Verdi’s Il Trovatore

A hectic pace and famous tunes compensate for the absurdly sensational tale of mistaken identity in Verdi’s popular Il Trovatore, premièred in Rome in 1853. It is based on El trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez who provided him with the subject for Simon Boccanegra.

Azucena, a gypsy muddled up babies and murdered her own child rather than that of the Count responsible for burning her mother, a witch. She brought up the surviving child as her own son, Manrico. He is now a troubadour.

During fifteenth century wars in Aragon and the Basque country, unknown to each other, Manrico and the Count’s son, the Count di Luna, are on opposite sides. Both brothers compete for Leonora, the Queen’s lady-in-waiting. They only realise that they are brothers when Manrico is beheaded.

There is a procession of ‘best tunes’ sung by such famous stars as Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi and Joan Sutherland; and Caruso, Domingo and Pavarotti. For example, Manrico’s Ah! sì, ben mio, and Di quella pira, and his farewell to Leonora, Ah che la morte. Others include Leonora’s Tacea la notte, the Count’s Il balen, Azucena’s Stride la vampa!, and the Anvil Chorus, Nuns’ Chorus, Soldier’s Chorus and the Miserere.

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