Pavarotti’s Final Performance Of ‘Nessun Dorma’ Will Bring Tears To Your Eyes

Even if you’re not a fan of opera, you’ve heard this aria before. And, chances are, you’ve heard Luciano Pavarotti singing it.

Honestly, ANY time  Pavarotti sang “Nessun Dorma,” it was a tear-jerker. His voice singing this song is simply iconic. Interestingly enough, Pavarotti rarely sang the entire role of Calaf in the opera Turandot, in which “Nessun Dorma” appears. The aria, though, is truly his.

Pavarotti passed away in 2007 at the age of 71 due to pancreatic cancer. His final public performance at the 2006 Torino Olympics, included below, was actually pre-recorded. The freezing temperatures at the time of the “performance” coupled with Pavarotti’s advancing illness would have made a live performance impossible. That being said, the final effect is still incredible. The recording was made several weeks before the broadcast.

Just watch his face as he lip syncs these words to a recording of his own voice. He’s giving a gift to the world, regardless of the fact that he’s not singing live. And you can see on his face that he knows this is the last time he’ll appear in front of an audience.

The aria, in case you’re not familiar with it, translates roughly as follows:

None shall sleep! None shall sleep!
Not even you, oh Princess,
in your cold bedroom,
watching the stars
that tremble with love and with hope!

But my secret is hidden within me;
no one will know my name!
No, no! On your mouth
I will say it when the light shines!

And my kiss will dissolve
the silence that makes you mine!

Vanish, o night!
Fade, you stars!
Fade, you stars!
At dawn, I will win!
I will win! I will win!

Featured Image by Presidential Press and Information Office via Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 4.0