original name-Il trovatore

An opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi with a libretto (in Italian) by Salvatore Cammarano, based on the drama of the same name by Antonio García Gutiérrez, which, in turn, describes some real events.

Characters:

LEONORA, lady-in-waiting to the Princess of Aragon (soprano)
Azucena, Biscay gypsy (mezzo-soprano)
MANRICO, commander of the Prince of Biscay, considered the son of Azucena, troubadour (tenor)
COUNT DI LUNA, young Aragonese aristocrat (baritone)
FERRANDO, head of the count's guards (bass)
INES, Leonora's confidante (soprano)
RUITZ, officer in the Manrico regiment (tenor)

Action time: XV century.
Location: Biscay and Aragon (Spain).
First performance: Rome, Apollo Theater, January 19, 1853.

Since its first production in Rome on an unusually dark and stormy night a century and a half ago, Il trovatore has been one of the most popular operas in the world. The reason for this popularity is at least partly, maybe that there are so many melodies in it that everyone knows from childhood. The choir "Miserere", "To the native mountains we will return", the gypsy choir with hammer blows on the anvil, Count di Luna's aria "II balen del suo sorriso" ("The light of her clear smile") - these are just a few of the wonderful melodies that form our culture and which sound even in the performance of schoolchildren and on mechanical organs. The plot of the opera is based on real facts, which actually took place in Spain in the 15th century, but the episodes of the opera are arranged in such a way that many of the key events occur either before the start of the main action of the opera, or in the period of time that is supposed to pass between its actions. And here's another thing: since the music of the opera is unusually expressive, it is always quite clear whether the character is happy or sad, loves or hates. And the intensity of passions in the "Il trovatore" does not weaken for a minute.

ACT I
DUEL

Scene 1. The first act, to which the composer prefaced the subtitle "Duel", opens with a view of the vestibule of the palace of Alyaferia, where our heroine, Leonora, lives. On the side is the door to the apartments of the Count di Luna. Ferrando, an old warrior, head of the count's guards, and the servants of the count stationed themselves at the door; several warriors are walking around the stage. Ferrando tells several servants and soldiers of Count di Luna one family history. The count himself wanders all night in the garden of the palace, waiting for Leonora, for whom he burns with love passion and whom he wants to seduce. The old count (the father of the one whom everyone is now waiting for) had two sons. Once, twenty years ago, at the cradle of the youngest, still quite a baby, the nurse found a gypsy who, apparently, bewitched - “jinxed” him: the baby began to wither. The old gypsy woman was seized and burned at the stake. But her daughter, also a sorceress, named Azucena, in retaliation for this, kidnapped the baby and threw him into the fire of the fire, on which her mother was burned. Everyone wanted to catch and burn this young gypsy, but then the spirit of the old gypsy - such is the common belief - soared in the form of an owl and to death, even now, frightens everyone who meets. Ferrando's superstitious listeners are horrified. When the tower bell strikes midnight, everyone, seized with fear, curses the sorceress.

Scene 2. A moonlit night in the shady castle garden. To the right is a marble staircase leading to the apartments. Thick clouds often obscure the moon. Leonora confesses to her confidante Ines that she is in love with a mysterious knight. Many years ago, she crowned him as the winner of the tournament, but then, as Leonora says, he went to war and did not return. Since then, he began to appear to her in dreams. And suddenly ... Unexpectedly last night (and here Leonora sings her love aria (cavatina) "Tasea la notte placida" - "There was a dark night all around, and the sky was clear") he sang a serenade to her. Frost warns Leonora against this love passion, but in vain - Leonora's heart is forever given to the mysterious troubadour.

Returning to the castle, the two girls hear behind the scenes the song of the troubadour accompanying himself on the lute (Manrico's romance). Leonora, in a fit of love, rushes to the stairs and - of course, by mistake - falls into the arms of the Count di Luna, who, tormented by passion, has long been waiting for her here. At this moment, the figure of a singer, a troubadour, appears in the moonlight. Trembling with jealousy, the count immediately challenges his opponent to a duel. The knight raises his visor, and the count recognizes in the hated troubadour his old enemy - Manrico. Leonora throws herself between them, trying to prevent bloodshed. In a passionate tercet, she begs to spare the knight's life. Both opponents retire with their swords drawn. Leonora falls unconscious.

ACT II
GYPSY

Scene 1. The curtain rises. The ruins of a house on a mountainside in Biscay. In the depths there is a large fire, Azucena sits near the fire. Nearby, covered with a cloak, Manrico is reclining. In his hand is a sword, on which he fixed his gaze. At his feet is a helmet. They are surrounded by gypsies. It's getting light. The gypsy choir sounds “You see, the dawn has played in the sky”, famous for that it is accompanied by hammer blows on the anvil. In the aria immediately following the chorus, "Stride la vampa!" (“The flames are burning!”) Azucena describes that terrible day when she saw how her mother was burned at the stake. In the meantime, the gypsies repeat their friendly cheerful tune again and leave with it in search of food. Now Azucena tells in detail to her son Manrico - who is that troubadour from act I - scary story. She excitedly tells how she abducted younger son Count di Luna, and how, intending to throw him into the fire, she mistakenly threw her own son into it. Thus we learn that Manrico is the brother of his rival, the present Count of Luna. Azucena sinks down on the bench in exhaustion; Manrico is amazed. When asked by Manrico who he really is, she insistently replies that he is her son, because it was she who saved his life. Manrico, like the listeners, remains confused. And now, in the delightful aria “Mal reggendo all` aspro assalto” (“The battle between us was in in full swing”), he talks about his duel with the count. Manrico threw him, disarmed, to the ground, but at that moment some mysterious force held his victorious hand and saved the life of the count. Now the mother and son decide that henceforth there will be no mercy for him. At this moment, the sound of a horn is heard - a messenger is from the Prince of Biscay with an order for Manrico to come to the defense of Castellor Castle from the troops of Count di Luna. The knight also learns that Leonora, considering him dead, is going to go to the monastery in Castellore. Ignoring Azucena's protests, Manrico rushes to protect his prince and his beloved.

Scene 2. The action takes place at the walls of the monastery in Castellore. Night. Here we find the count, along with several of his attendants, wrapped in cloaks; he is going to kidnap Leonora, who is about to take her monastic vows. waiting right moment, he sings the well-known aria "II balen del suo sorriso" ("The light of her clear smile"), in which he speaks of the storm raging in his heart. The sound of a bell is heard. This is the call before the monastic vows. The agitated count vigilantly peers in the direction from which Leonora should come. By the singing of the nuns, whose choir sounds offstage, we understand that the monastic vows are beginning, and when the nuns appear on stage (among them Leonora and Ine), Count di Luna blocks Leonora’s path and demands that she go with him to the altar to get married . The count's men are here. There seems to be no escape... As if by magic, unexpectedly, to Leonora's great joy, since she thought he was dead, Manrico appears. Soon his people join him - Ruitz with warriors. A fight breaks out between the two squads; the Count di Luna is disarmed and driven back. Leonora begs Manrico not to kill the Count. Manrico takes Leonora away. The women hide in the monastery. The action ends with a large ensemble dominated by the voice of Leonora, who sings of the happiness of being with her beloved.

ACT III
SON OF A GYPSY

Scene 1. The third act takes us to the military camp of Count di Luna (his tent on the stage on the right), who besieged the castle of Castellor (its towers are visible in the distance), where he brought Leonora Manrico, preparing to marry her. A choir of soldiers sings a resolute and energetic marching melody ("Squilli, echeggi la tromba guerriera" - "Hey, trumpeters, wake up all life"). The Earl comes out of the tent and peers at Castellor Castle. A noise is heard, it is getting closer. It is the Count's soldiers leading Azucena, roughly pushing her. Her hands are tied. When asked who she is, she refuses to answer, but the old warrior Fernando recognizes in her that mysterious woman, which many years ago threw into the fire younger brother graph. In desperation, she calls on Manrico for help. The count now has two reasons to hate the old woman: she killed his brother and she is the mother of his rival. He vows terrible revenge. At a sign from the count, the soldiers take her away. This is how the scene ends.

Scene 2. A short second scene takes place in the castle, where Manrico is preparing for two important events- the upcoming assault on the castle by the troops of Count di Luna and his marriage to Leonora. In a captivatingly gentle aria, he calms his beloved. The next moment, just after the sounds of the organ coming from the castle chapel, a breathless Ruitz rushes in. He reports that Azucena has been captured by the count's soldiers, and they are already lighting a fire to burn her. Manrico immediately orders his associates to rescue his mother. He sings the energetic aria "Di quella pira" ("By the fire of hell that burns everything..."), in which he inspires his warriors to fight. Manrico flees, followed by Ruiz and the warriors. Offstage, there is noise and the sound of weapons.

ACT IV
EXECUTION

Scene 1. Dark night. Two cloaked figures approach the prison tower of the Aljaferia castle: they are Leonora and Ruitz. Leonora mourns the loss of Manrico, who was captured in battle and soon to be beheaded. A choir of monks inside the prison tower sings "Miserere", a prayer for those destined to leave this world. Manrico (in the tower) sings his song of farewell to life and Leonora, accompanying himself on the lute, and Leonora gives vent to her despair, foreseeing what must now inevitably happen. This is one of the most memorable - as well as the most banal - episodes in opera.

The Count appears and Leonora begs him to save her lover's life, she even offers herself as a sacrifice for him. Delighted, the count agrees to this deal. Leonora demands that the dungeon door be opened. A guard appears and the Count whispers something in his ear. A moment later (during which Leonora manages to secretly drink the poison stored in her ring), the count informs her that Manrico is free. Leonora rejoices: she saved Manrico, he will live! The count also rejoices ... But Leonora will never again fall into the hands of a man whom she hates. He will embrace the cold corpse!

Scene 2. A gloomy dungeon; a lattice window in the corner, a door in the back. The lamp flickers. Azucena lies on the mat; Manrique takes good care of her. He sings about their home in the mountains, where they will return. This is a melodically unusually expressive duet “Ai nostri monti” (“We will return to our native mountains”). The door opens and Leonora enters, trying to convince Manrico to run. Suspecting that Leonora bought his salvation at the cost of an alliance with the Count, he becomes furious. “Oh, how dishonorably you betrayed love!” he exclaims. At this moment, the poison begins to act, and then Manrico realizes what happened. During their duet Azucena in a semi-conscious state, she continues to sing about their old home in the mountains.

Leonora is dying. The count enters, he looks with amazement at the dead Leonora, lying in the arms of Manrico, and realizes that the woman he loved was saved from him at the cost of her death. In anger, he orders the immediate execution of Manrico, and he pushes Azucena to the window so that she can see the death of her, according to Count di Luna, son. Manrico is executed. And the gypsy with hatred and triumphantly throws a terrible confession in his face: “Egli era tuo Fratello!” (“He was your brother!”). Azucena's revenge is done. To the sounds of the tragic chords of the orchestra, the curtain falls.

Henry W. Simon (translated by A. Maykapar)

D. Verdi opera "Il trovatore"

Giuseppe Verdi immediately drew attention to the unusual plot of Antonio Garcia Gutierrez's drama Il trovatore. He attracted him with his romantic mood, brightness of colors, seething passions and emotionality. In addition, the theme of struggle, heroism and mental stamina are clearly traced in the work. The opera Il trovatore based on this plot is a colorful and emotional work. It shows irreconcilable contrasts, collisions of two opposing sides, as well as deep and incredibly beautiful feelings of the characters. The special charm of music is given by the national flavor, because many melodies are very close to each other. folk motives. The libretto of the opera Il trovatore is by Salvatore Cammarano.

Characters		Description
Leonora	soprano	a dreamy and noble young girl whom the brothers fell in love with
Count di Luna	baritone	haughty, cruel and unrequitedly in love with the beautiful Leonora young man
Manrico	tenor	the mysterious troubadour and the lost brother of Count di Luna
Azucena	mezzo-soprano	gypsy who stole a baby and raises Manrico as a son
Ferrando	bass	an old warrior who told everyone the story of two brothers
Ines	soprano	Leonora's friend, who is going to become a nun with her
Ruitz	tenor	soldier helping Manrico out of the dungeon

Summary

All events in the opera take place in the 15th century in Spain (Biscay and Aragon).
The main characters of the opera are two brothers, the Count di Luna and the troubadour Manrico, but they do not even know about their close relationship and consider each other enemies. Count Li Luna is in love with the beautiful Leonora and tries to woo her. However, the girl does not reciprocate his feelings, because her heart belongs to another - Manrico, whom she met at a jousting tournament and crowned his head with a wreath. Since then, she often thinks about him and even sees him in her dreams.

Meanwhile, the old warrior Ferrando tells everyone about the circumstances under which the two brothers were separated. In fact, one of them was stolen by the gypsy Azucena out of revenge and thrown into the fire. But it turns out that on that day she burned her own child by mistake and began to raise her adopted Manrico.

Both boys are trying to woo the girl Leonora. There is even a duel between them. Manrico throws his opponent to the floor, but does not kill him, feeling that he is being held by some kind of force.

It would seem that the opponent was defeated, but it was not there, it could not stop the insidious count and he decided to act again. This time he attacks the Castellor castle of the Prince of Biscay, who is forced to ask for help from Manrico. The prince summons a troubadour to help protect the castle from the encroachments of Count di Luna. By a happy coincidence, it is in this castle that his beloved Leonora is going to become a nun. The girl is in despair, as she believes that Manrico is dead. Count di Luna hurries to the same castle, he intends to steal Leonora and marry her. A battle ensues between the units of the brothers, and Leonora is incredibly happy, because she found out that her beloved Manrico is alive. Meanwhile, the count's soldiers seized the troubadour's mother, Azucena, and brought her to a military camp. In the castle, Manrico prepares for his marriage to Leonora, but after learning that his mother has been captured, he decides to storm the count's military camp. Unfortunately, his army was defeated, and he himself was captured and imprisoned in a prison tower awaiting execution.

Leonora is ready to do anything to save her beloved and offers the count to be with him if he releases Manrico. The happy Count di Luna immediately agrees, not realizing that the girl has already taken a deadly poison so as not to get him. Leonora is escorted to the prison tower to Manrico, and she convinces her beloved to run away as soon as possible. However, the poison has already begun to take effect, and she dies in his arms. Count di Luna, seeing this scene, becomes desperate and in a fit of anger orders the immediate execution of his rival. He brings the gypsy Azucena to the window so that she can see how her son is dying, but she throws a terrible phrase in his face that Manrico is his lost brother.

A photo:

Interesting Facts

• The plot of the opera is based on real events which are described in the literature.
  
• The plot is so captivating. Verdi that the very music he wrote it in just 29 days.
  
• The first production in Rome was surrounded by mysticism, due to the fact that the night was unusually dark and stormy.
  
• The opera "Il trovatore" is one of the most popular in the world and is included in the golden collection of opera works.
  
• While working on the opera, the librettist Salvatore Cammarano suddenly dies, and the end of the third, as well as the fourth act, was already being completed by the poet E. Bardare.
  
• Many melodies from the opera have become the favorite revolutionary songs of the people of Italy.
  
• The libretto of the performance is too confusing, even after carefully reading it, it is not clear how Manrico becomes a troubadour and, in fact, why the Spanish king himself gives him such honors.
  
• The plot of the Troubadour is simply impossible to retell correctly and accurately without ever going astray. In Milan, even a bottle of champagne is kept in a tavern near the La Scala theater for those who still manage to do it.
  
• To help the audience, the composer and librettists introduced stories to explain what was happening on stage.
  
• Verdi was well aware that his work turned out to be too gloomy, he confirmed this in his letter to his friend C. Maffei.
  
• Miserere from the opera Il trovatore, according to the composer himself, served as a prototype for the famous trial of Radamès from " Hades". There are even common features in the exclamations of Amneris and Leonora.
  
• In 1949, the opera was filmed by director C. Gallone
  
• One amusing incident from the life of the composer is connected with the opera Il trovatore. Having finished work on the work, he decided to call a music critic who was always skeptical of Verdi and was considered a mediocre scribbler. After playing him some of the most successful numbers, to his liking, the composer asked if the critics liked what they heard. Of course, he smashed the music, calling it flat and uninteresting. Verdi was very happy to hear this, and rushed to shake hands with a strict critic, who was dumbfounded by everything that was happening. And the composer noted that he was very happy and not upset at all, because his words mean that the new work will undoubtedly succeed.
  
• Another interesting fact associated with the work of the great maestro. Once he was asked what his creation he considers the best. Without hesitation, Verdi replied that the house he built for elderly musicians.
• It is noteworthy that the complexity of the parties of the main characters, as well as their excessive emotionality, forced many theaters of the world to abandon the production of Il trovatore.
• Only a few world-famous performers truly coped with difficult parts: Pavarotti, Domingo, Callas, Caruso, Tebaldi, Netrebko.

Popular arias and numbers:

Leonora's Cavatina "tacea la notte placida" - listen

Azucena's song "Stride la vampa" - listen

Aria of Leonora IV act "D" amor sull "ali rosee" - listen

Gypsy choir" Vedi! Le fosche notturne - listen

History of creation

The opera Il trovatore is based on a play by the playwright Gutierrez, which was presented to the public in Madrid as early as 1836 with great success. romantic story which is full of intrigues, fights, family secrets with an incredible dramatic denouement, immediately attracted the attention of Verdi. He admired the bright colors of the dramaturgy, as well as the incredible acute situations with seething passions and unsurpassed heroism of the struggle for the freedom of the individual. After carefully considering the plan, he set about writing his next opera.

By the way, the idea of ​​creating the opera "Il trovatore" arose while working on another masterpiece of the composer - " Rigoletto". It is worth noting that the work itself proceeded in a very difficult period of the composer's life. It was at this time that he was experiencing the loss of his mother, in addition, problems with the production of Rigoletto were aggravated. All these factors greatly delayed the writing of Il trovatore. However, the composer created the music itself rather quickly. The libretto was created by S. Cammarano, and it is generally accepted that he slightly deepened the main intrigue of the opera, making it even more intricate. Sudden death librettist interrupted Verdi's work on the score. The young poet L. Bardare, who used Cammarano's sketches, worked on the remaining actions.

January 19, 1853 at the Apollo Theater in Rome, the premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Troubadour"

The opera Il trovatore was first performed in Rome on January 19, 1853. The work, which affirms the principles of realism in Verdi's work, gains worldwide popularity and makes the composer's name immortal.

The plot is borrowed from the play of the same name by the Spanish playwright A.G. Gutiérrez, successfully staged in Madrid in 1836. This is a typical romantic drama with intricate intrigue and bloody denouement, with indispensable duels, revenge, poison and fatal secrets. Romantic drama captured Verdi with the brightness of colors,
severity of scenes.

"Il trovatore" is a drama of sharp contrasts, raging clashes, strong, romantically elevated feelings. recreating tragic fates heroes of the opera, embodying their experiences, the composer great attention devoted to showing the life background of events. Picturesque images of gypsies, monks, soldiers and the count's entourage. They are depicted in relief choral episodes and give the opera variety, enliven
action. The music of the work is rich in bright melodies that are close to folk melodies. Some of them became widely known revolutionary songs in Italy.

ACT I
DUEL

Scene 1 The first act, to which the composer prefaced the subtitle "Duel", opens with a view of the lobby of the palace of Alyaferia, where our heroine, Leonora, lives. On the side is the door to the apartments of the Count di Luna. Ferrando, an old warrior, head of the count's guards, and the servants of the count stationed themselves at the door; several warriors are walking around the stage. Ferrando tells several servants and soldiers of Count di Luna a family story. The count himself wanders all night in the garden of the palace, waiting for Leonora, for whom he burns with love passion and whom he wants to seduce. The old count (the father of the one whom everyone is now waiting for) had two sons. Once, twenty years ago, at the cradle of the youngest, still just a baby, the nurse found a gypsy who, apparently, bewitched - "jinxed" him: the baby began to wither. The old gypsy woman was seized and burned at the stake. But her daughter, also a sorceress, named Azucena, in retaliation for this, kidnapped the baby and threw him into the fire of the fire, on which her mother was burned. Everyone wanted to catch and burn this young gypsy, but then the spirit of the old gypsy - such is the common belief - soared in the form of an owl and to death, even now, frightens everyone who meets. Ferrando's superstitious listeners are horrified. When the tower bell strikes midnight, everyone, seized with fear, curses the sorceress.

Scene 2 Moonlit night in the shady castle garden. To the right is a marble staircase leading to the apartments. Thick clouds often obscure the moon. Leonora confesses to her confidante Ines that she is in love with a mysterious knight. Many years ago, she crowned him as the winner of the tournament, but then, as Leonora says, he went to war and did not return. Since then, he began to appear to her in dreams. And suddenly ... Unexpectedly last night (and here Leonora sings her love aria (cavatina) "Tasea la notte placida" - "There was a dark night all around, and the sky was clear") he sang a serenade to her. Frost warns Leonora against this love passion, but in vain - Leonora's heart is forever given to the mysterious troubadour.

Returning to the castle, the two girls hear behind the scenes the song of the troubadour accompanying himself on the lute (Manrico's romance). Leonora, in an impulse of love, rushes to the stairs and - of course, by mistake - falls into the arms of the Count di Luna, who, tormented by passion, has long been waiting for her here. At this moment, the figure of a singer, a troubadour, appears in the moonlight. Trembling with jealousy, the count immediately challenges his opponent to a duel. The knight raises his visor, and the count recognizes in the hated troubadour his old enemy, Manrico. Leonora throws herself between them, trying to prevent bloodshed. In a passionate tercet, she begs to spare the knight's life. Both opponents retire with their swords drawn. Leonora falls unconscious.

ACT II
GYPSY

Scene 1 The curtain rises. The ruins of a house on a mountainside in Biscay. In the depths there is a large fire, Azucena sits near the fire. Nearby, covered with a cloak, Manrico is reclining. In his hand is a sword, on which he fixed his gaze. At his feet is a helmet. They are surrounded by gypsies. It's getting light. The gypsy choir sounds “You see, the dawn has played in the sky”, famous for the fact that it is accompanied by hammer blows on the anvil. In the aria immediately following the chorus, "Stride la vampa!" (“The flames are burning!”) Azucena describes that terrible day when she saw how her mother was burned at the stake. In the meantime, the gypsies repeat their friendly cheerful tune again and leave with it in search of food. Now Azucena tells her son Manrico, who is the troubadour from Act I, in detail, a terrible story. She excitedly tells how she kidnapped the youngest son of the Count di Luna and how, intending to throw him into the fire, she mistakenly threw her own son into him. Thus we learn that Manrico is the brother of his rival, the present Count of Luna. Azucena sinks down on the bench in exhaustion; Manrico is amazed. When asked by Manrico who he really is, she insistently replies that he is her son, because it was she who saved his life. Manrico, like the listeners, remains confused. And now, in the delightful aria "Mal reggendo all "aspro assalto" ("The battle between us was in full swing"), he talks about his duel with the count. Manrico threw him, disarmed, to the ground, but at that moment some a mysterious force held back his victorious hand and saved the life of the count.Now the mother and son decide that there will be no mercy for him in the future.At this moment, the sound of a horn is heard - a messenger from the Prince of Biscay comes with an order to Manrico to come to the defense of the castle of Castellor from the troops of the count di Luna.The knight also learns that Leonora, believing him dead, is going to retire to a monastery in Castellore.Ignoring the protests of Azucena, Manrico rushes to protect his prince and his beloved.

Scene 2 The action takes place at the walls of the monastery in Castellore. Night. Here we find the count, along with several of his attendants, wrapped in cloaks; he is going to kidnap Leonora, who is about to take her monastic vows. Waiting for the right moment, he sings the well-known aria "II balen del suo sorriso" ("The light of her clear smile"), in which he speaks of the storm raging in his heart. The sound of a bell is heard. This is the call before the monastic vows. The agitated count vigilantly peers in the direction from which Leonora should come. By the singing of the nuns, whose choir sounds offstage, we understand that the monastic vows are beginning, and when the nuns appear on stage (among them Leonora and Ine), Count di Luna blocks Leonora’s path and demands that she go with him to the altar to get married . The count's men are here. There seems to be no escape... As if by magic, unexpectedly, to Leonora's great joy, since she thought he was dead, Manrico appears. Soon his people join him - Ruitz with warriors. A fight breaks out between the two squads; the Count di Luna is disarmed and driven back. Leonora begs Manrico not to kill the Count. Manrico takes Leonora away. The women hide in the monastery. The action ends with a large ensemble dominated by the voice of Leonora, who sings of the happiness of being with her beloved.

ACT III
SON OF A GYPSY

Scene 1 The third act takes us to the military camp of Count di Luna (his tent on the stage on the right), who besieged the castle of Castellor (its towers are visible in the distance), where he brought Leonora Manrico, preparing to marry her. The choir of soldiers sings a resolute and energetic marching melody (“Squilli, echeggi la tromba guerriera” - “Hey, trumpeters, wake up all life”). The Earl comes out of the tent and peers at Castellor Castle. A noise is heard, it is getting closer. It is the Count's soldiers leading Azucena, roughly pushing her. Her hands are tied. When asked who she is, she refuses to answer, but the old warrior Fernando recognizes in her that mysterious woman who many years ago threw the count's younger brother into the fire. In desperation, she calls on Manrico for help. The count now has two reasons to hate the old woman: she killed his brother and she is the mother of his rival. He vows terrible revenge. At a sign from the count, the soldiers take her away. This is how the scene ends.

Scene 2 The short second scene takes place in the castle, where Manrico prepares for two important events - the upcoming assault on the castle by the troops of the Count di Luna and his marriage to Leonora. In a captivatingly gentle aria, he calms his beloved. The next moment, just after the sounds of the organ coming from the castle chapel, a breathless Ruitz rushes in. He reports that Azucena has been captured by the count's soldiers, and they are already lighting a fire to burn her. Manrico immediately orders his associates to rescue his mother. He sings the energetic aria "Di quella pira" ("By the fire of hell that burns everything..."), in which he inspires his warriors to fight. Manrico flees, followed by Ruiz and the warriors. Offstage, there is noise and the sound of weapons.

ACT IV
EXECUTION

Scene 1 Dark night. Two cloaked figures approach the prison tower of the Aljaferia castle: they are Leonora and Ruitz. Leonora mourns the loss of Manrico, who was captured in battle and soon to be beheaded. A choir of monks inside the prison tower sings "Miserere", a prayer for those destined to leave this world. Manrico (in the tower) sings his song of farewell to life and Leonora, accompanying himself on the lute, and Leonora gives vent to her despair, foreseeing what must now inevitably happen. This is one of the most memorable - as well as the most banal - episodes in opera.

The Count appears and Leonora begs him to save her lover's life, she even offers herself as a sacrifice for him. Delighted, the count agrees to this deal. Leonora demands that the dungeon door be opened. A guard appears and the Count whispers something in his ear. A moment later (during which Leonora manages to secretly drink the poison stored in her ring), the count informs her that Manrico is free. Leonora rejoices: she saved Manrico, he will live! The count also rejoices ... But Leonora will never again fall into the hands of a man whom she hates. He will embrace the cold corpse!

Scene 2 Gloomy dungeon; a lattice window in the corner, a door in the back. The lamp flickers. Azucena lies on the mat; Manrique takes good care of her. He sings about their home in the mountains, where they will return. This is a melodically unusually expressive duet “Ai nostri monti” (“We will return to our native mountains”). The door opens and Leonora enters, trying to convince Manrico to run. Suspecting that Leonora bought his salvation at the cost of an alliance with the Count, he becomes furious. “Oh, how dishonorably you betrayed love!” he exclaims. At this moment, the poison begins to act, and then Manrico realizes what happened. During their duet Azucena in a semi-conscious state, she continues to sing about their old home in the mountains.

Leonora is dying. The count enters, he looks with amazement at the dead Leonora, lying in the arms of Manrico, and realizes that the woman he loved was saved from him at the cost of her death. In anger, he orders the immediate execution of Manrico, and he pushes Azucena to the window so that she can see the death of her, according to Count di Luna, son. Manrico is executed. And the gypsy with hatred and triumphantly throws a terrible confession in his face: “Egli era tuo Fratello!” (“He was your brother!”). Azucena's revenge is done. To the sounds of the tragic chords of the orchestra, the curtain falls.

Opera in four acts

Libretto by Salvatore Cammarano

Characters

Count di Luna (baritone)

Leonora (soprano)

Azucena, gypsy (mezzo-soprano)

Manrico, troubadour (tenor)

Ferrando, Chief of the Count's Guard (bass)

Ines, Leonora's confidante (soprano)

Ruiz, friend of Manrico (tenor)

Messenger (bass)

Old Gypsy (bass)

Leonora's friends, the count's retinue, soldiers, gypsies and gypsies.

The action takes place in Aragon and Biscay at the beginning of the 15th century.

Act one

DUEL

Picture one

(Courtyard in Aliaferia Palace: side door to Count di Luna's quarters. Ferrando and some of the Count's retinue lie at the door; soldiers walk at the back of the stage.)

FERRANDO

(to the count's entourage, who are almost falling asleep)

Get up! Get up!

We must meet the count; he wanders sometimes

almost all night under the terrace.

Fierce snakes of jealousy dug into his chest.

FERRANDO

He, not without reason, is afraid to meet an opponent in the troubadour,

who sings in the gardens at night.

To remove sleep from our heavy eyelids,

tell us the true story of Garcia,

brother of our count.

FERRANDO

I'll tell you. Sit around.

(The retinue approaches.)

(They fit too.)

Listen, listen.

(Everyone surrounds Ferrando.)

FERRANDO

The good Count di Luna was a happy father of his children.

The reliable nurse of the second of them slept

near his cradle, when suddenly one day, at dawn,

opening her eyes, whom did she see near the baby!

Whom? Tell me who?

FERRANDO

A disgusting gypsy, a terrible old woman,

by all indications a sorceress!

She gazed at the child murkily,

bloodshot eyes...

Terrified, the nurse screamed;

in the twinkling of an eye, servants came running with threats,

screams, blows kicked out the criminal,

who dared to go there.

Crazy old woman aroused herself

against themselves their just indignation!

FERRANDO

According to her assurances, she only wanted to predict

baby his future destiny ...

But it was a lie!

Since then, the poor thing has begun to languish, to languish

debilitating fever!

Pale, weak, emaciated, he shivered all over in the evenings.

and wept piteously all night...

She jinxed him!

(Retinue and soldiers express horror.)

The sorceress was found and sentenced to the fire;

but the damned one had a daughter, to whom she bequeathed

avenge yourself!

The latter retaliated with a terrible crime!

The baby disappeared ... And in that place

where the sorceress was once burned,

there are still smoldering coals and half-burned bones!

The child is ... Oh, grief! ..

Oh villain! O criminal!

I am filled with anger and horror!

FERRANDO

He didn't grieve for long after that.

However, a heartfelt presentiment told him

that his son was not killed; and, feeling the approach of death,

he wished our master to promise him with an oath

to continue the search ... but, alas! They were unsuccessful!

And still nothing is known about the criminal?

FERRANDO

Nothing... Oh, if only I could ever find her!

Would you recognize her?

FERRANDO

With so many years gone by...

I still could.

It's time to send her to her mother in hell!

FERRANDO

In hell! Yes, there is a rumor that cursed soul her

still roams the world, and when the sky is clouded

clouds, it is living under different types.

It's true!

FIRST GROUP OF SOLDIERS

We saw that she walks along the edge of the roofs.

SECOND GROUP OF SOLDIERS

She turns sometimes into an owl, sometimes into a vampire.

THIRD GROUP OF SOLDIERS

Sometimes a raven; but most often an owl,

and disappears at the first rays of dawn.

FERRANDO

One of the earl's servants died of fear because

that beat the gypsy.

(Everyone is seized with superstitious fear.)

She came to him disguised as a bat,

in a distant room, in the midst of dead silence! ..

She looked with fiery eyes...

Staring at the gloomy sky, emitting ominous cries!

And then it was midnight...

(Midnight strikes.)

Oh! Damn the hellish witch!

(Everyone instantly shudders. Drum sounds are heard. Soldiers run to the back of the stage; the retinue heads for the door.)

Name: Troubadour
Original name: Il Trovatore
Year: 2006 (video premiere - August 26, 2007)
Genre: Opera in four steps
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto: Salvatore Commarano
Stage director: Robert Carsen
Vienna Symphony Orchestra(Vienna Symphonic Orchestra)
Musical director and conductor: Thomas Rosner
Moscow Chamber Choir(Moscow Chamber Choir), Chorus of the Bregenz Festival
Scenography: Paul Steinberg
TV director: Francois Roussillon
Released: France, Germany, Austria
Language: Italian with French subtitles

Performers and actors:
Iano Tamar (Leonora)
Marianne Cornetti (Azucena)
Zeljko Lucic (il Conte di Luna),
Carl Tanner (Manrico)
Giovanni Batista Parodi (Ferrando),
Jose Luis Ordonez (Ruiz)
Deanne Meek (Ines)

Since its first production in Rome on an unusually dark and stormy night a century and a half ago, Il trovatore has remained one of the most popular operas in the world repertoire. The reason for this popularity, at least in part, may be that it has so many tunes that everyone knows from childhood. The choir "Miserere", "To the native mountains we will return", the gypsy choir with hammer blows on the anvil, Count di Luna's aria "II balen del suo sorriso" ("The light of her clear smile") - these are just a few of the wonderful melodies that form our culture and which sound even in the performance of schoolchildren and on mechanical organs.

This version The opera was recorded on video at the 60th Bregenz Festival in 2006.

About the festival

Bregenz Festival(Bregenz Festival) Is a performing arts festival held every year in July - August in Bregenz, Austria.

Bregenz (German Bregenz, Latin Brigantium) is an old Austrian city in the west of the country, in federal state Vorarlberg. Located on the shores of Lake Constance in the valley of the upper Rhine in close proximity to the borders of Germany and Switzerland. Population 26,752 according to 2006 data. Bregenz is the capital of Vorarlberg.

The festival was founded in 1946. Theatrical performances of various musical genres from opera to musical are staged within its framework.

Open concert hall- Seebühne (or Lake Stage) for 7 thousand seats is located on the shores of Lake Constance, is a place for large-scale opera and musical performances on stage and on the water.

Performances on the lake, as a rule, are mainly based on the popular opera repertoire, but often extravagantly, original, innovative, often using the water surface of the lake. Recent productions have included Aida by Giuseppe Verdi in 2009-2010; "Tosca" by Giacomo Puccini in 2007-2008; "Troubadour" by Giuseppe Verdi in 2005-2006; "West Side Story" by Leonard Bernstein in 2003-2004; La bohème by Giacomo Puccini in 2001-2002, and Un ballo in maschera by Giuseppe Verdi in 1999-2000.

Since December 2003, the leader of the festival has been David Pountney, an English theater and opera director living in France.

Speaking of popularity, in 2004 the festival offered about 80 performances, which gathered an audience of more than 215 thousand people.

Official website of the festival: http://www.bregenzerfestspiele.com/en/

About the work

Troubadour(Italian: Il trovatore) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to a libretto by Salvatore Cammarano. The premiere took place on January 19, 1853 at the Apollo Theater in Rome. Along with La Traviata and Rigoletto, Trovatore is considered one of the major works Verdi, created in the 1850s.

History of creation

Verdi conceived the idea of ​​writing an opera based on this story at the beginning of 1850, shortly after finishing work on Louise Miller. In a letter dated January 2, 1850, to Cammarano, he asks to write a libretto based on the drama of the Spanish playwright Antonio García Gutiérrez (1813-1884) Il trovatore. Cammarano did not answer right away: he was embarrassed by the plot, which censorship could consider seditious. Meanwhile, Verdi, having finished the opera Rigoletto in 1851, again demands an answer from Cammarano. Finally, in April 1851, Cammarano sent Verdi a version of the libretto, but it did not suit the composer. New text Cammarano did not have time to finish: in the summer of 1852 he dies, and the remaining work is taken over by the poet Leone Bardare. Shaken by the death of his friend Cammarano, Verdi nevertheless continued to write the opera, and completed the work by the end of 1852.

Characters

Count di Luna - baritone;
Leonora, Duchess - soprano;
Azucena, a gypsy - mezzo-soprano;
Manrico, troubadour, her adopted son and brother of the count - tenor;
Ferrando, head of the count's guard - bass;
Ines, Leonora's friend - soprano;
Ruiz, Manrico's friend - tenor;
Old Gypsy - bass;
Messenger - tenor;
Leonora's friends, nuns, close associates of the count, warriors, gypsies.

The action takes place in Biscay and Aragon (Spain) in the 15th century.

Libretto

Act one "Duel"

Picture one. Guard post at the entrance to the castle of the young Count di Luna. Ferrando, head of the guard, wakes up the sleeping guards. He warns them that they may be overtaken by the Count, who often wanders here at night under Duchess Leonora's window. Soldiers ask to tell them mysterious story about the Count's brother. Ferrando, in order to disperse their sleep, willingly agrees and says:

“Old Count di Luna had two sons. One night, when everyone in the castle was sleeping, a gypsy woman entered the room of her youngest son and bewitched him. The gypsy was driven away, although she assured that happiness awaited the little one. Soon the child began to languish. The witch was caught and burned at the stake. Her daughter, the young gypsy Azucena, vowed to avenge her mother. On the night of the execution, she, with her son in her arms, snuck into the castle, stole the count's child from the cradle and threw it into the fire, which burned her mother. After that, the old count did not live long and did not believe in the death of his youngest son until his death. Before his death, the count bequeathed to his eldest son to avenge his brother. Since then, he has been looking for a gypsy everywhere, but his search is in vain. Ferrando adds that the soul of the old sorceress still roams the world, taking on different forms. The bell tolls midnight, the frightened soldiers and Ferrando leave.

Picture two. Leonora's garden. Night. Leonora is looking forward to her lover, the troubadour Manrico. She tells her friend Inez about her love for him. At the last singing tournament, he defeated all rivals, and now he sings every night under her windows. Ines advises to forget this hobby, as a premonition tells her that it will destroy Leonora. The girls go to the castle. A troubadour serenade is heard from the thicket. Hearing her, di Luna enters the garden, in love with Leonora. In the darkness, Leonora takes the count for her beloved troubadour and runs out to meet him, but the moon appears from behind the clouds, and she is convinced of her mistake. A troubadour comes out from behind the trees, in which the count recognizes his sworn enemy Manrico, condemned to death and expelled from Aragon. Di Luna announces to him that his hour of death has come and challenges him to a duel. Both opponents are removed, drawing their swords, Leonora falls unconscious.

Act two "Gypsy"

Picture one. Valley in the mountains of Biscay. Gypsy camp, bonfires are burning. It has not yet dawned, and people are already on their feet. They work, call to each other, joke, sing about hot sunshine, sparkling wine, desirable beauty.

Gypsy camp in the mountains. Dawn. By the campfire - the gypsy Azucena and her adopted son Manrico, whom she had just cured after seriously wounded in a duel with the count. Azucena in a sad song remembers her mother, who cruel people burned at the stake. Blinded by a thirst for revenge, Azucena mistakenly threw into the fire not the son of the old count, but her own child. The son of the count, Manrico, Azucena raised as her own. The death of her mother remained unavenged, it was Manrico's duty to do so. Manrico's friend, Ruiz, tells him that Leonora wants to retire to a monastery, thinking that the troubadour is dead. Manrico says goodbye to Azucena and hurries to Leonora.

Picture two. Night. A detachment of soldiers approaches the monastery under the command of Count di Luna and Ferrando. They want to kidnap Leonora before she takes monastic vows. As soon as she leaves the chapel, the count rushes to her, but Manrico and his friends block his way. The detachment of the count is defeated and flees. Leonora, in disbelief, throws herself into the arms of Manrico, whom she thought was dead.

Act three "The son of a gypsy"

Picture one. Count di Luna's camp. His troops besiege the fortress in which Manrico shelters Leonora. The soldiers caught the old woman wandering around the camp. Ferrando recognizes in her the same gypsy who once threw the count's younger brother into the fire. Azucena calls on Manrico in desperation. The count orders the gypsy to be taken to prison and burned at the stake.

Picture two. Chapel at the castle. Manrico and Leonora are ready to go to the altar. Ruiz runs in and reports that the count has captured Azucena and is going to execute her. Manrico, along with Ruiz and his warriors, rushes to the rescue, the noise of weapons is heard. Leonora is desperate.

Act four "Execution"

Picture one. In front of the prison in Castellore. Dark night. Ruiz and Leonora, wrapped in cloaks, appear. Ruiz points her to the prison tower, where the defeated prisoner of the Count, Manrico, is languishing. Leonora, in order to save her lover, agrees to become the count's wife if he pardons Manrico. The Count agrees, but Leonora secretly drinks the poison.

Picture two. Dungeon. Manrico consoles the condemned Azucena. They indulge in bitter memories of bygone days, of free life in the mountains. The door opens, Leonora enters, from which Manrico learns that he has been pardoned. He calls Leonora with him, but she replies that she must return to the castle. Manrico guesses that she bought mercy with her dishonor, and curses her. Offended by Manrico's cruelty, Leonora assures him of her innocence and begs him to run away. Manrico chases her away. The poison taken by Leonora begins to act, and the girl falls dead in his arms. Count di Luna enters and finds Leonora, who had just become his wife, dead in the arms of the enemy. Enraged by the deceit, he orders Manrico to be taken to the chopping block, and he himself, mocking Azucena, brings the gypsy to the window and points out to her the executed Manrico. Azucena exclaims: “Find out everything - then your brother! Mother, now you are avenged!" and falls dead.

"Il trovatore" is a drama of sharp contrasts, stormy clashes, strong, romantically elevated feelings. Recreating the tragic fate of the heroes of the opera, embodying their experiences, the composer paid great attention to showing the life background of the unfolding events. The colorful images of gypsies, monks, soldiers and the count's entourage, outlined in relief, memorable choirs, add variety to the opera and enliven the action. The music of "Troubadour" is rich in beautiful, freely flowing melodies, close to folk melodies. It is no coincidence that many of them have become widely known and loved by the people as revolutionary songs in Italy.

The first act is "Duel". The first picture conveys a gloomy, oppressive atmosphere medieval castle, anticipating subsequent brutal and bloody events. In the center of the picture is the story of Ferrando with the chorus "The count had two cute sons." The story begins in a calmly narrative manner, but becomes more and more saturated with an anxious feeling, agitated impulsiveness.

The second picture takes the action to a different plane: it opens with the light, serene cavatina of Leonora “Full of luxurious charm, the night was quiet”; a beautiful, thoughtful melody is replaced by cheerful dance motifs, decorated with coloratura. Manrico's song "Forever Alone with Longing" reveals the lyrical features of the image; the harp in the orchestra imitates the sound of the lute, on which the troubadour in love improvises. In the tercet, the march-like, militant musical theme of the count is compared with the melodic melody of Leonora and Manrico.

At the beginning of the second picture of the second act - the great aria of Count di Luna "Her gaze is welcoming, clear." The central episode of the finale is an extended ensemble with a choir that conveys the stupor of the heroes amazed unexpected meeting.

The third act is "The Son of a Gypsy". In the first picture, a militant animation reigns; energetic exclamations of the choir, brilliant fanfares lead to the marching melody "Here we are called by the regiment's trumpet." In the tercet of Azucena, the Count and Ferrando, the melodies of Azucena dominate. Her sad song "I lived in terrible poverty" conveys tender love to his son, and the heroic chant “Why are you so ruthless” is hatred and proud contempt for enemies.

In the center of the second picture is the image of Manrico. His aria “When before the altar you swore to be mine forever” is marked by the beauty and nobility of the melody. The famous cabaletta "No, the impudent villains will not succeed", picked up by the choir, is saturated with a mighty will, a heroic impulse.

The fourth act is "Execution". Leonora's aria "Sighs of Love and Sorrow" develops into a big dramatic scene; a heartfelt, full of passionate feeling melody is combined with the ominous tunes of a prayer for the dead and with the farewell song of Manrico. The duet of Leonora and the Count di Luna is based on the clash of contrasting musical themes - the heroine's swift, flighty melody and the Count's stubbornly adamant remarks; the second episode of the duet (Leonora promises to become the wife of Count di Luna) is imbued with enthusiastic jubilation (with her death, the selfless Leonora hopes to save her beloved Manrico).

This jubilant music is opposed grim beginning last picture operas. The duetino of Azucena and Manrico conveys the change of sorrowful moods; the motives of the first song of Azucena sound in the orchestra, drawing terrible visions of execution; the chanting appeal of the gypsy to her son “Yes, I am tired, my strength has weakened” is permeated with quiet sadness; her dreams are embodied in an artless lullaby. Brief calm is broken by the appearance of Leonora - an agitated ensemble appears; Manrico's angry speech is answered by the pleading phrases of Deonora, the enlightened song of Azucena, dreaming of free spaces, is intertwined with them.

File
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Audio: MPEG Audio Layer 3 48000Hz stereo 256kbps
Duration: 02:18:02
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