Verdi's Medieval Melodrama

A desperate mother, jealousy, and ill-fated romance - with all the ingredients to create an unforgettable melodrama, Verdi's Il Trovatore is another of the composer's irresistible masterpieces. Returning to the Royal Opera House for 2025, don't miss the Royal Opera's production of this gruesome classic, as interpreted by director Adele Thomas.

Completed in the same 1850s fit of zeal that saw Verdi produce Rigoletto and La Traviata, Il Trovatore is marked by its twisting libretto of blood-curdling violence, forbidden romance ,and heartbreaking tragedy against the haunting backdrop of a country hewn apart by war.

What Is The Story Of Il Trovatore?

First performed in 1853, the barnstorming Il Trovatore is forged in fiery flames as a suspected witch is burnt at the stake, setting off a spiral of secrecy, revenge, and tragedy. Around about the same time, the son of a local aristocrat also goes missing. As time wears on, the fate of young lovers Manrico and Leonora becomes entwined with the vengeful Count Di Luna and the gypsy woman's daughter Azucena. Tensions escalate when it comes to light that local ruler Count di Luna's missing brother may have also been lost to the fire...

Things come to a head when Manrico and Leonora try to get married; they are ambushed by the Count and his forces. Sentencing Manrico to death, the Count is approached by a tearful Leonora, who begs him to spare Manrico's life; in return, she will marry the Count. But will Leonora keep her promise to him, or does she have another plan in store? As for Manrico, just who is this troubadour exactly, what is the dark past that dogs him?