Short Summary
Count Luna discovers that his beloved lady-in-waiting Leonora is in love with his political opponent, the troubadour Manrico.
When they both fall into his hands, Leonora takes poison. Luna then has Manrico executed - and learns afterwards that he had his brother, who had been missing and wanted since childhood, killed with him.
Il Trovatore
Storyline
because he accused her of bewitching his younger son, little Garcia. In revenge, Azucena, the woman's daughter, kidnapped Garcia. Shortly afterwards, the charred remains of a burnt child were found. The old count could not believe that Garcia was dead and, before he died, made his elder son swear never to give up the search for his missing brother.
15 years later, a civil war rages in Spain,
in which the remaining elder son and now Count Luna takes part militarily. The troubadour Manrico, who believes himself to be the son of Azucena, fights on the opposite side.
Manrico and Luna also face each other on the field of love: Both love the lady-in-waiting Leonora, who in turn is in love with Manrico. One night, Leonora hears Manrico singing a song in the immediate vicinity of the palace gardens and wants to hurry towards him. Deceived by the darkness, she recognizes the man she throws herself into the arms of too late - Count Luna, who must now learn that Leonora loves Manrico. Luna therefore challenges Manrico, who has also rushed over, to a duel. Luna loses, but is pardoned by Manrico.
Some time later, Manrico witnesses a vision of Azucena in which she relives her mother's death at the stake.
No longer in control of her senses, Azucena confesses that she vindictively burned a child - her own and not the stolen one - out of a terrible mistake. However, she knows how to calm Manrico's emerging doubts: He is her son.
When Leonora receives the false report that Manrico has fallen, she decides to go to the convent. To prevent this, Luna tries to kidnap her, but is stopped by Manrico, who seizes the opportunity and flees with Leonora to the Castellor fortress, of which he has been appointed commander.
when Azucena tries to make her way to Manrico, she is picked up by Luna's men. Manrico makes an attempt to free her, but also falls into the hands of his enemies.
The desperate Leonora offers herself to Luna as a prize if he pardons Manrico
Luna happily accepts the offer, unaware that Leonora is taking poison to escape a life with the unloved count. She manages to tell her beloved Manrico that she has been freed before she dies in his arms. The furious Luna then orders Manrico to be executed. As soon as this has been carried out, Azucena hurls the words "He was your brother" at him.
Verdi had originally envisioned a completely through-composed opera without "cavatinas, duets, tercets, choruses and finales". However, when the librettist Salvadore Cammarano delivered the exact opposite of what he wanted in the very first draft, the composer consciously or unconsciously felt that the work could not be achieved with a modern conception under these circumstances. So he changed the focus and created this gripping, ear-catching musical-theatrical kaleidoscope that is the Troubadour .
Il trovatore is probably one of the most popular works of music theater literature. Even those who are far removed from the genre of opera will be familiar with some of the effective arias and ensembles that carry the tragic-dramatic plot about love, hatred, adventure, fame, mortal danger, jealousy and fateful revenge. None other than Hugo von Hofmannsthal wrote euphorically: "What a masterful work, what sublime knowledge of the theater! This is passion! And above all this stream of perfect musical inspiration. People show taste when they love this opera."
