Compositions

Il Trovatore

Il Trovatore
Year:1855
Genre:Opera
Composer:Giuseppe Verdi
Conductor:Herbert von Karajan
Performers:
 

Libretto

Il trovatore (The Troubadour) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Leone Emanuele Bardare and Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez.

It was first performed at the Teatro Apollo, Rome on 19 January 1853. During the 1854/55 season while in Paris, Verdi revised the opera for the Théatre des Italiens as Le trouvère and its many performances in January 1855 were well received.

Act I: The Duel

Scene 1: The guard room in the castle of Luna (The Palace of Aljaferia, Zaragoza, Spain)

Ferrando, the captain of the guards, orders his men to keep watch while Count di Luna wanders restlessly beneath the windows of Leonora, lady-in-waiting to the Princess. Di Luna loves Leonora, and is jealous of his successful rival, the troubadour Manrico. In order to keep the guards awake, Ferrando narrates the history of the count to the guard. (Aria: Di due figli vivea padre beato / "The good Count di Luna lived happily, the father of two sons"). It appears that a gypsy had once bewitched the little brother of the count, making the child weak and ill, and for this had been burnt alive as a witch. Dying, she had commanded her daughter Azucena to avenge her, which she did by carrying off the younger brother. Although the burnt bones of a child were found in the ashes of the pyre, the father refused to believe in his son's death; dying, he commanded Count di Luna to seek Azucena.

Scene 2: Garden in the palace of the princess

Leonora confesses her love for Manrico to her confidante, Ines. (Tacea la notte placida / "The peaceful night lay silent"... Di tale amor / "A love that words can scarcely describe"). When they have gone, Count di Luna hears the voice of his rival, Manrico, in the distance: Deserto sulla terra / "Alone upon this earth"). While Leonora in the darkness mistakes the count for her lover, Manrico himself enters the garden, and she rushes to his arms. The count recognises Manrico as his enemy, who has been condemned to death, and compels him to fight. Leonora tries to intervene, but cannot stop them from fighting (Trio: Di geloso amor sprezzato / "The fire of jealous love" ).

Act 2: The Gypsy Woman

Scene 1: The gypsies' camp

While Manrico sits at the bedside of his mother, Azucena, the gypsies sing the Anvil Chorus: Vedi le fosche notturne / "See! The endless sky casts off her sombre nightly garb.."). She is the daughter of the Gypsy burnt by the count and, although old, still nurses her vengeance. (Aria: Stride la vampa / "The flames are roaring!"). The Gypsies break camp while Azucena confesses to Manrico that after stealing him she had intended to burn the count's little son, but had thrown her own child into the flames instead (Aria: Condotta ell'era in ceppi / "They dragged her in bonds"). Manrico realises that he is not the son of Azucena, but loves her as if she were indeed his mother, as she has always been faithful and loving to him. Manrico tells Azucena that he defeated Di Luna in their duel, but was held back from killing him by a mysterious power (Duet: Mal reggendo / "He was helpless under my savage attack"). A messenger arrives and reports that Leonora, who believes Manrico dead, is about to enter a convent and take the veil that night. Although Azucena tries to prevent him from leaving in his weak state (Ferma! Son io che parlo a te! / "I must talk to you"), Manrico rushes away to prevent her from carrying out this purpose.

Scene 2: In front of the convent

Di Luna and his attendants intend to abduct Leonora and the Count sings of his love for her (Aria: Il balen del suo sorriso / "The light of her smile" ... Per me ora fatale / "Fatal hour of my life"). Leonora and the nuns appear in procession, but Manrico prevents Di Luna from carrying out his plans and instead, takes Leonora away with him.

Act 3: The Son of the Gypsy Woman

Scene 1: Di Luna's camp

(Chorus: Or co' dadi ma fra poco / "Now we play at dice") Di Luna's soldiers bring in the captured Azucena. She is recognised by Ferrando, and Di Luna sentences her to be burnt.

Scene 2: A chamber in the castle

Leonora and Manrico live only for each other. (Aria, Manrico: Ah si, ben mio coll'essere / "Ah, yes, my love, in being yours"). As they are about to take their marriage vows, Ruiz, Manrico's comrade, reports that Azucena is to be burned at the stake. Manrico rushes to her aid (Stretta: Di quella pira l'orrendo foco / "The horrid flames of that pyre"). Leonora faints.

Act 4: The Punishment

Scene 1: Before the dungeon keep

Leonora attempts to free Manrico, who has been captured by Di Luna (Aria: D'amor sull'ali rosee / "On the rosy wings of love"; Chorus & Duet: Miserere / "Lord, thy mercy on this soul"). Leonora begs Di Luna for mercy and offers herself in place of her lover. She promises to give herself to the count, but secretly swallows poison from her ring in order to die before Di Luna can possess her (Duet: Mira, d'acerbe lagrime / "See the bitter tears I shed").

Scene 2: In the dungeon

Manrico and Azucena are awaiting their execution. Manrico attempts to soothe Azucena, whose mind wanders to happier days in the mountains (Duet: Ai nostri monti ritorneremo / "Again to our mountains we shall return"). At last the gypsy slumbers. Leonora comes to Manrico and tells him that he is saved, begging him to escape. When he discovers she cannot accompany him, he refuses to leave his prison. He believes Leonora has betrayed him until he realizes that she has taken poison to remain true to him. As she dies in agony in Manrico's arms she confesses that she prefers to die with him than to marry another. (Quartet: Prima che d'altri vivere / "Rather than live as another's") The count enters to find Leonora dead in his rival's arms and orders Manrico to be led to execution. Azucena arises and when Di Luna shows her the dead Manrico, she cries in triumph: Egli era tuo fratello! / "He was your brother..You are avenged, oh mother!" At the same time as Azucena, the count screams in despair E vivo ancor! / "And I must live on!". 

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ACT I

1 01 All'erta! All'erta! 2:59 2.74 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
2 02 Di due figli vivea padre beato 0:45 0.69 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
3 03 Abbietta zingara, fosca vegliarda! 3:34 3.27 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
4 04 Brevi e tristi giorni visse 1:57 1.79 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
5 05 Sull'orlo dei tetti 1:22 1.26 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
6 06 Che piu t'arresti 2:26 2.23 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
7 07 Tacca la notte placida 3:24 3.11 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
8 08 Quanto narrasti di turbamento m'ha piena l'alma! 0:49 0.76 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
9 09 Di tale amor 1:40 1.53 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
10 10 Tace la notte! 1:52 1.71 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
11 11 Il trovator! lo fremo!... Deserto sulla terra 1:45 1.60 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
12 12 Anima miaL.Piu dell'usato 1:56 1.77 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
13 13 Di geloso amor sprezzato 2:37 2.40 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 

ACT II

1 14 Vedi! le fosche notturne 2:58 2.72 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
2 15 Stride la vampa! 2:41 2.45 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
3 16 Mesta e la tua canzon! 2:01 1.85 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
4 17 Soli or siamo 1:00 0.92 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
5 18 Condotta ell'era in ceppi 4:50 4.43 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
6 19 Non son tuo figlio! 2:27 2.25 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
7 20 Mal reggendo all'aspro assalto 3:08 2.87 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
8 21 L'usato messo Ruiz invia!... Mi vendica! 1:26 1.31 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
9 22 Perigliarti ancor languente 2:29 2.28 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
10 23 Tutto e deserto 1:34 1.44 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
11 24 Il balen del suo sorriso 3:15 2.97 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
12 25 Qual suono! Oh ciel! 0:50 0.76 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
13 26 Per me ora fatale 2:51 2.61 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
14 27 Ah! se l'error t'ingombra 2:00 1.84 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
15 28 Perche piangete...O dolci amiche 2:17 2.09 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
16 29 E deggio e posso crederlo 4:42 4.30 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 

ACT III

1 30 Or co' dadi, ma fra poco 4:27 4.07 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
2 31 In braccio al mio rivai! 2:11 2.01 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
3 32 Giorni poveri vivea 3:08 2.87 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
4 33 Deh! rallentate, o barbari 2:07 1.94 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
5 34 Quale d'armi fragor 2:02 1.86 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
6 35 Ah si, ben mio, coll'essere io tuo 2:52 2.62 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
7 36 L'onda de' suoni mistici pura discenda al cor! 1:29 1.36 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
8 37 Di quella pira, l'orrendo foco 3:18 3.02 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 

ACT IV

1 38 Siam giunti; ecco la torre 3:06 2.83 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
2 39 D'amor sull'ali rosee 4:01 3.68 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
3 40 Miserere...Quel suon, quelle preci 4:53 4.47 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
4 41 Di te, di te scordarmi di te 2:32 2.33 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
5 42 Udiste 1:46 1.63 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
6 43 Mira, d'acerbe lagrime 2:19 2.12 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
7 44 Conte!.. Ne basti! 1:13 1.12 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
8 45 Colui vivra...Vivra! contende il giubilo 2:24 2.21 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
9 46 Madre, non dormi 5:27 5.00 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
10 47 Si, la stanchezza m'opprime 1:20 1.22 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
11 48 Ai nostri monti ritorneremo 2:03 1.88 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
12 49 Che! Non m'inganna 1:08 1.04 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
13 50 Parlar non vuoi...Ha quest'infame l'amor venduto 3:00 2.75 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
14 51 Ti scosta! 1:06 1.01 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 
15 52 Prima che d'altri vivere 3:32 3.23 Mb 128 Kbps buy
 

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