - Plot and Characters
While based on a 1762 play by Carlo Gozzi, the plot draws on Chinese fairy-tale
settings:
Setting: The opera takes place in Peking during “legendary times,” featuring a, often
romanticized, version of the Forbidden City.
Characters: The story features a Chinese Emperor, his daughter Princess Turandot, the
Prince of Persia, and the three, albeit Italianate, ministers—Ping, Pang, and Pong.
Themes of Justice/Power: The plot hinges on ancient Chinese concepts of a “sacred
oath” taken by the emperor, and the harsh,absolute power of imperial authority.
以下是關於《圖蘭朵》與中國文化關聯的更多細節。
中國傳統曲調的音樂融合
普契尼超越了表面的亞洲元素，融入了真正的中國音樂，
這些音樂很可能來自一位義大利外交官的音樂盒以及其他研究成果：
《茉莉花》：這首著名的江蘇民歌被用作
圖蘭朵公主反覆出現的主題旋律，象徵她冷艷、美麗又神秘的性格。
其他民歌：普契尼融入了安徽的《風陽曲》以及
其他各種曲調，創造出運用中國五音音階的音樂氛圍。
禦歌：一首與民眾歌頌阿爾圖姆皇帝相關的曲調被
改編用於歌劇。
《搖籃曲》：這首中國搖籃曲被用作柳兒詠嘆調“先生，請聽我說”的基礎。
劇情與人物
雖然改編自卡洛·戈齊1762年的戲劇，但劇情取材自中國童話故事。
背景：歌劇以「傳說時代」的北京為背景，展現了一個通常被浪漫化的紫禁城。
人物：故事圍繞著一位中國皇帝、他的女兒圖蘭朵公主、
波斯王子以及三位（儘管帶有義大利風格的）大臣——平、龐和龐展開。
正義/權力主題：劇情的核心在於中國古代皇帝的「神聖誓言」以及皇權的嚴酷和絕對權力。