Calaf solves the riddles – but he wants also to win Turandot’s heart. He proposes a new test: if Turandot can discover his name before dawn, he will die; if not, she is his. Just before dawn, Calaf reveals his name to the despairing Turandot, so placing himself in her power. She summons her people and declares she has discovered his name: it is love.

Puccini creates a rich soundworld for this dark fairytale. The opera contains many memorable arias, from ‘Signore, ascolta’, as Liù appeals to Calaf not to attempt Turandot’s deadly riddles, to Turandot’s defiant ‘In questa reggia’. The opera also contains one of the most famous of all arias – ‘Nessun dorma’, sung as Calaf anticipates winning the Princess’s hand and immortalized in popular culture most of all by Luciano Pavarotti. Andrei Serban’s spectacular staging transports its audience to a beautiful but savage world. Sally Jacobs’s colourful sets and costumes are inspired by ancient Chinese culture, reflecting the traditional Chinese melodies woven into the score.