Il trovatore
Giuseppe Verdi's unmistakable signature.The Setting
15th-century Spain. The Prince of Aragon and the Prince of Urgel are at war.
The Characters
- Il Conte di Luna, the Count di Luna, a nobleman in service of the Prince of Aragon
- Manrico, a troubadour and officer in the army of the Prince of Urgel
- Azucena, a gypsy who claims to be Manrico's mother
- Leonora, a lady-in-waiting to the queen
- Ferrando, the Count's elderly captain of the guard
- Ines, Leonara's confidante
- Ruiz, Manrico's henchman
- Un vecchio zingaro, an old gypsy
- Un messo, a messenger
The Conflict
The Count loves Leonora, but she does not love him back. Instead, she loves Manrico, and he returns her love.
The Plot
Act I: The Duel
Scene 1: The guard room in the castle of Luna (the Palace of Aliaferia)
The followers of Count di Luna keep watch as he wanders restlessly beneath the windows of Leonora. Ferrando keeps the men awake by narrating a terrible happening of 15 years ago: an old gypsy woman was burned to death for bewitching the Count's younger brother, making the child weak and ill. Her daughter, Azucena, avenged herself by abducting the boy and is thought to have burned him at the same stake where the mother perished, but the Count still searches for him.
Scene 2: The palace gardens
As Leonora awaits Manrico, she recalls of how they met to her confidante, Ines. The Count appears, but so does Manrico, and the two confront each other. The Count challenges Manrico to a duel.
Act II: The Gypsy
Scene 1: A gypsy camp in the mountains of Biscay
As the gypsies sing and work at their anvils, Azucena broods on the fate of her mother, burned as a witch.
She explains the circumstances to Manrico (who had left her at an early age to pursue his ambitions and was thus ignorant of the story), going on to tell him how she had intended to avenge her mother by burning the Count's little brother, but had become confused and killed her own child instead. In answer to Manrico's puzzled question about his identity, she assures him that he is indeed her own son--the horrible memory caused her mind to wander and she did not know what she was saying. She reminds him that she has always loved him and has just nursed him back to health after he was wounded in a battle against the Count's forces. The battle had taken place just after the duel in which Manrico had spared the Count's life, as a voice from heaven seemed to command him. Azucena urges him to strike without hesitation if the occasion arises again.
A message is brought that Leonora, believing Manrico dead, is about to enter a convent. Brushing aside Azucena's pleas that he is too weak to travel, he rushes off to prevent Leonora from taking the veil.
Scene 2: Outside the convent
The Count has come to abduct Leonora, but when Leonora and the nuns enter in procession, Manrico appears. Leonora is overjoyed at seeing Manrico alive, and Manrico beats back the Count's forces and escapes with her.
Act III: The Gypsy's Son
Scene 1: Outside the fortress of Castellor
The Count has pitched his camp near the castle of Castellor, now held by Manrico, who has taken Leonora there. Azucena is found wandering near the camp and brought to the Count, accused of spying. Ferrando recognises her as the woman responsible for the death of the Count's brother and in terror she cries to Manrico to save her. Realising that she is Manrico's mother, in addition to her crime, the Count prepares to execute her.
Scene 2: Inside the fortress, in the chapel
Manrico and Leonora are preparing for their wedding when Ruiz brings the news that Azucena is about to be burnt at the stake. Manrico rushes off to rescue her.
Act IV: The Execution
Scene 1: The Aliaferia Palace
Ruiz brings Leonora to the tower where Manrico is imprisoned, having been captured in his vain attempt to save Azucena. Monks intone the miserere as Manrico laments that death is slow in coming. Leonora pleads with the Count for Manrico's life, offering herself in exchange. He joyfully accepts her bargain, and she swears to keep her promise, but secretly swallows poison from her ring: the Count shall only have her dead body.
Scene 2: Inside the dungeon
Manrico and Azucena are awaiting their execution. Manrico attempts to soothe Azucena, whose mind wanders to happier days in the mountains. Azucena falls asleep.
When Leonora comes to Manrico to tell him that he is saved, he guesses the price she has paid for his escape and refuses to leave his prison. Only when the poison starts to work does he realize that she has not betrayed him. Dying in his arms, Leonora confesses that she would rather die with him than marry another.
The Count appears, realising that he has been deceived, and orders Manrico's immediate execution. Azucena, roused by Manrico's cry of farewell, is taken to a window by the Count to witness Manrico's death.
Azucena tells the Count that he has just killed his own brother. Her mother is avenged.