“Il trovatore” by Giuseppe Verdi libretto (English)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four

ACT ONE

Scene One

A hall in the Aliaferia palace; a door on one
side leads into the Count of Luna's
apartments. Ferrando and a number of the
Count's retainers are resting near the door;
some soldiers are pacing back and forth in
the background.

FERRANDO
Look sharp there! The Count
must be served with vigilance;
sometimes, near the house of his beloved,
he spends whole nights.

MEN
Jealousy's fierce serpents
are writhing in his breast.

FERRANDO
In the Troubadour, whose song
rises at night from the gardens,
he rightly fears a rival.

MEN
To drive off the sleep
that hangs heavy on our eyelids,
tell us the real story
of Garzia, our Count's brother.

FERRANDO
I'll tell you; gather around me.

OTHERS
We, too... Listen then.

FERRANDO
There lived a happy father of two sons,
the good Count of Luna.
The second boy's faithful nurse
slept next to his cradle.
As dawn was breaking one fine morning,
she opened her eyes and whom did she find
next to that baby?

MEN
Who? Speak... Who was it?

FERRANDO
A dark, despicable gypsy crone!
Wearing the symbols of a sorceress!
And with a sullen face, over the boy
she cast her bloody, baleful eye!
The nurse is seized with horror;
she utters a sharp cry in the still air;
and, in less time than it takes to tell,
the servants hasten into the room;
and with shouts, blows, threats,
they expel the wretch who dared enter.

MEN
Their hearts were moved by righteous scorn;
the crazy crone provoked it!

FERRANDO
She claimed that she wanted to cast

the boy's horoscope. The liar!
A slow fever began to destroy
the poor child's health!
Weak, covered with a strange pallor,
broken, he trembled at night,
and moaned piteously all day long;
he was bewitched!
The witch was pursued,
seized and condemned to the stake;
but her cursed daughter was left,
to administer a horrible revenge!
This criminal committed an unspeakable act!
The child disappeared,
and they found still glowing embers,
on the very same spot
where the witch had once been burned!
And, alas, a child's skeleton,
half-burnt, still smoking!

MEN
Ah! the wicked unspeakable woman!
It fills me with both rage and horror!
What about the father?

FERRANDO
His remaining days were few and sad;
yet an undefined presentiment
at heart told him that his son
was not dead; and when he lay dying,
he desired that our master
should swear to him not to stop

his search. Ah! It was in vain!

MEN
And was no news ever had of her?

FERRANDO
No news!
Oh! were it granted me
to track her down some day!

MEN
But, could you recognise her?

FERRANDO
Considering the years that have passed, I could.

MEN
It would be time to send her
to her mother, in hell.

FERRANDO
In hell?
It's common belief that
the wicked witch's damned soul
still lives in the world, and when the sky
is black she shows herself in various shapes.

ALL
It's true! It's true! It's true! It's true!
On the edge of the rooftops

some people have seen her!
Sometimes she changes into a hoopoe or an owl!
Other times, a raven; more often, a civet-owl,
flying through the dawn like an arrow!

FERRANDO
One of the Count's men died of fear
because he had struck the gypsy's forehead!
He died, died of fear! He died, died of fear!

MEN
Ah! Ah! He died! Ah! Ah! He died!

FERRANDO
She appeared to him in the form of an owl,
in the deep calm of a silent room!

MEN
Of an owl! Of an owl!

FERRANDO
She looked with gleaming eye,
looked at the sky, sorrowing,
with a bestial cry!

MEN
She looked! She looked!

FERRANDO
Midnight was just striking! Ah!

MEN
Ah!
(Midnight strikes.)

ALL
Ah! A curse on her the infernal witch! Ah!
(A drum is heard. The soldiers run to the
back. The servants gather at the door.)

Scene Two

The garden of the palace. At the right, a
marble stair leads up to the private
apartments. Thick clouds conceal the moon.
Leonora and Ines are strolling.

INES
Why stay here any longer?
It's late; come;
the queen asked about you;
you heard her.

LEONORA
Yet another night without seeing him!

INES
You're nursing a dangerous flame!
Oh how, where did its first spark
strike you?

LEONORA
At the tourney. There appeared,
in black armour and black helmet,

with black shield and without crest,
an unknown warrior,
who won the honours of the arena.
On the victor's head I placed the crown.
Then civil war raged - I saw him no more!
Like the fleeting image
of a golden dream! and a long
time passed, but then...

INES
What happened?

LEONORA
Listen!
The serene night was silent
and, lovely in the calm sky,
the moon happily revealed
its silvery and full face!
When, resounding in the air
which till then had been so quiet,
sweet and sad were heard
the sounds of a lute,
and a troubadour
sang some melancholy verses.
Verses, beseeching and humble,
like a man praying to God:
and in them was repeated a name,
my name!
I ran eagerly to the balcony...
There he was; it was he!
I felt a joy that only the angels
are allowed to feel!
To my heart, my ecstatic eyes,

the earth seemed like heaven!
To my heart, etc.

INES
What you've told me has filled
my soul with anguish! I fear...

LEONORA
Needlessly...

INES
A sad, but vague presentiment
is stirred in me by this mysterious man!
Try to forget him.

LEONORA
What are you saying? Enough!

INES
Give way to a friend's advice,
do give way!

LEONORA
Forget him! Ah, you've spoken a word
that my soul cannot understand.
With such love that words
can scarcely tell,
of a love that only I know,
my heart is intoxicated.
My fate can be fulfilled
only at his side.
If I can't live for him,
then for him I'll die.

If I can't live for him, etc.
(They go up to their rooms. Then the Count of
Luna comes in.)

COUNT
The night is still!
The queen is surely
immersed in sleep;
but her lady is wakeful -
Oh! Leonora you're awake;
I'm told, from that balcony,
by the quivering ray
of your night lamp.
Ah! the flame of love
burns my every fibre!
I must see you,
you must hear me. I'm coming.
This is our supreme moment.
(He starts to go up the steps, but stops,
hearing a lute.)
The Troubadour! I tremble with rage!

MANRICO (out of sight)
All alone on the earth,
at war with his evil fate,
his only hope is in one heart,
a heart for the Troubadour.

COUNT
These words! I tremble with rage!

MANRICO
But he possesses that heart,
lovely with its chaste promise,

COUNT
These words!

MANRICO
He's greater than any king...

COUNT
What jealousy!

MANRICO
He's greater than any king,
greater is the Troubadour.

COUNT
I'm not mistaken... She's coming down!
(Leonora comes down into the garden and
runs towards the Count.)

LEONORA
My dearest!

COUNT
(What shall I do?)

LEONORA
The hour is later than usual:
I counted its instants
by the beating of my heart!
At last, merciful love leads you
to my arms.

MANRICO (still among the trees)
Faithless!
(The moon comes out from the clouds and
reveals a man whose face is hidden by his visor.)

LEONORA
That voice!
(Recognising both of them, Leonora throws
herself at Manrico's feet.)
Ah, the darkness deceived me!
I thought that I was speaking
to you, not him...
To you, that my soul
only wants, desires.
I love you, I swear it, love you
with eternal, immense love!

COUNT
You dare!

MANRICO
Ah, I ask no more!

COUNT
I'm burning with fur y!

LEONORA
I love! I love you!

MANRICO
Ah, I ask no more!

COUNT
If you're not a coward, reveal yourself!

LEONORA
(Alas!)

COUNT
Tell me your name!

LEONORA
(Ah, have mercy!)

MANRICO
Know me then: I'm Manrico!

COUNT
You! What? Mad, foolhardy man!
A follower of Urgel,
sentenced to death, you dare
approach these royal gates?

MANRICO
Why are you delaying?
Come, call the guards,
and hand your rival over
to the executioner's blade!

COUNT
Your last moment
is much nearer,
insane man! Come...

LEONORA
Count!

COUNT
I must have your blood,
victim of my contempt.

LEONORA
Oh heaven, stop!

COUNT
Follow me!

MANRICO
Let's go!

LEONORA
(What shall I do?)

COUNT
Follow me!

MANRICO
Let's go!

LEONORA
(One cry from me could undo him!)
Hear me out!

COUNT
No!
My spurned and jealous love
burns in me with a terrible flame!
Your blood, wretch, would be
hardly enough to put it out!
Foolish girl, you dared
to tell him, 'I love you'.
He can live no longer.
You uttered a word
that condemned him to die!
You uttered a word, etc.

LEONORA
At least for a moment, let your scorn
make room for reasoning:
I, and only I, am unfortunately
the cause of all your fire!
So let your fury, fall

on the evil girl who offended you;
plunge your sword into this heart
that cannot, will not love you.

MANRICO
The haughty man's wrath is in vain;
He'll fall, run through by me;
the man who can inspire your love
is made by love invaluable.
(to the Count)
Your fate is already sealed;
your hour has struck now!
Destiny has given to me
her heart and your life!

COUNT
Foolish girl, you dared, etc.
Your blood, wretch, would be
hardly enough to put it out!
Foolish girl, you dared
to tell him 'I love you'.
He can live no longer, etc.

LEONORA
So let your fury fall, fall
on the evil girl who offended you;
plunge your sword into this heart
that cannot, will not love you! etc.

MANRICO
Your fate is already sealed,
your hour has struck now!
Destiny has given to me
her heart and your life, etc.

COUNT
Ah! my spurned and jealous love
burns in me with a terrible flame!
You uttered a word
that condemned him to die! etc.
(The two men go off, swords in hand. Leonora
falls senseless.)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four