Verdi's 'Il Trovatore' : NPR Email May 18, 200712:00 PM ET Bruno Caproni is the Count, with Marcello Giordani as Manrico and Sondra Radvanovsky as Leonora, in Houston Grand Opera's production of Il Trovatore. Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Grand Opera hide caption toggle caption Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Grand Opera In the early 1850's Giuseppe Verdi had consecutive hits with the sensational Rigoletto and the even more lurid Il Trovatore. Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Getty Images Leonora knows she can save Manrico, whom she loves, but only by giving herself to a tyrant she despises. Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Grand Opera hide caption toggle caption Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Grand Opera BACKGROUND: For five years, starting in about 1850, Verdi was on a roll. He wrote three consecutive operas that have been drawing enthusiastic crowds ever since: Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, and La Traviata. Trovatore actually started life with a completely different title.

Verdi got the idea for the opera from a Spanish play with that same name. But Verdi didn't think of the title character, the Troubadour, as the star. Instead, Verdi started out calling his new opera La Zingara — The Gypsy — in honor of the unconventional character of Azucena. She's so powerful and compelling that it's easy to understand why Verdi was taken with her. Trovatore was first performed in Rome, in 1853. It followed up on the enormous success Verdi had with Rigoletto, an opera about a half-mad hunchback who inadvertently has his own daughter murdered and unsuspectingly discovers her corpse when he cuts open a burlap sack. Trovatore was a bigger hit and, if anything, it's even more sensational, with its story of kidnapping, beheading, burning babies and bloody revenge. Part One, The Duel: The story takes place in the Spanish kingdom of Aragon, early in the 15th century. Spain is embroiled in a civil war. The opera opens as an old soldier named Ferrando tells his troops about the sad family history of their commander, Count di Luna. The count had an infant brother.

One night, the baby's nurse woke up to find a gypsy lurking over the cradle. When the child became sick soon afterwards, the gypsy was blamed, and the Count had her burned at the stake. As she was dying, she urged her daughter to take revenge. So the daughter kidnapped the infant and, according to Ferrando, burned him at the very stake where her mother died. That's the story, anyway. But the Count, Ferrando says, hopes his brother might still be alive. The following scene is in a palace garden. The aristocrat Leonora tells her lady-in-waiting, Inez, that she's in love. Leonora says she went to a tournament, and fell for a brave young knight whose face remained hidden behind his armor. His name is Manrico. She hasn't seen him since, but sometimes she hears him singing serenades beneath her window. The Count di Luna arrives to court Leonora. At the same time, Manrico begins another serenade. The Count is jealous, and challenges Manrico to a duel.

Part Two, The Gypsy: In a gypsy camp, everyone is at work, singing the famous "Anvil Chorus." Azucena nurses her son, Manrico, who is wounded. She tells the story of her mother, who was blamed for a young boy's death and burned at the stake. Azucena says she then kidnapped the boy's infant brother, intending to burn him in revenge. Manrico is horrified when Azucena goes on to say that, in her delirium, she mistakenly grabbed her own baby and flung him into the fire. Distraught by this gruesome memory, Azucena makes Manrico swear to take revenge on Count di Luna. He says that he was once in a position to kill the Count in battle, but something — a voice — made him stop. His story is interrupted by a messenger, bringing news that Leonora has been told that Manrico is dead. In despair, she has decided to enter a convent. Manrico rushes off to stop her. Meanwhile, Count di Luna has also learned of Leonora's plans. He's waiting outside the convent, planning to kidnap her, when Manrico arrives and intervenes. His men overpower Count di Luna while he and Leonora escape.

Part Three, The Gypsy's Son: The Count is ready to attack the castle where Manrico and Leonora are hiding. Then, the old soldier Ferrando enters, with Azucena. He found her snooping around the camp, and has brought her to the Count. Ferrando recognizes Azucena as the very woman who kidnapped and, he thinks, murdered the Count's infant brother many years ago. Count di Luna orders her burned at the stake, just as her mother was. Inside the castle, Manrico and Leonora are preparing to get married when they learn that Azucena has been captured and condemned. They can all see the pyre in the distance, already burning. Manrico and his men rush off to save her, as Manrico sings the brilliant aria, "Di quella pira". Part Four, The Execution: Manrico is now a prisoner of Count di Luna. To save him, Leonora offers herself to the Count in exchange for Manrico's freedom. When the Count agrees, she secretly swallows poison and rushes to the prison cell where Manrico and Azucena are trying to comfort each other. Leonora tells Manrico that the Count has agreed to his release, and that he should flee.

Manrico wonders out loud what Leonora did to win the Count over. When Leonora breaks down and tells him, he denounces her. But the poison has already started to take effect and Manrico watches helplessly as Leonora dies. The Count arrives and realizes what has happened. He orders Manrico to be put to death. Azucena watches as Manrico is led to the executioner's block. Just as the ax falls, she turns to the Count and cries out that her mother has finally been avenged. "You," she tells him, "have just killed your own brother." Throughout the opera, Azucena has seemed devoted to Manrico. But she's also been leading him to this end the entire time. It's only now, as he's beheaded, that she finally seems triumphant. Il trovatore Firm favourite still shows its class Dario Solari (Count di Luna) and Katia Pellegrino (Leonora). Pictures: Brian Tarr Il trovatore **** FIRST performed in 1853, Verdi's Il travatore is still a firm audience favourite more than 150 years on and is a staple of the repertoire of most opera companies.

Welsh National Opera production, is set in 15th century Spain, sung in Italian and is based on the first version of Guttierez's play El Trovador under the imaginative direction of Peter Watson. The performance is entertaining and polished. The collective talent of the whole cast and chorus is remarkable. However, the opera never promised to have a happy conclusion and, thankfully, I didn't warm to the characters enough to care. This is complicated story, with complicated relationships and the surtitles were a welcome aid. The tale tells of Count di Luna, a bereaved brother searching for the murderer of his younger brother, his love for the pitiful and lovelorn Leonora who loves another; Manrico, the lute playing trovatore. the troubadour of the title. Sian Meinir as Inez, Leonora's confidante You do need to take a leap of faith to believe he is the youthful Manrico though. The story also tells of a mother's anguish at throwing her own son on the pyre in a demented moment as her own mother is burnt at the stake and of the pitiful, lovelorn Leonora who makes the fateful and fatal choice between her two suitors.

The audience appreciated the individual performances and there was even the odd Bravo. The orchestra, lead by David Adams, played wonderfully. The scenery is very dark and full of doom and gloom with gargantuan curved blocks of wood which are visually impressive and interchangeable depicting the castle walls, a convent, the castle ramparts where the soldiers train. It did seem to be rather over-ambitious though and the noisy, tedious set changes lead to a loss of momentum between scenes with the audience chattering distractedly. The lighting added another dimension to the stage, at times emphasising the demeanour of the characters and depicting the fire which is central to the story. Particular note must be made of the individual performances. Opening with David Soar as Ferrando, the leader of Count di Luna's army. He captures the attention of the audience from the very start as he sets the scene regaling to his men the reason they pursuit of the gypsy woman. Gwyn Hughes Jones is beautifully lyrical as he serenades his love, Leonora. This is his debut in the role of Manrico, the lute playing troubadour.

Mezzo, Veronica Simeoni is deeply moving in her role of Azucena, the gypsy woman sworn to avenge the death of her mother, and is particularly shocking as she describes the death of her mother at the stake. David Kempster, the dastardly Count di Luna, gives a commanding performance and received audience recognition for his breathe-defying very deep and very long note. Soprano, Katia Pellegrino who plays Leonora stole the third Act with an enthralling solo performance and received the longest applause of the evening for an individual performance. This production is dedicated to the members if the WNO Idloes Owen Society who willed gifts in support of the company. The production is performed again on Saturday, 12-03-11 Lynda Ford And for an encore . . . ***** A HINT of witchcraft, a bumper helping of love and rivalry, and a simmering desire for vengeance come to a head in Verdi's classic opera which is beautifully performed by the WNO. While the sets and costumes are generally dark and brooding, the quality of the singing lights up the occasion, and on opening night there were many cries of "bravo" from the audience.

Twenty years after her gipsy mother was burned at the stake for witchcraft by the Count di Luna, her daughter Azucena - thought to have thrown the Count's baby son into the flames in reprisal - is still seeking revenge, and it comes with a cruel twist. David Soar as Ferrando, Count di Luna's officer Veronica Simeoni impresses as Azucena, and there is a powerful performance from David Kempster as the Count's successor whose love for lady-in-waiting Leonara brings him into conflict with rival Manrico, a troubadour regularly serenading her. Gwyn Hughes Jones sings superbly as Manrico, with Katia Pellegrino an absolute delight in the role of Leonora, and the pair sparkle in passionate duets before the opera ends, inevitably, in tragedy. The chorus work is outstanding, too, and the orchestra of the WNO, conducted by Andrea Licata, earn top marks.

Sung in Italian with English surtitles, Il Trovatore closes on Saturday night 12.03.11 Paul Marston Wine and Opera part 9: Il Trovatore Wine and Opera part 9: Il Trovatore 24th March, 2014 by Rupert Millar “Versami un tratto; lena e coraggio…” There’s no let up from the death and despair in Verdi’s Il Trovatore (The Troubador) which blends infanticide, kidnap and vengeful gypsies against the backdrop of medieval Spain. The opera opens with the Count di Luna pacing beneath the window of fair Leonora whom he is attempting to woo. As she is a no show at the window and fearing that his rival in love, the troubadour Manrico, may arrive he has his men keep watch. However, they grow tired and so the captain, Ferrando, tells them the story of the gypsy curse afflicting the count’s family. Many years before, one of the children of the former Count di Luna (the father of the current one) had fallen ill. A gypsy woman was blamed for this ill-fortune and burnt at the stake.

As she died she called on her daughter, Azucena, to avenge her. Azucena abducted the child and supposedly threw it on the pyre with her mother.The count refused to believe his son died however and when he died ordered the new count to track down Azucena. While the count wanders love-struck outside and the captain warbles away, inside Leonora is professing her love of Manrico to her friend Iñes. Now, it just so happens that Manrico has been condemned to death for supporting the Prince de Urgel against the count’s master, the Prince of Aragon. He is also the son of Azucena the gypsy and, this being opera, he also handily turns up so that Leonora can fall, lovingly, into his arms right in front of the count. Despite the pleas of Leonora, the count in a fury, challenges Manrico to a duel, whereupon Act I ends. Our drinking song, such as it is, takes place at the very beginning of Act II and the action has transferred to the gypsy camp. Now the famous “Vedi le fosche notturne” or “Anvil Chorus” is sung.

It is dawn and the gypsies are firing up their furnaces and singing in praise of hard work and, all importantly wine that will sustain them in their labours. “Vedi! Le fosche notturne spoglie De’ cieli sveste l’immensa volta; Sembra una vedova che alfin si toglie i bruni panni ond’era involta. All’opra! all’opra! Chi del gitano i giorni abbella? La zingarella!” “See how the clouds melt away from the face of the sky when the sun shines, its brightness beaming; just as a widow, discarding her black robes, shows all her beauty in brilliance gleaming. So, to work now! Who turns the Gypsy’s day from gloom to brightest sunshine? His lovely Gypsy maid!” And then the men sing: “Versami un tratto; lena e coraggio Il corpo e l’anima traggon dal bere.” “Fill up the goblets!

New strength and courage flow from lusty wine to soul and body.” What follows is somewhat confusing as Azuncena realises she made a mistake all those years ago and threw her own child onto her mother’s pyre rather than the count’s. Heaven alone knows how she managed this but it means that Manrico is actually the brother of the count. This she reveals to Manrico who nonetheless decides he still loves her as a mother. He tells her how he defeated the count in their duel, wounded him but was held back from killing him by a strange feeling. He is then informed that Leonora, evidently less confident in her paramour’s fighting abilities, believes him dead and is about to become a nun. Manrico rescues her from the nunnery but then finds himself besieged by the count who subsequently captures Azucena and makes ready to burn her at the stake too in order to lure Manrico out. This he does and captures our hapless hero who is imprisoned by Act IV. Leonora pleads for mercy for her lover and claims she’ll marry the count if he spares Manrico. This he does and Leonora swallows poison.

Before it can take effect she runs to Manrico and Azuncena’s cell and tells him to flee. As she cannot go he refuses and then she dies in agony in his arms and tells him she has killed herself “rather than live as another’s”. This is very sweet of her but the count has heard and so orders Manrico’s execution anyway, despite Azuncena’s protests When this has happened Azucena tells him the truth, that Manrico was his brother, before crying “Sei vendicata, o madre!” – “mother you are avenged!” This, by the way, was a critical smash hit when it premiered in 1853 and is still widely performed today.

Next time: A lighter touch returns in the tale of Béatrice et Bénédict Manitoba Opera - Il Trovatore IL TROVATORE Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 8 pm Tuesday, November 25 at 7 pm Friday, November 28 at 8 pm Sung in Italian with projected English translations Libretto by Salvatore Cammarano Directed by Michael Cavanagh Conducted by Tyrone Paterson A tale of tragedy, doomed love, brave men and passionate women, swordfights, and last-minute rescue attempts, Il Trovatore (The Troubadour) is the ultimate romantic opera. This heart-stopping drama features one of Verdi’s most powerfully passionate and magnificent musical scores. One hit after another, including the famous Anvil Chorus, fuels this spectacular blood-and-thunder opera. Brimming over with poetic moments; spooky stories; a medieval world of chivalry, heroics, and violence; and stunning music. View Full Synopsis » The Story Fifteenth-century Spain. Civil war, deep secrets, love, hate, and vengeance.

Two brothers — Manrico and Count di Luna — separated at birth (unbeknownst to each other), are in love with the same woman and fight to the death for love and country. Meanwhile, a gypsy (Azucena) avenges her mother’s fiery death and a beautiful aristocrat (Leonora) sacrifices her honour to save the man she loves. When the Count gains the upper hand in the feud by imprisoning Azucena and Manrico, he orders Manrico beheaded, only to learn too late that Manrico is his long-believed-dead brother.

Musical Highlights Verdi's bel canto opera features explosive runs, rapid trills, and vertigo-inducing high notes Manrico's aria "Ah sì, ben mio" Leonora's aria "D'amor sull' ali rosee" "Stride la vampa!" Azucena's impassioned description of her mother's awful fate "Il Balen" the Count's great bass aria "Di quella pira" (From flaming death-pyre), a spirited aria sung by Manrico The chorus and duet "Miserere" Il Trovatore Photos Richard Margison (Manrico) and Emilia Boteva (Azucena) Todd Thomas (Count Di Luna) and Michelle Caplabo (Leonora) Kirk Eichelberger (Ferrando) and Todd Thomas (Count Di Luna) Il Trovatore Trivia Prepared by Robert Vineberg How can I briefly describe the story? A Gypsy woman gets revenge for her mother’s death by tricking the Count into murdering his own brother. Does the story make sense?

Some would say no: Lang in The Experience of Opera states the “Il Trovatore has a libretto that is almost impossible to accept; it is a concoction in which from first to last the most doubtful expedients are offered in the guise of plot and action.” Does it matter? Lang offers a resounding “No”: “... the curtain goes up and a miracle takes place; what seems silly or preposterous when read becomes warm human passion when sung…. The music makes everything believable. More than anyone else, Verdi knew the power of music to covert dismal melodrama into noble human sentiment…” Where does Il Trovatore fit in Verdi’s works? Il Trovatore was composed between Rigoletto and La Traviata. Where was Il Trovatore first performed? In Rome, at the Theatro Apollo on January, 19, 1853 Was it an immediate hit? Yes. Its popularity spread like wildfire. By 1855, it had already been produced in London and New York. The opera was an instant success and quickly circulated around the world, reaching nearly 300 different houses in its first three years.

It was a veritable cash cow for opera companies, remaining popular with audiences to the end of the century. Why is Il Trovatore memorable? It is full of famous music. Some of the memorable tunes are: The fantastic trio in Act I with Manrico, the Count, and Leonora The Anvil Chorus opening Act II Stride la Vampa (The flames are roaring) Soldiers’ Chorus, opening Act III Di quella pira (The horrid flames of that burning pyre…) with a famous high C. The high C was not in the original score but was added by Carlo Baucardé (1825-1883). Baucardé created the role of Manrico in Rome but only added the high C to Di quella pira in Florence, later in 1853. Caruso popularized the high C in the last century and it has been sung by every other tenor since. Today Il Trovatore is one of the 20 most performed operas in North America. Is Il Trovatore a difficult opera to perform?

In the words of Enrico Caruso, "No, all you need is the four best singers in the world." Il Trovatore requires excellent singers and Manitoba Opera’s production has some of the best: Manrico –Count di Luna’s brother and the “good guy” in the story will be sung by Canadian superstar tenor, Richard Margison. He hasn’t sung for MO in over 20 years, and he is only singing in two Canadian cities this year - Winnipeg and Calgary. Bad guy, Count di Luna and, unknown to him, Manrico’s brother, will be sung by Todd Thomas, a fantastic American baritone. Following his recent triumph in Puccini’s Tosca at the New York City Opera, The New York Times wrote, “It also helped that Scarpia was sung by Todd Thomas in a vocally assured and dramatically charged performance, full of all the smugness and lustful rapacity that the role demands.” He also received international acclaim for his Count di Luna in Il Trovatore for German audiences. Leonora, the love interest of both male leads, will be sung by Michele Capalbo, who has performed the role in Madrid, Santiago, and New York.

The Boston Herald wrote recently, “The young Canadian soprano Michele Capalbo as Floria Tosca ... demonstrated a dark, richly colored, even voice topped by brilliantly shining high notes ... [and] the famous aria ‘Vissi d'arte’ was exquisitely shaped.” Azucena, a Gypsy and Manrico’s adoptive mother who wants to get even with Count di Luna because his father killed her mother (but all this happens before the opera begins), will be sung by Emilia Boteva, a Bulgarian singer, now living in Canada, with a voice like a cannon. We were the second opera company in Canada to hire her and she performed in concert a few years ago. This season she’ll appear in Quebec, Edmonton, Ottawa, La Palmas, and Jerez (Spain). What was going on in Spain at the time of the opera? The play, El trovador, by Antonio García Gutiérrez, was first produced in 1836. It is set within a specific period of Spain's history, although most of the details have been eliminated from the opera. During the years 1410-1413, Aragon was wracked by civil war.

Spain had yet to be united by the wedding and ascension of Ferdinand and Isabella, and the various marriages between the smaller kingdoms in what is now Spain could often result in multiple successors, should there be no direct male heir. This is what happened to Martin I of Aragon. His only surviving male descendant was an illegitimate grandson, who in accordance with the Catholic Church, was barred from succession. Aragon also observed “Salic Law”, an old Frankish custom that forbade the passing of the crown to any males born to female descendants of the king. Nonetheless, Martin I put forth his nephew, Ferdinand of Castile, who was the son of the King of Castile and Pedro IV's daughter Leonor (even though her grandson and Ferdinand's nephew, King Juan of Castile had a better claim). This was much to the ire of Doña Margarita, the ambitious mother of Jaime the Hapless, Count of Urgel, who was certain that after the death of Martin's son in 1409, the crown would go to him. Jaime was the great-grandson of Alfonso IV and the closest eligible male heir. He was also married to his cousin, Martin's sister Isabella.

If you are confused by now, don’t worry! Although Jaime had the strongest legal claim with regard to heredity, Ferdinand had the most popular support. He had demonstrated his good sense while holding the regency of Castile for the infant Juan when he easily could have seized the throne for himself. Two noble families were drawn into the dispute, the de Lunas and the Urreas. Antonio de Luna followed Jaime's camp and masterminded the murder of the Archbishop of Zaragoza, who had sided with both the Urreas and Ferdinand (the murder is referred to in Gutiérrez's play but not Verdi’s opera). This particularly barbarous act led to the eventual downfall of Jaime, who was soon caught and sentenced to death but his punishment was then commuted to life in prison. Ironically, Ferdinand I would have short reign, dying of illness in 1414. So a de Luna did exist, although not as Gutiérrez and Verdi portrayed him. As a result of his treachery, his name became part of that era's regional argot, “To go with de Luna” was equivalent to meeting with death. He is the only one with any real link to the period.

Azucena is merely an archetype - Gypsies were common all over Spain. The playwright clearly drew from one myth: that Gypsies were associated with witchcraft and believed to both steal children and burn them in bonfires as part of their rituals. By the 15th century, troubadours of the medieval age may have been fading into history, but Manrico survives in the Romantic tradition of Sir Walter Scott as the courageous, yet mysterious black knight who writes both verse and song. Though Manrico's Gypsy upbringing might have excluded him from a tradition generally afforded to the nobility, the mystique of the troubadour makes a wonderful character for an opera. This history is adapted from Opera America What was going on in Italy when Verdi was composing Il Trovatore? Modern Italy is a younger country than Canada. It was only in 1870 with the capture of Rome on September 20, 1870, that the long process of Italian unification known as the Risorgimento, or Resurgence, finally unified the Italian peninsula under Vittorio Emmanuele II , then King of Sardinia .

In the mid-nineteenth century, Verdi’s rising popularity coincided with the Risorgimento. The success of Verdi’s opera Nabucco,in particular, made “Verdi” a household name. Many Italians heard in Verdi’s music a cry for Italian unification and independence. This was especially so in Milan, where Verdi lived, as it was then under Austrian occupation. The piece that became the rallying point of the Risorgimento was Va’ Pensiero, the chorus of the Hebrew Slaves longing for their homeland: Fly, thought, on wings of gold Go settle upon the slopes and hills Where the sweet airs of our Native soil smell soft and mild... Verdi’s name remained linked to the Risorgimento ideals by becoming a revolutionary acronym that was first painted on the walls of Rome, at the time of “Un ballo in maschera”. This idea would rapidly spread throughout the country, which was living in an extremely repressive political climate.

The seemingly innocuous graffiti “Viva Verdi” alluded to an aspiration that was increasingly felt and shared among the population: “Viva V[ittorio] E[manuele] R[e] DI[talia”], or, “Long live Vittorio Emanuele, King of Italy”! So, Verdi, the consummate artist, was linked inextricably with the political movement that created modern Italy. What was going on in Manitoba in 1853? Manitoba did not exist, as such, in 1853. The territory now occupied by Manitoba was part of “Rupert’s Land”, granted to the Hudson Bay Company in its charter from King Charles II in 1670. First Nations people dominated the sparse population of the area. Winnipeg, then known as Fort Garry had a population of under 1000 and served as the western headquarters of the Hudson Bay Company which not only traded for furs but administered all of what is now Western Canada east of the Rockies. Fort Garry definitely did not have an opera company in 1853.

Il trovatore | opera by Verdi | Britannica.com opera by Verdi opera Il trovatore, ( Italian: “The Troubadour”) opera in four acts by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (Italian libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, with additions by Leone Emanuele Bardare) that premiered at the Teatro Apollo in Rome on January 19, 1853. Verdi prepared a revised version in French, Le Trouvère, with added ballet music , which premiered at the Paris Opéra on January 12, 1857. Based on the 1836 play El trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez , the opera is one of three considered to represent the culmination of Verdi’s artistry to that point. (The other two are Rigoletto and La traviata .) Background and context Verdi was impressed with García Gutiérrez’s melodramatic play and engaged Cammarano (Verdi’s collaborator on three previous operas) to write a libretto based on it, although no theatre had commissioned the work.

The librettist was reluctant, and Verdi’s correspondence with him reveals a struggle between them as Verdi sought a new way to present the drama on its own terms, without the constraints of operatic convention. He practically begged Cammarano to release him from the strictures of “cavatinas, duets, trios, choruses, finales , etc., etc.,” and to make “the entire opera…a single piece.” In the end, Cammarano produced a conventionally structured work that nonetheless resolved some of the challenges of reworking the complex play—in which much of the essential action takes place offstage and across a broad time frame—into a fast-paced, powerful opera. The librettist died before completing his work, and Italian poet Leone Emanuele Bardare finished the project without formal credit. Giuseppe Verdi, portrait by Giovanni Boldoni, 1886. Scala/Art Resource The opera was a triumph from the first night. Themes of obsession , revenge, war , and family are conveyed through characters who present dramatic contrasts. The central character—and the one who seems to have attracted Verdi’s interest most strongly—is the gypsy Azucena.

(He had considered naming the opera for her.) The composer, who by this time had mastered the Romantic and bel canto traditions, took so many aspects of the opera (including fiery characters, extreme dramatic situations, and virtuosic demands on singers) to the very limits of current possibilities that later critics ridiculed the characters and plot as being well beyond plausible. Yet the music was transcendent , and the opera continues to be widely performed.

Act II features the “ Anvil Chorus Manrico, troubadour and chieftain under the Prince of Biscay ( tenor ) Leonora, lady-in-waiting to the Princess of Aragon ( soprano ) Count di Luna, a young noble of Aragon ( baritone ) Azucena, a Biscayan gypsy woman ( mezzo-soprano ) Ferrando, the Count’s captain of the guard ( bass ) Ines, Leonora’s companion (soprano) Ruiz, a soldier in Manrico’s service (tenor) An old gypsy (baritone or bass) Soldiers, nuns, gypsies, messenger, jailer Setting and story summary Il trovatore is set in Aragon and Biscay (now Vizcaya ), Spain , in the 15th century, during a civil war. Act I: The Duel Scene 1. A hall in the Count’s palace in Aragon. Captain Ferrando warns the retainers to watch for the Count’s rival, Manrico, the troubadour .

To keep them awake during their vigil, he tells the story of a gypsy who, years earlier, had cast a spell on the Count’s infant brother to make him ill. The Count’s father had the gypsy burned at the stake for witchcraft . To avenge her mother’s death, the gypsy’s daughter kidnapped the baby and burned him to death in the same spot where her mother had died. Ferrando has sworn to continue the search for the gypsy’s daughter. Scene 2. The palace gardens. Music: Fact or Fiction? Leonora is walking with her companion, Ines. Leonora pines for a mysterious knight who appeared at a tournament where she awarded him the victor’s laurels. Civil war broke out, and she did not see him for a long time. Then, one moonlit night, she heard a troubadour serenading her; it was he (“ Tacea la notte placida ”). Ines urges her to forget him, but she cannot, for she is so in love with him that she would die for him (“ Di tale amor ”). When they retire, the Count arrives. He is also in love with Leonora.

He is about to go to her when he hears the voice of his romantic and political rival, Manrico, serenading her. Enraged, he hides and watches Leonora rush to meet her lover. The Count reveals himself and demands to know why Manrico dares to enter the palace precincts when he is under a death sentence. He challenges Manrico to an immediate duel, and the men rush off, with swords drawn, as Leonora falls in a faint. Act II: The Gypsy ” from Il trovatore by Giuseppe … Some gypsies work at their anvils , singing a song about a gypsy maid (“ Anvil Chorus ”). Azucena, Manrico’s mother, then sings about a woman who was burned at the stake (“ Stride la vampa ”). When the other gypsies leave, Azucena tells Manrico the true story behind the song, the story of his grandmother’s terrible death at the hands of the previous Count di Luna (“ Condotta ell’era in ceppi ”). She remembers her mother’s dying cry, “mi vendica” (Italian: “avenge me”).

To do so, Azucena kidnapped the previous count’s infant son with the intent to kill him. By mistake she threw her own baby into the flames, and thereafter she raised the count’s son as her own. Hearing this, Manrico realizes that he must not be her son, but Azucena hastily assures him that he is. She reminds him that she lovingly nursed his wounds after his recent duel with the present count, and she asks Manrico why he had not killed the other man. He cannot explain it; he only knows that some mysterious force stayed his hand (“ Mal reggendo all’aspro assalto ”). Azucena urges him to kill the Count if he gets another chance, and Manrico swears to do so. A messenger, Ruiz, arrives with a letter informing Manrico that his men have taken the town of Castellor. Ruiz adds that, believing Manrico to have been killed earlier in battle, Leonora has decided to enter a convent there. Manrico rushes to Leonora as Azucena tries in vain to stop him. Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Scene 2. Outside the convent near Castellor.

The Count, Ferrando, and the retainers have arrived to intercept Leonora. Believing Manrico to be dead, the Count vows that Leonora will be his (“ Il balen del suo sorriso ”). As the church bell rings, the Count orders Ferrando and the others to hide. Not even God can take Leonora from him, he says, as the sound of the nuns’ voices in prayer is heard (“ Per me ora fatale ”). Leonora, Ines, and a group of women arrive. Leonora consoles her friends, commending herself to God in hopes of meeting Manrico in the afterlife. But the Count bursts in on her, demanding that she marry him. At that, Manrico appears. Leonora is stunned by disbelief and joy as the two men and their retainers threaten each other (“ E deggio e posso crederlo? ”). Manrico’s followers disarm the Count, allowing the lovers to flee. Act III: The Gypsy’s Son Scene 1. Count di Luna’s military camp near Castellor.

The soldiers are looking forward to the attack on the fortress at Castellor (“ Squilli, echeggi la tromba guerriera ”), where Manirco has taken Leonora. The Count is haunted by the image of Leonora in Manrico’s arms. Ferrando arrives with the news that a gypsy has been found wandering near the camp. Azucena, bound, is brought in by the guards. The Count interrogates her, suspecting that she is the gypsy who had murdered his infant brother. Although Azucena denies it, Ferrando identifies her. The Count is triumphant, and he exults in his new power over his enemy after Azucena cries out to Manrico to save her. She warns the Count that God will punish him, but the Count relishes the idea of tormenting Manrico by torturing his mother, thus exacting complete revenge for his brother’s death (“ Deh! rallentate, o barbari ”). Azucena is dragged off, condemned to die at the stake. Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies Scene 2. A room adjoining the chapel at Castellor.

Manrico tells Leonora that the Count will attack at dawn, but he assures her that he will prevail. He asks his follower, Ruiz, to make everything ready for the battle while he and Leonora marry in the chapel . The loving pair are about to enter the chapel when Ruiz hurriedly returns with the news that Azucena has been captured and is about to be burned. Manrico vows to save his mother from the flames or else die with her (“ Di quella pira Act IV: The Execution Scene 1. Outside a tower of the Count’s palace. Ruiz tells Leonora that Manrico is now imprisoned in the tower, having been sentenced to death by beheading . She implores the wind to take her sighs of love to him (“ D’amor sull’ali rosee ”). At the doleful sound of monks at prayer, Leonora shivers, then she hears Manrico crying out farewell to her (“ Miserere ”). She vows to save his life. The Count enters with some of his retainers; she hides in the shadows. The Count orders the executions of Manrico and Azucena at dawn.

He blames Leonora for driving him to this extreme, for he has searched Castellor for her in vain. She suddenly appears, however, and begs for mercy for Manrico. But the more she expresses her love for Manrico, the more enraged the Count becomes. Finally, she offers herself to him in marriage if he will spare Manrico. He makes her swear that she will do it. She agrees, but she secretly drinks the poison that she has concealed in her ring. Meanwhile, the Count agrees to let Manrico live, and he takes Leonora into the tower. Scene 2. A dungeon in the palace. In the dungeon with her son, Azucena, exhausted and terrified, relives her mother’s execution as Manrico tries to calm her. She dreams that they will go back to their old peaceful life in the mountains (“ Ai nostri monti ”). When Azucena falls asleep, Leonora enters with the news that Manrico’s life has been spared. She urges him to flee but says she cannot come with him. Manrico refuses to leave without her. Upon realizing the bargain she has made, he accuses her of having sold herself to the Count.

When he curses her, she reveals that she has poisoned herself, and Manrico is overcome with remorse. She dies just as the Count enters. He orders his soldiers to take Manrico to the block. When Azucena awakes, asking for Manrico, the Count drags her to the window to watch her son’s execution. As the deed is done, Azucena reveals to the horrified Count that the man he just killed was his own brother. As the news devastates the Count, Azucena exults that her mother’s murder is avenged. Il Trovatore « Winter Opera Saint Louis Jorge Pita Carreras, Manrico Hailed as one of the leading exponents of the bel canto and lyric styles among today’s singers, Jorge Pita Carreras has performed the lyric tenor repertoire to great praise in opera houses throughout the world. At age 22, Mr. Pita became the youngest tenor to debut at the Vienna Staatsoper, singing Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly.

Following this successful debut, he appeared in leading tenor roles in Macbeth, La Traviata, Falstaff, Rigoletto, Lucia di Lammermoor, and as the Italian Tenor in Der Rosenkavalier. In 2001 Mr. Pita was invited to sing the Verdi Requiem commemorating the 100th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s death at the London’s Barbican Hall with Maestro Antonio Pappano, Renée Fleming, Violeta Umana, René Pape and the London Philharmonic for the BBC. Mr. Pita began his vocal studies under the guidance of Placido Domingo and Joan Owen, then furthered his studies at Indiana University. Mr. Pita has won the Boca Raton International Competition, the Pavarotti Competition, the Rosa Ponselle Competition, and the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition. Future engagements in 2015, include Il Duca in Rigoletto, Alfredo in La Traviata with the Miami Lyric Opera and a series of gala concerts throughout the United States and South America.

Claudia Chapa, Azucena Mexican mezzo-soprano Claudia Chapa recently perform the role of Flora (The Medium) at Opera in the Heights, where she has been seen as The Witch (Hansel und Gretel) and Dame Quickly (Falstaff). She also return to DCINY as the mezzo soloist in Beecham/Goosens’ re-orchestration of Handel’s Messiah. This past summer she returned to The Glimmerglass Festival as a Young Artist to perform the role of Third Lady (The Magic Flute) and to cover The Old Lady (Candide). Earlier this season Ms. Chapa made her Carnegie Hall debut as the mezzo soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with Distinguished Concert International New York (DCINY) after performing the Requiem with Gulf Coast Symphony. Ms. Chapa has appeared with Winter Opera St. Louis as Dame Quickly and as Alisa (Lucia di Lammermoor). In 2014 she joined the Young Artist Program at The Glimmerglass Festival, covering the role of Dryade (Ariadne auf Naxos).

She performed the role of Azucena in Opera in Williamsburg’s production of Verdi’s Il Trovatore and has covered the role of Gertrude (Roméo et Juliette) as a member of the Des Moines Metro Opera Apprentice Program. She has sung with Portland Opera’s educational tour of The Magic Flute and received the prestigious Silverman Award after performing the role of Madame de Croissy in Dialogues des carmélites with the International Vocal Art Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel. Ms. Chapa made her professional debut as Dritte Dame (Die Zauberflöte) with Austin Lyric Opera and subsequently sang Aunt Cecilia in Little Women with Opera Fayetteville and Marthe (Faust) with Indianapolis Opera. Ms. Chapa received her training at the Butler School of Music at University of Texas-Austin, where she performed the role of Beatriz in the world premiere of the new orchestration of La Hija de Rappaccini with late composer Daniel Catan. There she also sang Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica, the title role in Rodriguez’s La Curandera, Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel, and Mrs. Herring in Albert Herring.

Antoine Hodge, Ferrando Antoine Hodge is quickly gaining wide spread attention across the country for his versatility and commanding stage presence. The 2014-2015 season saw him in a variety of performances, including his debut with New York Opera Exchange as Raimondo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor , a company debut with Utah Festival Opera as Colline in La bohème, a return to Central City Opera as King Balthazar in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors and Bass Soloist with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic in Gerald Finzi’s In terra pax. Previous performances for Antoine include Colline in Puccini’s La Bohème with Loveland Opera Theatre, Don Magnifico in Rossini’s La Cenerentola with Boulder Opera Company, Magi in David Conte’s Gift of the Magi and King Balthazar in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night. Visitors with Opera Fort Collins, as well as a host of symphony debuts with the Greeley Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, and Fort Collins Symphony, Sam in Un ballo in Maschera and Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Regina Opera.

Maria Kanyova, Leonora Critics have hailed Maria Kanyova as an extraordinary singing actress. Robert Trussell of the Kansas City star wrote of her portrayal of Pat Nixon, “Her voice could stop time.” Throughout Ms Kanyova’s busy performing career of leading roles, she has performed with Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Dallas Opera, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Boston Lyric Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, San Diego Opera, Opera Pacific, Portland Opera, New Orleans Opera,Palm Beach Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Saint Louis Opera Theatre, Central City Opera, Opera Colorado, Madison Opera, Tulsa Opera, Wexford Opera Festival and Canadian Opera Company along with many other prestigious opera companies. One of signature leading role portrayel’s Pat Nixon in Nixon in China has been recorded on the Naxos Label. Ms. Kanyova has enjoyed the opportunity of premiering new operas and reviving more recent operas.

She recently performed the role of Blanchein Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire with Kentucky Opera and premiered the role of Miriam in Adamo’s Gospel of Mary Magdalene with San Francisco Opera. Ms.Kanyova has also revived the role of Marie Antoinette in John Corigliano’s The Ghost’s of Versaille both with Saint Louis Opera Theatre and the Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland. Other recent engagements include Violetta in La traviata with Imperial Symphony Orchestra, Pat Nixon in Nixon in China with San Diego Opera and the roles of Suor Angelica and Lauretta in the operas Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi Future engagements include the title role of Madama Butterfly with Opera San Antonio and the title role of Suor Angelica with Opera San Jose. *Maria Kanyova’s appearance with Winter Opera is sponsored by John Bradbury. Neil Nelson, Count di Luna Born in Kingston, Jamaica bass baritone Neil Nelson moved to the United States with his family at the age of 2, settling Queens, New York. It has been said by colleagues and critics alike, that Mr. Nelson possesses one of the purest and most resonant bass baritone voice of recent times.

An excellent musician and linguist, Mr. Nelson graduated from The New England Conservatory of Music with a degree in music performance. Winning awards such as the Stephen Shrestinian Award for Excellence (Boston Lyric Opera), the Heinz Refuss Singing Actors Award (Orlando Opera), and appearing as a finalist in the New York Metropolitan Opera Auditions launched him into his professional career. Mr. Nelson has performed roles with Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Palm Beach Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Berkshire Opera, Orlando Opera, The New York Harlem Opera Theater and the Tartar State Opera Theater in Kazan, Russia. Neil has a passion for oratorio and concert stage and has appeared as a soloist with ensembles such as the Lynn Conservatory Orchestra, the Ocean City Pops, the Southwest Florida Symphony, and the New England Conservatory Orchestra. Future engagements include Schaunard in La Boheme with Opera Naples and Jake in Porgy and Bess with the Tatar State Opera Theater in the Chaliapin Music Festival in Kazan, Russia. Mr. Nelson resides in South Florida with his wife and 4-year-old daughter.

When he is not singing, Neil can be found having fun with his family, or working in his community as a mentor . Sharon Sullivan, Ines Sharon Sullivan is a soprano from Knoxville, Tennessee, and is currently a resident artist with Winter Opera St. Louis. During Winter Opera’s 2014-2015 season Mrs. Sullivan was featured as The Good Wife in Conrad Susa’s The Wise Women and Caterina in Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz. In 2013, Mrs. Sullivan received her Master of Music from West Virginia University where she performed several roles including The Security officer in Milton Grainger’s The Proposal, and Micaëla in George Bizet’s Carmen. Mrs. Sullivan received her Bachelor of Music in performance from Maryville College and was a member of the Knoxville Opera Chorus from 2008-2011. This summer she will be working with Union Avenue Opera for their production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and cannot wait to join Winter Opera for another exciting season. Clark Sturdevant, Ruiz Clark Sturdevant, tenor, is returning for his fourth season at Winter Opera St. Louis.

Clark has performed roles for Dayton Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Seabrook, Capital Heights Opera, Union Avenue Opera, Katydid Productions, Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Opera Project, The Ohio Light Opera, Opera for the Young, and Natchez Festival of Music. His previous work consists of more than thirty roles including Tamino (The Magic Flute), Count Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Le comte Ory (Le comte Ory), Nanki-Poo (The Mikado), and Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni). He will be performing the role of Col. Fairfax which he recently debuted with The Ohio Light Opera production of The Yeomen of the Guard as well as returning to the role of Ruiz in Il Trovatore. Darwin Aquino, Conductor A musical product of “el Sistema,” Darwin Aquino has been hailed as one of the rising stars in orchestral conducting from Latin America. Upcoming engagements for the 2015-2016 season includes guest conductor with the Mainz Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany, the Heredia Symphony Orchestra in Costa Rica, the Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra and the Winter Opera in St. Louis.

Aquino has been selected as Assistant and Cover Conductor for the Florida Grand Opera in Miami (“Barber of Seville”, “Norma”, “Don Pasquale”) and the Palm Beach Symphony Orchestra. In 2004 he was appointed Principal Conductor of the National Youth Symphony Orchestra of the Dominican Republic. His career has led him to conduct the Philharmonisches Orchester Mainz in Germany, Youth Orchestra of the Americas, Alfredo de Saint Malo Festival Orchestra in Panama, FIU Symphony Orchestra, Opera Naples (Assistant Conductor for Puccini’s “La Boheme”), National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, Orquesta Filarmónica Boca del Rio in Mexico, FIU Opera Theater and Sembrando Talentos Festival Orchestra in Uruguay. The Latin American Collegium of Composers selected Aquino as their youngest member for his outstanding achievements in composition. For the last several years Aquino’s music have been premiered by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France in Paris, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, the Santo Domingo Music Festival Orchestra, the Dominican National Symphony Orchestra, the Orquesta Filarmonica Boca del Rio in Mexico and the Musica Sacra Philharmonic.

Mark Freiman, Director Mark Freiman directed and sang in Winter Opera’s La Bohème, Tosca, and Otello, and last season he debuted as both director and singer with Muddy River Opera (Quincy, Illinois) and Nickel City Opera (Buffalo, NY). A recipient of the prestigious Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation, his credits include the opera companies of Virginia, Kansas City, Ft. Worth, Nashville, Sarasota, Mobile (Alabama), Central City (Colorado), Saskatchewan, the Metropolitan Opera Guild, and two national tours with NY City Opera. He is featured as William Jennings Bryan on the Sony Newport Classics CD of The Ballad of Baby Doe, and spent a year in Hamburg in the German-language production of The Phantom of the Opera. He has appeared in concert as soloist with the St. Louis Symphony, National Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Orquesta Filarmonica de Lima (Peru), and at Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall. Mr. Freiman was a child soloist for three seasons with the Metropolitan Opera and sang a solo in their very first live telecast, La Bohème starring Luciano Pavarotti.

He trained at New York City’s venerable Amato Opera. This summer he portrays President McKinley’s bodyguard in the world premiere of Shot! in Buffalo, NY. Il Trovatore premiered at the Teatro Apollo in Rome on January 19th, 1853. Synopsis Act I : Spain is torn apart by Civil War. The commander of the Royalist Aragon troops, Count di Luna, is obsessed with Leonora, a young noblewoman in the queen’s service who does not return his love. Outside the royal residence his soldiers keep watch at night. An unknown troubadour has been heard serenading Leonora, and the jealous Count is determined to capture and punish him. To keep his troops awake, the captain, Ferrando, recounts the terrible story of a gypsy woman who was burned at the stake years ago, accused of bewitching the Count’s infant brother. The gypsy’s daughter then took revenge by kidnapping the boy and—so the story goes—throwing him into the flames where her mother had died. The charred skeleton of a baby was discovered there and Di Luna’s father died of grief soon after.

No trace was ever found of the gypsy daughter, but Di Luna has sworn to find her. As the midnight bells toll, Ferrando and the soldiers curse the escaped gypsy. In the palace gardens, Leonora confesses to her companion Ines that she is in love with a mysterious man she met before the outbreak of war. It is he who now returns as the troubadour to serenade her each night. After they have gone indoors, Count di Luna appears in the garden, driven nearly insane with his desire for Leonora. As he approaches her door, the troubadour’s song is heard in the darkness. Leonora rushes out to greet him but is seized instead by Di Luna. The troubadour appears and reveals his true identity: he is Manrico, leader of the partisan rebel forces. Furious, the Count challenges him to fight to the death. Manrico overpowers the Count, but a mysterious power holds back his sword and spares Di Luna’s life. INTERMISSION Act II : At a camp in the mountains of Biscay, gypsies sing the Anvil Chorus.

Manrico is being nursed back to health after wounds suffered in battle by his mother, Azucena—the gypsy daughter of Ferrando’s tale. Her life is scarred by the memory of her mother’s death and the terrible revenge she exacted. Manrico is determined to hear the whole truth and once the camp has moved on, she begins to tell him a horrific story. She stole the Count’s infant son, intending to throw him into the flames, but by mistake she threw her own son instead. When Manrico demands to know who he truly is, Azucena is evasive; all that matters is the maternal love she has shown him, and that he does not fail in his oath to take revenge on the house of Di Luna. A messenger arrives with news of Leonora. Believing Manrico has died in battle, and to escape the grasp of Di Luna, she is entering a convent. Azucena pleads with Manrico to stay, but he resolves to go to her immediately. Azucena sets off on a journey of her own. Di Luna plans to storm the walls of the convent with his troops and take Leonora by force.

As Leonora prepares to take her vows, he tries to seize her, but is prevented by the attack of Manrico and his men. Leonora, thrilled that Manrico is alive, escapes with him. INTERMISSION Act III : Di Luna and his army are attacking the fortress where Manrico has taken refuge with Leonora. Ferrando drags in Azucena, who has been captured wandering near the camp. When she hears Di Luna’s name, Azucena’s reactions arouse suspicion and Ferrando recognizes her as the mysterious woman who had murdered the Count’s brother many years before. Azucena cries out to her son Manrico to rescue her, and the Count realizes that he has the means to flush his enemy out of the fortress. He orders his men to build a pyre and burn Azucena before the walls. Inside the castle, Manrico and Leonora are preparing to be married. She is frightened; the battle with Di Luna is imminent and Manrico’s forces are outnumbered. He assures her of his love, even in the face of death. When news of Azucena’s capture reaches him, he summons his men and desperately prepares to attack.

Act IV : Manrico’s army has been defeated and he and Azucena are being held captive in Di Luna’s castle. Leonora has escaped with Ruiz, Manrico’s lieutenant, and comes to the prison to save her lover. When Di Luna appears and orders the execution of both Manrico and Azucena at sunrise, Leonora reveals herself and offers herself in return for her lover’s life. But secretly, she takes a slow poison from her ring so that she will not fall into Di Luna’s hands. Inside the prison, Manrico tries to comfort Azucena, who is terrified by visions of the stake and the fire that awaits her. He lulls her with memories of their former freedom and happiness. Leonora rushes in to tell Manrico that he is saved, urging him to escape. Suspecting the price of his freedom, he curses her in a jealous rage. But as the poison begins to take effect, he realizes what she has done. Just as Leonora dies, the Count rushes in and sees that he has been tricked. He sends Manrico to his execution. Azucena triumphantly cries out to him that her mother is avenged: Di Luna has killed his own brother.

Question: The Count di Luna, and his brother Manrico, vie for the love of Leonora in which Verdi opera, first performed in 1853?
Answer: IL TROVATORE