Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) Il Trovatore - The Troubadour
Lyrical Drama in 4 acts
solos:SSMezTTBarBB – choir – 2.2.2.2. – 4.2.3.2. – timp.perc – hp – str / stage music: hn.perc org.
Duration: full evening
Text: From the original text by Salvatore Cammarano and Leone E. Bardare translated into German and after the Spanish sources reviewed by Wolf Ebermann and Manfred Koerth
Place and time: Spain, partly in Biscaya, partly in Aragon, Beginning of the 15th Century
Characters: Count Antonio Di Luna, later King of Aragons Governor (baritone) - Leonora de Sesé, The Queens Noblewoman (soprano) - Azucena, Gypsy (mezzo-soprano) - Manrico, Officer in Duke Urgelss Service (tenor) - Ferrando, Lunas Guard and Confidant (bass) - Ines, Duenna at the Palace of Zaragoza, Leonores Confidant (soprano) - Ruiz, Unterführer im Heer Herzog Urgels (tenor) - An old Gypsy (bass)
Previous interpretations have generally opted for one of two extremes: to eliminate the historical aspect from the drama and derive generally recognizable characters from it, or to make a peasant war drama out of it. This does not do justice to the work and misinterprets Verdis intentions. It was the struggle for justice against rulers opposing the unification of the country that was Verdis ever-present theme. It became a historical allegory and, even though there is no attempt to modernize the topic, the subject is still set to music with such a modern-day passion that "Il Trovatore" was understood by all as a work of up-to-the-minute import. It is not by accident that the cry of Viva Verdi became a symbol of liberation right after the premiere. To de-politicize the topic would mean to violate the roots of the work. It is our duty to place the heart-wrenching individual fates in the context of their historical era and to let the actions of the characters be determined more strongly by their social rank, by the history of their nation and by their personal experiences. (Wolf Ebermann, Manfred Koerth)
Text: From the original text by Salvatore Cammarano and Leone E. Bardare translated into German and after the Spanish sources reviewed by Wolf Ebermann and Manfred Koerth
Place and time: Spain, partly in Biscaya, partly in Aragon, Beginning of the 15th Century
Characters: Count Antonio Di Luna, later King of Aragons Governor (baritone) - Leonora de Sesé, The Queens Noblewoman (soprano) - Azucena, Gypsy (mezzo-soprano) - Manrico, Officer in Duke Urgelss Service (tenor) - Ferrando, Lunas Guard and Confidant (bass) - Ines, Duenna at the Palace of Zaragoza, Leonores Confidant (soprano) - Ruiz, Unterführer im Heer Herzog Urgels (tenor) - An old Gypsy (bass)
Previous interpretations have generally opted for one of two extremes: to eliminate the historical aspect from the drama and derive generally recognizable characters from it, or to make a peasant war drama out of it. This does not do justice to the work and misinterprets Verdis intentions. It was the struggle for justice against rulers opposing the unification of the country that was Verdis ever-present theme. It became a historical allegory and, even though there is no attempt to modernize the topic, the subject is still set to music with such a modern-day passion that "Il Trovatore" was understood by all as a work of up-to-the-minute import. It is not by accident that the cry of Viva Verdi became a symbol of liberation right after the premiere. To de-politicize the topic would mean to violate the roots of the work. It is our duty to place the heart-wrenching individual fates in the context of their historical era and to let the actions of the characters be determined more strongly by their social rank, by the history of their nation and by their personal experiences. (Wolf Ebermann, Manfred Koerth)