Even those among us who don't know a lot about opera probably know a little about Turandot. The opera's most recognizable aria "Nessun dorma" -- a majestic, brilliant piece of music, if ever there was one -- has been recorded by just about everyone from the three tenors and Sarah Brightman to pop stars both saccharine (Michael Bolton) and sublime (Aretha Franklin). Only in its full operatic and storytelling context, however, can "Nessun dorma" be fully appreciated. There certainly aren't many operas whose storylines are as odd as Turandot, but there are none more beautifully composed. The music of Giacomo Puccini's final work is stirring and grand, written as he was suffering from cancer and only performed for the first time a few years after his death. The story goes a little something like this: in ancient Peking, there lives an ice princess named Turandot, who really doesn't want to get married. Really doesn't want to get married. Her intimacy issues are such that she has composed a set of three riddles that any prospective groom must answer. There's a catch: if a man tries the riddles and fails, he isn't just dismissed -- he's put to death. Enter Calaf, the sort of Rhett Butler of this whole affair, a man determined to get past Turandot's steely facade to the heart within. Not content to simply answer the riddles and earn the right to marry the princess, the cocksure Calaf then poses a stumper of his own: If Turandot can guess his true identity by the dawn of the next day, she won't have to marry him; in fact, he will forfeit his life. Turandot is intrigued and enraged; she orders that no one in the city sleep until his name has been discovered. Hence "nessun dorma" (no one sleeps). Let's not ruin the ending here. Suffice to say, there is much drama, a long-lost father and an amazingly dedicated slave girl thrown in along the way. No matter the resolution, Turandot is an opera for the ages, full of poetry and pageantry, a feast for the eyes and ears. The New Orleans Opera Association presents Turandot at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre of the Performing Arts. Available tickets range from $30-$60. Call (800) 881-4459 or 529-3000. -- Shala Carlson

Swing! 8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, March 5-9; 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, March 9-10; 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 10 Saenger Theatre, 143 N. Rampart St., 524-2490 Broadway musical fans in New Orleans will jump and jive this week with eight performances of Swing!, a celebration of the music and dance phenomenon that swept American during the 1930s and '40s and now enjoys a seemingly permanent comeback. Having opened on Broadway last year to critical praise for all its facets -- dance, music and style -- Swing! received six Tony nominations. More than simply a dance revue, Swing! incorporates elements of jive, Latin swing, hip-hop, and country and western, though the crowd-pleasers are pieces within the 30 songs performed that define the time they represent, including "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "Harlem Nocturne," and "It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing." It comes to town as the latest offering from the Broadway in New Orleans series. Tickets range from $29 to $52, and are available at the Saenger box office (524-2490) and all Ticketmaster outlets or by phone at 522-5555. -- Frank Etheridge

New Orleans Jazz Vipers 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5 El Matador, 504 Esplanade Ave., 569-8361 A collection of downtown veteran street musicians and players from here and there, the New Orleans Jazz Vipers play straight-up hot jazz from the old book. Most of their repertoire consists of archival standards like "Sweet Sue," and they can play just about anything anyone would shout for. The Vipers also like to pull out obscure old tunes that aren't played much these days, like Benny Carter's "Blues in my Heart," or the Count Basie Band's "Evenin'," a bluesy number that stabs at the heart with tales of lost love. Led by Joe Braun on saxophone, who also offers raspy, spine-chilling vocals, the band also includes two trombones, bass and guitar. The format offers a full-sounding texture, but also allows for moments of stripped-down brilliance, where solos heat up and the crowd hollers with delight. A tip jar comes around in lieu of a cover charge. -- Cristina Diettinger

Charlie Robison 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 6 The Parish at House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE Texas singer/songwriter Charlie Robison shows off his maverick streak Wednesday at House Blues. Texas-based singer/songwriter Charlie Robison is Nashville's wet dream and worst nightmare. On one hand, Robison's got rugged good looks, is married to the Dixie Chicks' Emily Erwin, and writes honest, moving songs like "My Hometown." On the other hand, Robison and his band can rock harder than a herd of hat acts, and he has little tolerance for Music Row mannerisms and mannequins. (Robison recently called earnest country up-and-comer Brad Paisley "a little moron.") His maverick streak is evident on two choice NRBQ covers -- "I Want You Bad" and "It Comes to Me Naturally" -- on his recent CD, Step Right Up, which also features "John O'Reilly," a Celtic rocker. That kind of adventuresome spirit, coupled with the acidic barroom wit of tracks like "The Wedding Song" and "Right Man for the Job," makes Robison one of the most compelling "country" artists on the circuit. Jim McCormick opens. Tickets $10. -- Scott Jordan

All-Star Tribute to the Rolling Stones 10 p.m. Friday, March 8 Tipitina's, 501 Napoleon Ave., 895-TIPS Of all the British rock 'n' roll giants that emerged in the '60s, the Rolling Stones paid tribute to New Orleans most frequently, with several R&B covers (like Irma Thomas' "Time Is on my Side") in their early days and an admitted adoration for the Meters. This week, the payback will flip-flop for a New Orleans-style all-star tribute to the Stones. With the Neville Brothers' Mean Willie Green in the drum chair and former Keith Richards bassist Nick Daniels sealing the rhythm section, Los Hombres Calientes' Bill Summers will add percussion, and Anders Osborne and Alex McMurray will mash those treasured guitar parts. Saxophonist Tim Green and funk organist "Papa" John Gros will add flavor. The band will render Stones gems from classic '60s and '70s albums like Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile on Main Street. Special guest drummer Fred LeBlanc of Cowboy Mouth will have at a selection or two. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indians open. Tickets $15. -- Diettinger

Kid Rock 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 9 Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena, 6801 Franklin Ave. It was way past time for a big old blast of out-and-out countrified, tough-talking Southern rock to worm its way back into the mainstream, and, lo and behold, we have a Kid from the Michigan sticks to thank for it. So easy to blow off early on, Kid Rock seemed little more than a big-mouth punk whose claim to fame was a persona as bombastic as his "Bawitdaba." Along the way, though, he's found his inner Bocephus and become a hellion with a heart of gold -- and (for today) a daringly derivative sound to match. Joe C. might be gone, but the hip-hop/rock foundation is still there. With this latest release, Cocky, Kid Rock capitalizes on pure country influences like Hank and Willie, a healthy respect for the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and a good dose of soul. His particular brand of pompous profanity just keeps getting more fun to listen to, and he knows it. He isn't afraid to bluster on about it either, because -- as Kid himself belts out -- "It ain't braggin', motherf--ker, if you back it up." Lit opens. Tickets are $30 and are available through Ticketmaster (522-5555). -- Carlson

Jessie Hill Tribute 10 p.m. Saturday, March 9 Cafe Brasil, 2100 Chartres St., 949-0851 It's been five years since R&B great Jessie Hill of "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" fame passed away, but Hill's gravesite still doesn't have a headstone. His grandsons James and Troy Andrews aim to change that, and are staging a tribute to their grandfather to raise funds for a proper memorial. Charismatic trumpeter James Andrews, who honored Hill with the song "Poops, Ain't Gonna Scuffle No More" on his debut CD, Satchmo of the Ghetto, cherishes Hill's legacy. "I learned a lot from him on how to entertain and light up a crowd, and writing songs with a good catch phrase," says Andrews. "He showed me that once you got a funky beat and some catchy words talking about New Orleans, you've got a hit." To that end, expect the Andrews siblings to revisit Hill classics like "Whip it on Me" and "Scoop Scoobie Doobie." The New Birth Brass Band, Big Chief Alfred Doucette, John Boutté, J. Monque' D and other guests will join the festivities. Admission $10. -- Jordan

Sam Rivers 8 p.m. Saturday, March 9 Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St., 528-3800 Seventy-six-year-old jazz saxophonist Sam Rivers has been charting uncharted territory for four decades. Since the late '50s, Rivers has been one of the most prolific and committed voices of the avant-garde movement, working with fellow bebop and improv luminaries like Archie Shepp and Cecil Taylor, and in 1964, showed his aggressive genius on Lifetime, the debut CD from legendary Miles Davis drummer Tony Williams. Rivers followed that with his own Blue Note Records debut, Fuchsia Swing Song, paving the way for a series of superb '60s and early-70s sessions for Blue Note and Impulse! Records -- frequently recording without any pre-written music to ensure spontaneous musical interaction. The mid-70s found him playing and recording with another Miles Davis alumni, bassist Dave Holland. Rivers is still courting his muse, and his recent big band albums, 1999's Culmination and 2000's Inspiration, were nominated for Grammy awards. Rivers now leads his own record label, and continues to make challenging and rewarding jazz. Tickets $20 ($15 for CAC members). -- Jordan