Verdi - Il Trovatore (Vienna State Opera)
This was a continuous broadcast on BBC Radio 3. I have split the recording into its acts (re-encoded from .m4a to 320kbps .mp3) and the commentary (encoded into 96kbps .mp3)
Katie Derham introduces Verdi's Il Trovatore from Vienna State Opera, where the story of mistaken identities around a baby burnt at the stake triggers a tragic chain of hate and revenge. The cast is led by Anna Netrebko as Leonora, Manrico, her lover, is Roberto Alagna, and the gypsy Azucena, is Luciana D'Intino. The orchestra and chorus of the Vienna State Opera are conducted by Marco Armiliato.
Leonora ..... Anna Netrebko (soprano)
Manrico ..... Roberto Alagna (tenor)
Count di Luna ..... Ludovic Tézier (baritone)
Azucena ..... Luciana D'Intino (mezzo-soprano)
Ferrando ..... Jongmin Park (bass)
Ines ..... Simina Ivan (soprano)
Ruiz ..... Jinxu Xiahou (tenor)
Vienna State Opera Chorus
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Conductor: Marco Armiliato.
Synopsis:-
Long ago, the previous Spanish Count di Luna had an old woman burned
at the stake because he believed she was responsible for bewitching his
younger son, little Garcia. Out of revenge, Azucena, the old woman’s
daughter, abducted Garcia. Shortly thereafter, the charred skeleton of a
child was found. The old count refused to believe that Garcia was dead and,
shortly before he died, made his older son swear never to give up looking
for his missing brother.
Fifteen years later, civil war was raging in Spain, and the remaining older
son – now Count di Luna – had become a soldier. The troubadour Manrico,
who believes himself to be Azucena’s son, is fighting for the other side.
Manrico and di Luna also find themselves confronting each other in the
field of love: both are in love with the lady-in-waiting Leonora, who for her
part loves Manrico.
One night Leonora hears Manrico singing close by in the palace garden;
she runs to meet him. Confused by the dark, she throws herself into the
arms of the man whom she recognizes too late as Count di Luna. Thus he
finds out that Leonora is in love with Manrico. Manrico also comes running,
whereupon di Luna challenges him to duel. Di Luna is defeated, but
Manrico spares his life.
Sometime later, Manrico is present when Azucena experiences a vision in
which she once again lives through the terrible death of her mother at the
stake. Half out of her mind, Azucena admits that she vengefully thrust a
child into the flames – but through a terrible mistake she burned her own
child and not the abducted child. She is however able to allay Manrico’s
mounting doubts: he is her son.
When Leonora receives the false report that Manrico was defeated in the
duel, she determines to enter a convent. To prevent her from doing so, di
Luna plans to kidnap her. However he is stopped by Manrico, who takes the
opportunity to flee with Leonora to Castellor castle, of which he has been
appointed commander.
When Azucena tries to make her way to Manrico, she is captured by di
Luna’s followers. Manrico sets out to free her, but also falls into the hands
of his enemy. In despair, Leonora offers herself to di Luna if he will pardon
Manrico. Di Luna happily accepts this proposition, little knowing
that Leonora has taken poison to avoid having to spend her life with the
Count, whom she does not love. She manages to inform her beloved
Manrico about his pardon before dying in his arms. Furious, di Luna orders
that Manrico be executed. The execution has scarcely taken place when
Azucena spits the words at him: “That was your brother.”
