Opera in two acts (eight scenes)
Composer Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Salvatore Cammarano based on the novel of the same name by Antonio Garcia Gutierrez
Conductor - Honored Artist of Uzbekistan Fazliddin YAKUBJANOV;
Director - People's Artist of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, Laureate of the State Prize, Professor Firudin SAFAROV;
Production Designer and Costume Designer - Davron Radjabov
Synopsis
Prologue
Accusing the old gypsy in witchcraft, the old Count di Luna orders to burn her at the stake. Terrified guards notice gypsy’s daughter – Azucena.
ACT I
I scene
20 years later…
Ferrando, the captain of the guards, orders his men to keep standing by the door. In order to keep the guards awake, Ferrando narrates the history of the count: The Old Count had 2 sons. Many years ago, a gypsy was wrongfully accused of having bewitched the youngest of the di Luna children; the child had fallen sick and for this the gypsy had been burnt alive as a witch. Her daughter, Azucena, swore revenge on her mother’s death: on the day of her execution young son – Garzia disappeared and the burned remains of a baby were found in the ashes of the old gypsy’s funeral pyre. The old Count later died, and nothing was heard since of Azucena, although her mother’s spirit is said to have roamed the skies at night.
II scene
Leonora awaits her lover the Troubadour Manrico, (a knight now outlawed and under death sentence for his allegiance to a rival prince) victor at a tournament. Count di Luna in love with Leonora, in a hurry to see her, but troubadour’s song makes him stop. Appears Manrico and Leonora happily greets him. The Count challenges Manrico to a duel. The men draw their swords. Leonora tries to intervene, but cannot stop them from fighting.
III scene
Gypsy camp near a mountain in Biscay.
The duel has been fought. Manrico overpowered the count but some instinct stopped him from killing his rival. Manrico has been badly wounded and nursed back to health by his mother, the Gypsy Azucena.
Azucena is the woman di Luna has been looking for. Her life is scarred by the memory of her mother’s death and the terrible revenge she exacted.
Azucena confesses to Manrico that after stealing the di Luna baby she had intended to burn the count’s little son along with her mother, but overwhelmed by the screams and the gruesome scene of her mother’s execution, she became confused and threw her own child into the flames instead.
When Manrico demands to know who he truly is, Azucena is evasive: all that matters is the love of a mother she has shown him all his life and that he does not fail to take revenge on the house of di Luna.
A messenger arrives with news of Leonora. Believing Manrico has died in battle, and to escape the grasp of di Luna, she is entering a convent. Azucena pleads with Manrico to stay, but he resolves to go to her immediately.
IV scene
Thinking that the Troubadour is dead, Count di Luna plans to carry Leonora off before she takes her vows. The appearance of Manrico affects everyone. Count in anger – his enemy is alive. Leonora could not believe a happy deliverance. Soldiers of Manrico’s now arrive and quickly disarm the Count and his own followers.
ACT II
V scene
Di Luna's camp. Di Luna and his army are attacking the fortress Castellor where Manrico has taken refuge with Leonora. Ferrando drags in Azucena, who has been captured wandering near the camp. When she hears di Luna’s name, Azucena’s reactions arouse suspicion and Ferrando recognizes her as the murderer of the count’s brother.
VI scene
Inside the castle, Manrico and Leonora are preparing to be married. She is frightened; the battle with di Luna is imminent and Manrico’s forces are outnumbered. He assures her of his love, even in the face of death. When news of Azucena’s capture reaches him, he summons his men and desperately prepares to attack.
VII scene
Manrico’s army has been defeated and he and Azucena are being held captive in di Luna’s castle. Leonora attempts to free him by begging di Luna for mercy and when di Luna orders the execution of Manrico and Azucena at sunrise, Leonora offers herself to the count in return for her lover’s life but secretly swallows poison from her ring in order to die before di Luna can possess her.
VII scene
Manrico and Azucena are awaiting their execution. Manrico attempts to soothe Azucena, whose mind wanders to happier days in the mountains. 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. The Count has heard Leonora's last words and orders Manrico's execution.
Epilogue
Azucena awakes and tries to find her son. Count mocks her and tells her about death of Manrico. Distraught with horror and grief, she cries: "He was your brother ... You are avenged, oh mother!"
Not wanting to live without Manrico, Azucena rushed into the fire.
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