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Nowhere has there been such a time-honored tradition of juicy stories as in the opera. Take, for example, Opera San José's winter production, Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore (The Troubadour), which pretty much takes the prize for high drama—and that's saying something for opera.
With murderous vendettas, jealous lovers, witch burnings, kidnappings and a war set—as if all that weren't enough—during the Spanish Inquisition, Il Trovatore deals in themes as dark and heavy as the titular props in the "Anvil Chorus," one of the opera's most famed passages. But that's just the thing about Il Trovatore, a tale of such passion and strife it inspired Verdi to create some truly unforgettable music.
With his music, Verdi brings to life the bitter rivalry of the Count di Luna and the troubadour Manrico for the love of Leonora, a noblewoman; the vengeance of Azucena, a gypsy woman; and a tragedy that eventually consumes them all.
Considered one of Verdi's finest works, Il Trovatore debuted in Rome in 1853 and with this production receives its company premiere at Opera San José
The company continues its practice of having two casts who alternate performances. The casts include Lori Decter and Julie Makerov as Leonora; Adam Flowers and Jonathan Hodel as Manrico; Joseph Wright and Jason Detwiler as the Count di Luna; and Malin Fritz and Michele Detwiler as Azucena. Lorna Haywood directs and David Rohrbaugh conducts.
'Il Trovatore' opens Feb. 1 and continues until Feb. 23 at the Montgomery Theater, Market and San Carlos streets, San Jose. Tickets are $40$58. For more information, call 408.437.4450 or visit www.operasj.org.
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