“Il trovatore” by Giuseppe Verdi libretto (English)

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

ACT FOUR

Scene One

A wing of the Aliaferia palace; at one corner a
tower with windows. Very dark night. Two
people come in, muffled in cloaks: Ruiz and
Leonora.

RUIZ
We've arrived; there's the tower,
where the State's prisoners languish.
Ah, the hapless man was brought here!

LEONORA
Go... leave me,
and don't fear for me.
I can save him, perhaps.
(Ruiz retires.)
Fear for me?... Sure
and ready is my protection.
(She looks at a ring on her right hand.)
Shrouded in this dark night,
I'm near you, and you don't know it!
Moaning wind, you who blow here,
ah, mercifully take my sighs to him.

On the rosy wings of love
go, oh mournful sigh;
comfort the flagging spirits
of the wretched prisoner.
Like a breath of hope
flutter in that room;
waken in him the memories,
the dreams, the dreams of love.
But, pray, don't imprudently tell him
the pangs, the pangs that rack my heart!, etc.

MONKS (from within)
Have mercy on a spirit approaching
the departure which has no return.
Have mercy on him, divine Goodness.
Keep him from being the prey of hell.

LEONORA
That sound, those prayers,
so solemn and dire,
fill the air
with baleful terror!
The distress
that fills me almost deprives
my lips of their breath,
my heart of its beating!

MANRICO (from the tower)
Ah! how slow Death
is in its coming,
to him who longs to die!

Farewell, Leonora, Farewell!

LEONORA
Oh heaven! I feel faint!

MONKS
Have mercy, etc.

LEONORA
Over the horrid tower,
ah, Death seems
with wings of darkness
to be poised!
Ah, perhaps these doors
will be opened for him,
only when his corpse
is already cold!

MONKS
Have mercy... have mercy... have mercy...

MANRICO
I'm paying with my blood
for the love I bore you!
Don't forget, don't forget me,
Leonora, farewell, Leonora, farewell!

LEONORA
Forget you! Forget you!
I feel faint! etc.

MANRICO
I'm paying with my blood, etc.

MONKS
Have mercy... have mercy... have mercy...

LEONORA
How could I ever forget you!
You will see that never on earth
was there a stronger love than mine;
it defeated Fate in violent strife,
it will defeat death itself.
Either at the cost of my life
I shall save your life,
or, forever united to you
I shall descend into the grave!
You will see that never on earth, etc.
(Leonora retires. The Count comes out of the
palace with some guards.)

COUNT
Did you hear?
As dawn breaks, the son to the block,
and the mother to the stake.
(The guards go into the tower.)
Perhaps I'm abusing the power
that the Prince freely gave me!
That's what you drive me to,
O my fatal woman!
Where can she be?
When Castellor was retaken,
I had no word of her,
and all our searching was in vain!
Ah, where are you, cruel one?
(Leonora reveals herself.)

LEONORA
Before you.

COUNT
That voice! What? You, woman?

LEONORA
As you see.

COUNT
Why have you come?

LEONORA
His last hour is approaching,
and you ask me?

COUNT
You dared?

LEONORA
Ah yes, I ask mercy for him!

COUNT
What? You're raving!

LEONORA
Mercy!

COUNT
You're raving!

LEONORA
Mercy!

COUNT
I? Show mercy to my rival?

LEONORA
A clement God inspire you!

COUNT
I? Show mercy to my rival?

LEONORA
A clement God inspire you!

COUNT
Vengeance is my only god, etc.

LEONORA
Pity! Pity! I ask pity!

COUNT
Go... Go!... Go!...

LEONORA
Look, at your feet I shed
a river of bitter tears;
Isn't my weeping enough?
Then stab me and drink my blood,
trample upon my corpse,
but save the Troubadour!

COUNT
Ah! I would like to make worse
the unworthy man's fate,
make him die a hundred deaths
in a hundred horrible spasms.

LEONORA
Then kill me...

COUNT
The more you love him, the worse
my fury flames up!

LEONORA
Triumph upon my corpse,
but save the Troubadour!

COUNT
The more you love him, the worse
my fury flames up! etc.

LEONORA
Stab me, stab me, triumph upon my corpse,
but save the Troubadour! etc.

LEONORA
Count!

COUNT
Won't you stop?

LEONORA
Spare him!

COUNT
At no price could you gain that.
Move away!

LEONORA
There is one price, just one;
and I'll give it to you!

COUNT
Explain yourself. Tell me: what is this price?

LEONORA
Myself!

COUNT
Heaven! What did you say?

LEONORA
And I will keep my promise.

COUNT
Am I dreaming?

LEONORA
Make way for me within those walls;
let him hear me, let the victim flee,
and I am yours.

COUNT
Swear it.

LEONORA
I swear before God,
who can see my whole soul.

COUNT
Ho there!

(A guard appears. While the Count is
whispering to him, Leonora sucks the poison
concealed in her ring.)

LEONORA
(You'll have me... but as a cold and lifeless corpse.)

COUNT
He shall live.

LEONORA
(He'll live! My joy strips me
of words. O Lord,
but with its hurried beating
my heart renders thanks!
Now, fearless, filled with joy
I can await the end,
dying I can tell him:
I have saved you!)

COUNT
What are you whispering? Turn,
turn your words to me again,
or it will all seem a dream -
what I heard before!

LEONORA
He'll live!

COUNT
You're mine! Mine! Repeat it,
reassure my doubting heart;
ah, I can scarcely believe it,
when I hear it from you!

LEONORA
He'll live! My joy strips me
of words, O Lord.
Dying I can tell him:
I have saved you!
I have saved you! Ah! etc.

COUNT
You're mine, mine, ah!
I can scarcely believe it! etc.

LEONORA
Let us go!

COUNT
You've sworn -

LEONORA
Let us go!

COUNT
Remember!

LEONORA
My word is sacred!

LEONORA
He'll live! My joy strips me, etc.

COUNT
You're mine! You're mine! repeat it, etc.
(They go into the tower.)

Scene Two

A horrible dungeon; in one corner a barred
window. Azucena lies on a kind of rough
coverlet. Manrico is sitting beside her.

MANRICO
Mother, can't you sleep?

AZUCENA
I've invoked sleep time and again,
but it flees from my eyes!
I'm praying.

MANRICO
Perhaps the chilly air
is painful for your limbs?

AZUCENA
No, only I would like
to flee from this tomb of the living
because I feel that my breath is choking me.

MANRICO
Flee!

AZUCENA
Don't be sad;
the barbarians
won't be able to torture me!

MANRICO
What?

AZUCENA
You see, the finger of Death
has already set on my forehead
its dark prints!

MANRICO
Ah!

AZUCENA
They'll find a corpse, mute and cold!
No, a skeleton!

MANRICO
Stop!

AZUCENA
Don't you hear?
People are coming...
The executioners...
They want to drag me to the stake!
Defend you mother!

MANRICO
Nobody, rest assured.

AZUCENA
The stake -

MANRICO
Nobody's coming here.

AZUCENA
The stake! The stake! The stake!
That horrible word!

MANRICO
Oh Mother! Mother!

AZUCENA
One day a ferocious mob
led your grandmother to the stake!
Look at the terrible flames!
They're touching her already!
Her burning hair already
send sparks up to heaven!
Look at her eyes,
hanging out of their sockets!
Ah! who will save me
from this horrible sight!

MANRICO
If you love me still, if a son's voice
has power in a mother's breast,
seek oblivion in sleep
from the spirit's terrors,
and rest and calm.

AZUCENA
Yes, weariness overcomes me, my son...
I'll close my eyes in peace,
but if you see burning
the stake's horrid flames, then waken me.

MANRICO
Rest now, mother, and may God
grant less grievous images to your sleep.

AZUCENA
We'll go back to our mountains,
and there enjoy our former peace!
You'll sing... with your lute,
and I'll sleep serenely.

MANRICO
Rest, mother. Silent and alert,
I'll turn my thoughts to Heaven.

AZUCENA
You'll sing, etc.

MANRICO
I'll turn my thoughts to heaven,
Rest, mother, etc.
(She falls asleep. The door opens and
Leonora comes in.)

MANRICO
What! Does that feeble
light not deceive me?

LEONORA
It's I, Manrico, my Manrico!

MANRICO
O, my Leonora!
Ah! piteous Heaven, do you grant me
such a great joy before I die?

LEONORA
You won't die; I've come to save you!

MANRICO
What? To save me? Can it be true?

LEONORA
Farewell! Don't delay!
Hurry! Leave!

MANRICO
And you're not coming?

LEONORA
I must stay.

MANRICO
Stay?

LEONORA
Ah, flee!

MANRICO
No!

LEONORA
Woe if you delay!

MANRICO
No!

LEONORA
Your life!

MANRICO
I scorn it!

LEONORA
Leave! Leave!

MANRICO
No!

LEONORA
Your life!

MANRICO
I scorn it!
Still... O woman,
look into my eyes!
Who gave it to you?
And at what price?
You won't speak?
A terrible thought!
From my rival! I understand!
This wretch sold her love...

LEONORA
Oh, how unjust!

MANRICO
Sold a heart sworn to me!

LEONORA
Oh, how your wrath blinds you!
Oh, how unjust and cruel you are...

MANRICO
Wretch!

LEONORA
... to me! Believe me! Flee!

Or you're lost!
Heaven itself can't save you!

MANRICO
This wretch sold her love.

LEONORA
Oh, how your wrath blinds you!

MANRICO
Sold a heart sworn to me!

LEONORA
Oh, how your wrath blinds you!

MANRICO
Wretch!

LEONORA
Oh, how unjust and cruel you are
to me! Believe me! Flee!
Or you're lost!
Heaven itself can't save you!

MANRICO
This wretch sold a love
sworn to me!

AZUCENA
Ah!
We'll go back to our mountains, etc.

LEONORA
Ah flee, flee! Or you're lost!

Heaven itself can't save you! etc.

MANRICO
No! This wretch sold her love,
sold a heart sworn to me, etc.
(Leonora sinks a Manrico's feet.)

MANRICO
Go away!

LEONORA
Don't drive me off!
You see? My strength fails,
I'm overcome, weak.

MANRICO
Go! I detest you! My curse upon you!

LEONORA
Ah stop, stop!
Don't curse me;
the time has come
to pray to God for me!

MANRICO
A shudder runs through my breast!

LEONORA
Manrico!

MANRICO
Woman! Reveal... tell me...

LEONORA
I have death in my breast!

MANRICO
Death!

LEONORA
Ah, the poison's strength
was more rapid than I thought.

MANRICO
Oh, horror!

LEONORA
Feel...my hand is icy,
but here, here a terrible fire is burning!
(She touches her chest.)

MANRICO
Heaven, what have you done!

LEONORA
Rather than live as another's,
I wanted to die yours!

MANRICO
And I, a madman,
dared curse this angel!

LEONORA
I can't go on!

MANRICO
Ah, hapless girl!

LEONORA
The moment has come...
I'm dying, Manrico.
Father in Heaven, now
I beg your forgiveness!

MANRICO
Heavens!
(The Count appears, stopping at the entrance)

COUNT
(Ah, she wanted to deceive me
and die for him!)

LEONORA
Rather than live as another's,
I wanted to die yours!

MANRICO
And I, like a madman,
dared curse this angel, etc.

LEONORA
Rather than live as another's,
I wanted to die yours! etc.

COUNT
(Ah! she wanted to deceive me
and die for him! etc.)

LEONORA
Manrico!

MANRICO
Leonora!

LEONORA
Farewell, I'm dying...

MANRICO
Ah! Alas, wretched one!

COUNT (to the soldiers)
Take him to the block!

MANRICO (as he is dragged off)
Mother! Ah, Mother, farewell!

AZUCENA
Manrico!
Where is my son?

COUNT
Hastening to his death.

AZUCENA
Ah, stop! hear me!

COUNT (draws her to the window.)
See!

AZUCENA
Heaven!

COUNT
He's dead.

AZUCENA
He was your brother!

COUNT
He! What horror!

AZUCENA
Mother, you are avenged!

COUNT
And I still live!

END

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