Synonymous with the Italian tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, ‘Nessun dorma’ is one of the world’s most famous operatic hits. While ‘Nessun dorma’ began its life in the opera house, the aria has since found its place in popular culture after Pavarotti performed it as the anthem for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

Today you’ll hear the soaring solo on talent shows, in films, and even sung by pop stars such as Jennifer Hudson, Aretha Franklin, and Queen frontman, Adam Lambert. But which opera was the aria originally written for, and what do the lyrics mean?