IL TROVATORE

ACT I - The Duel 
Scene One - A ball in the Aliaferia palace
Civil war rages between the forces of the Count of Urgel and the Aragonese king. At the De Luna fortress of Aliaferia in Aragon, soldiers are on watch by night. Their captain, Ferrando, tells them a story that took place fifteen years before, when Count De Luna was a little boy. Late one night, the nurse of his baby brother, Garzia, awoke to see a Gypsy woman staring at her charge. When the nurse cried out, servants responded and seized the Gypsy, who protested she had only sought to cast the baby's horoscope. Later, when the infant became sick, the Gypsy was captured, condemned, and burned at the stake. She left a daughter, Azucena, who became obsessed with avenging her mother's death. To that end, Azucena stole the infant Garzia. In vain pursuit of the kidnapper, the old Count De Luna's men found an infant's charred skeleton on the very spot Azucena's mother had been burned. The father never believed those charred remains were those of his son and made his older boy, the present Count, vow never to give up the search for his brother. 

Scene Two - The palace gardens 
Leonora, a lady-in-waiting, awaits her lover, a troubadour. She tells the story of a tournament, at which she crowned an unknown knight who vanished after winning every contest and winning her heart. Sometime later he returned, his serenades rekindling her love. After she leaves, Count De Luna, in love with Leonora, enters, hoping to see her. The troubadour is heard singing, and Leonora comes out to meet him. The Knight identifies himself as Manrico, whom the Count recognizes as an Urgel supporter and an outlaw. The two men prepare to fight  a duel. 

INTERMISSION 

ACT II - The Gypsy
Scene One - A ruined hut on the slopes of the Biscay mountains 
In a Gypsy camp, Azucena is seen with her son, Manrico. As the Gypsies work at their anvils, the fire awakens Azucena's memories. She sings, describing the scene of a woman's death. The Gypsies depart, leaving Manrico and Azucena. Manrico learns it was his grandmother who was bruned. Azucena tells how she attended the execution with her infant in her arms. As her mother, bound to the stake, cried, "Avenge me," Azucena decided to kidnap the old count's son. Returning to the fire, she threw a child into the embers. But it was not the count's son as she discovered when she came to her senses: it was her own child. Manrico asks if he is not then her son. Azucena, distraught, says she was raving. The Gypsy reminds him that he spared the fallen De Luna in the duel over Leonora. Manrico describes how a mysterious force stayed his hand. A messenger arrives with news that Leonora, believing Manrico dead in battle, plans to enter a convent that night. Manrico leaves to prevent her from doing so. 

Scene Two - The cloister of a monastery near Castellor
The Count, who also knows of Leonora's decision to take religious vows, plans to abduct her. The chant of nuns is heard. As the Count moves to seize Leonora, Manrico suddenly appears. Leonora, spurning the convent, leaves with Manrico. 

INTERMISSION

ACT III - The Gypsy's Son 
Scene One - An encampment
De Luna and his men have surrounded Castellor, which they mean to capture from their enemies. Azucena is discovered by De Luna's scouts. She has penetrated enemy lines searching for Manrico. Azucena is recognized by Fernando and condemned to death by the Count. 

Scene Two - A room adjoining the chapel of Castellor
In Castellor, Manrico and Leonora are to be wed. Ruiz enters and reports that Azucena is being dragged to the stake in full view of the castle. Manrico tells Leonora his first duty is to his mother and rushes off with his men to save her. 

INTERMISSION

ACT IV - The Torture
Scene One - a wing of the Aliferia palace
Manrico's rescue of Azucena has failed and they are both imprisoned. Leonora arrives outside the prison tower, hoping to save Manrico. The Count appears and orders the execution of Manrico and Azucena. As he speaks of Leonora, she steps from the shadows to confront him. Leonora offers herself to De Luna for Manrico's life. As the Count accepts her proposal, Leonora secretly sips poison from her ring.

Scene Two - A horrid prison
Azucena is terrified by her impending death. Manrico calms her, and she falls asleep. When Leonora enters, Manrico's joy turns to scorn when he learns the price she had paid to free him. However, Manrico's unjust suspicions are dispelled as he realizes Leonora is dying. The Count enters, sees that Leonora has deceived him, and furiously sends Manrico to the block. As he is led away, Azucena awakens. She cries out that the Count has executed his own brother, and she has avenged her mother.

World Premiere at the Teatro Apollo, Rome, January 19, 1853