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A quick overview of Verdi’s 1853 sprawling melodrama.

Premiered

1853

Music by

Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto by

Salvadore Cammarano and
Leone Emanuele Bardare

Language

Italian

In March 1851, Verdi wrote to his librettist Cammarano from Venice proposing Antonio García Gutiérrez’s play El Trovador as the subject for his next opera, following the success of Rigoletto. Il trovatore forms the second opera of the trilogia popolare of Rigoletto, Il trovatore, and La traviata.

To Verdi, the main role in the drama belonged to Azucena, which is reflected in his initial titles for the opera—La zingara (“The Gypsy”) or La vendetta (“The Revenge”). Throughout his career, Verdi consistently worked to include an element of intrigue and innovation in his plots. In Il trovatore, that element is Azucena.

When Cammarano unexpectedly died in 1852, leaving behind a still unfinished draft of Il trovatore, Verdi hired Leone Emanuele Bardare. Bardare was integrally involved in the development and expansion of the character of Leonora to be a dramatic equal to the gypsy Azucena, thus balancing the two male roles, Manrico and the Count di Luna.

Act I

Ferrando, an aged soldier in the service of Count di Luna, tells his men about the Count’s unfortunate family history. One night, the nurse of the Count’s infant brother awoke to find a gypsy lurking over the cradle. When the infant became sickly soon afterward, the old gypsy was burned at the stake. As she died, she ordered her daughter to avenge her. Although this happened long ago, Ferrando swears he would still recognize the gypsy’s daughter.

In the palace gardens, Leonora tells her attendant how she fell in love with an unknown knight who had been victorious in a tournament. The knight, Manrico, now appears below her balcony to serenade her. Count di Luna also arrives to pay court to her. He realizes that his rival in love is also his enemy in the civil war raging through Spain. The two men draw their swords to fight a duel.

Act IV

Count di Luna has captured Manrico, and Leonora offers herself to the Count in exchange for Manrico’s life. When the Count agrees, she secretly swallows poison. In their prison, Manrico and Azucena comfort each other. Leonora arrives to free Manrico, who curses her for “selling” her love. But once the poison begins to take effect, he realizes the extent of the sacrifice she has made.

The Count arrives and realizes that Leonora has deceived him. As Leonora dies, the Count orders Manrico’s immediate execution. Azucena, forced to watch, reveals the truth to him: “You have killed your brother.”

Listen to the Story

Luigi Morgari  (1857–1935), Il Trovatore poster, 19th century. Color lithograph [].

Presented by Washington National Opera, host Saul Lilienstein takes you through the musical world of Verdi’s 1853 sprawling melodrama, Il Trovatore.

Watch an Excerpt

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